Head of Key Industry Management, Asia Pacific

Role Overview:

Lead regional key industry and key account management across Asia Pacific, with primary responsibility for the automotive segment. The role develops and executes regional growth strategies, strengthens strategic customer relationships, guides regional sales development, and builds the technical support capabilities required for key projects and customer start-ups.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop the regional Key Industry Management, Key Account Management and Technical Field Support teams.
• Build an effective regional organisation, including capability development, resource planning and succession planning.
• Develop and execute Asia-Pacific industry and account strategies aligned with global strategic direction.
• Lead regional sales development for the automotive segment and guide sales development across other assigned industry segments.
• Build long-term relationships with senior decision-makers at strategic customers across Asia Pacific.
• Support regional and global contract negotiations in collaboration with relevant commercial, legal and business stakeholders.
• Translate regional priorities into country plans, roadmaps and commercial targets, and monitor execution.
• Guide key account planning and ensure regional account plans are maintained and reviewed regularly.
• Identify market, customer and innovation needs and communicate them to global marketing and technology teams.
• Coordinate technical support, capability development and staffing for key projects, product introductions and process start-ups.
• Lead cross-functional strategic projects and new business development initiatives across the region.
• Collaborate closely with country sales teams, marketing, technology, research and development, and other regional and global stakeholders.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science or a related discipline. A postgraduate business qualification is advantageous.
• Substantial experience in regional business management, key account management, sales leadership or industry management within a business-to-business industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-country teams and influencing stakeholders in a matrix organisation.
• Strong commercial capability, including strategic account planning, negotiation, value-based selling and profitable growth.
• At least 15 years experience in the automotive, surface treatment, specialty chemicals, industrial manufacturing.
• Ability to translate market and customer insights into regional strategies and executable country plans.
• Strong leadership, communication, presentation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly within Asia Pacific.