Facilitating a Seamless Marketing Director Hire for Brown-Forman Japan

Introduction: Brown-Forman, a distinguished NYSE-listed company in the beverage sector, has a well-established presence in Japan. Facing business transformation, they approached FocusCore for support in recruiting a Marketing Director to drive their evolving strategy in the market.

Problem: Amid ongoing changes to their distribution model and a revamp of their leadership team, Brown-Forman needed a Marketing Director with fluent English, comprehensive marketing expertise, and experience within international companies. Compounding the challenge was the timing: the recruitment process kicked off just before the year-end holidays, making it difficult to reach and screen candidates during a season when many are on leave.

Approach and Methodology: FocusCore took a strategic, consultative approach to meet Brown-Forman’s needs. We engaged with APAC stakeholders to gain a deep understanding of their business goals, corporate culture, and the marketing team’s critical role. Together, we outlined role expectations and refined the hiring process to ensure alignment with Brown-Forman’s transformation objectives.

Solution and Implementation: To streamline the recruitment process, FocusCore collaborated closely on a retained basis with Brown-Forman to reshape key recruitment elements. Job descriptions were enhanced, candidate screening questions customized, and criteria for candidate evaluation were clearly defined. Our team conducted comprehensive market mapping, reviewing over 250 active and passive candidates. Of these, 30 were carefully screened, and a shortlist of 5 highly qualified candidates was presented to the APAC Marketing team.

Results and Impact: The rigorous and coordinated search led to a successful placement of a high-caliber candidate, who joined Brown-Forman seven weeks after their profile was initially submitted. As a passive candidate, they were not actively job-seeking but were drawn to the role through FocusCore’s consulting approach and Brown-Forman’s vision. The candidate brought essential marketing expertise, extensive international experience, and strong cultural alignment, which made a near-immediate impact on the team’s performance and strategic execution.

Lessons Learned: This successful recruitment highlights the importance of an agile, structured approach, particularly in Japan’s unique talent market. FocusCore’s ability to accelerate processes, actively source passive talent, and deliver high-quality candidates has cemented Brown-Forman’s trust in our expertise, leading to further exclusive engagements.