LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

A regional leader sits between two demands that rarely move in step: the strategy set by head office and the realities of the markets expected to deliver it. How much weight to give each shifts by commercial priorities, market nuances and the judgement of whoever holds the role. 

 

Criticaleye spoke to regional leaders across its global Community to understand what the role demands on a daily basis, and what separates those who set themselves up to succeed in it from those who struggle. 

 

"In a single-country role, the focus is more directly on execution and control within that market. In a global function, the levers are broader still," said Michael Boyle, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Greater Asia at HP. "Regional leadership sits in the middle: it requires a five-,15-, and 30,000-foot view, combined with a practical understanding of local realities. 

 

"You have to spend time in the countries and businesses you lead," he said. "Visiting teams shows that their work matters, but more importantly it allows you to see the world from their perspective. That understanding makes it possible to empower leaders to adapt and manoeuvre within their remit.” 

 

Hai Meng Tan, CEO at Kemin Industries Asia, commented: “I see myself as understanding where ‘global’ wants to go, what their intent is, and my role is to operationalise that... [and] translate global priorities into actions that local and regional teams understand and, at the same time, bring market feedback, customer insights and emerging opportunities back to global leadership." 

 

The structure of an enterprise will also need to be taken into consideration. Patsy Ng, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Asia Pacific at Hilton, describes the challenge of leading in a matrixed organisation. "In a regional role, leaders are often operating across three interconnected dimensions: global, regional and local — both within their function and across the broader enterprise. 

 

"Success depends on the ability to create alignment across these dimensions without relying solely on formal authority,” she said. “Getting it wrong usually shows up in two ways – the leader either fails to translate local business realities effectively for global stakeholders... or they fail to bring the enterprise agenda to life locally in a way that builds belief and ownership. Over time, that erodes trust on both sides of the matrix... In that sense, matrix leadership is not about managing complexity — it is about converting complexity into shared direction, better decisions and stronger execution." 

 

Across the wider Community at Criticaleye, Neil Danks, Senior Business Development Manager, highlighted the ambiguities faced by senior executives. “When you think about a regional leader in a big multinational, they are usually running a region, but they're not necessarily on the exec. 

 

“Priorities generally are much more about operational performance; a lot of regional leaders are being asked to reduce costs but also provide value to the customer experience.” 

 

For Keith Lawson, Executive Vice President of Buildings & Infrastructure for Europe, Asia Pacific & Middle East at Jacobs, observed: “Different markets often move at different speeds and face different opportunities or constraints. A key driver for success is to convert opportunities for growth in one area while simultaneously working on the constraints elsewhere. When done well, this leads to sustainable growth at a portfolio level in the long term." 

 

A similar point is made by Michael. "In smaller countries, it may simply not be realistic to deliver every global priority with the available size, capability and resources,” he said. “In those moments, I assess the scale of the market and the team, and I push back where there is a disconnect between expectations and capacity. The focus should be on an 80:20 approach: make sure the most important priorities are delivered exceptionally well." 

 

None of this works without credibility. Hai Meng said: "I need to earn the right to push back or to challenge my HQ. The first thing I need to do is deliver results... I don't think they're going to listen to me if I just tell them my region is different, but then I can't deliver what they want. Trust very quickly disappears.” 
 

 

High-performance Leadership  

The role of regional leader has become more complex over the last few years. Neil said: “The gap is getting bigger between someone being ready to step up and someone actually stepping up to succeed, because they're so relentlessly lost in their day job operationally. 

 

“One phrase that comes up the most is ‘developing enterprise leadership capabilities’. That often means helping people who are relentlessly operational to get out of that and start to think more strategically."  

 

Keith noted the importance of communication and emotional intelligence. He explained: "One point I have learned is that while markets are different, people are often motivated by similar things such as purpose, the culture of the organisation and opportunities for career growth. Leading across different regions reinforces the importance of understanding culture and markets before assuming solutions will transfer directly.  

 

"Some elements of pattern recognition can be taught through exposure, but the deeper understanding comes from experience and a strategic growth mindset. The more environments you work in, the more effectively you can identify what needs to change, what needs to stop and what needs to remain as is." 

 

Asked what he would tell someone taking on a regional role for the first time, Keith said: "Unlearn the idea that they need to have all the answers... As your responsibilities broaden, success becomes less about being the expert in every issue and more about empowering a talented team and creating the conditions for them to succeed." 

 

Michael agreed: "If you are moving from a country leadership role, it can be tempting to hold onto control. You have to learn to relinquish some of it.  

 

“Your role is to hold a mirror up to local leaders, help them see the wider regional picture, and act as the interface that consolidates what is happening across countries into clear themes for head office." 

 

A degree of resilience certainly helps too. Hai Meng commented: "If you expect a pat on the back all the time, either from global or from your staff, you're going to be solidly disappointed… [I]t is a very challenging job and you have to have that personality. There's a Japanese saying: ‘Fall down seven times, get up eight.’” 

Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor, Criticaleye