Wüsthof CEO Jan-Patrick Schmitz on Hiring and Building Global Teams
How I Hire
<p>Roy is joined by Jan-Patrick Schmitz, CEO of the <a href="https://www.wusthof.com/" rel="nofollow">Wüsthof Group</a>. Wüsthof is a family-run business that has been manufacturing quality cutlery for over 200 years. Prior to Wüsthof, Jan-Patrick served as a key member of the leadership team at Montblanc. He’s spent over 20 years working in brand management, establishing himself as a seasoned thought leader in the consumer space. His extensive experience ranges from the development of luxury brands as the Founder and CEO of <a href="https://muirbury.com/" rel="nofollow">Muirbury & Co</a>, to serving on the board of directors of <a href="https://thornwillow.com/" rel="nofollow">Thornwillow Press</a> and the German American Chamber. Roy and Jan-Patrick discuss key factors to consider when hiring and leading teams across borders and cultural contexts.</p>
<p>Highlights from our conversation include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Lessons from Jan-Patrick’s early career move from Germany to Japan (3:47)</li>
<li>How leaders can cultivate trust and credibility with global teams (7:09)</li>
<li>Advice for navigating culturally complex business dynamics (8:28)</li>
<li>How Jan-Patrick builds cohesion in remote and global teams (12:08)</li>
<li>Methods for assessing the performance of international teams (21:07)</li>
<li>What Jan-Patrick looks for in a leader (24:45)</li>
<li>His experience building a DTC business at an established company (26:12)</li>
<li>How Jan-Patrick’s vision informs competencies and roles (28:28)</li>
<li>His “unorthodox” interview style (30:47)</li>
<li>How he engages stakeholders in global hiring processes (32:56)</li>
<li>The three most essential skills effective global leaders must have (34:33)</li>
</ul>
<p>Visit <a href="https://howihire.com/" rel="nofollow">HowIHire.com</a> for transcripts and more on this episode.</p>
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