After a couple of decades working for firms such as Bayer or Henkel in Barcelona, the German Sylvia Taudien lost her job in 2003. With her background in marketing and human resources, she reinvented herself towards the search for managers and professional relocation for third parties. By her account, her network of contacts served as a base. And she worked: she was the seed of Advantage Consultores, a company that today bills more than one million euros, employs 18 people and has just set up shop in Dubai.
They are focused on German companies looking for talent in Spain and Spanish firms going after German talent. "We are the only one focused on it," she highlights. Its clients have included Lidl, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Deichmann, Inditex, Cellnex, Deoleo... "We work with companies from all sectors that want to settle in Spain from scratch or that seek to grow in Germany, Switzerland or Austria from here . They ask us for general directors, managers, digital profiles,” says Taudien. They have worked with some 200 local companies, which also want managers in the US, Singapore, India or Saudi Arabia when they expand.
The model is based on combing the market and matching the search, receiving a commission of 20% or 25% on the salary package. With offices in Barcelona, where it was founded, Madrid, Nuremberg and Lisbon, this year it expects to bill more than one million euros, growing by 25%. “The important thing is that we have strong profitability. Last year it was 15% and it will jump to 30%.” Three quarters of the income is from talent detection, something that resisted even in a pandemic. The rest comes from outplacement programs for laid-off candidates and coaching for managers and seniors.
Now a new stage begins. It has just opened an office in Dubai after an investment of half a million. “There is a lot of potential, with a strong start-up ecosystem and a dynamic environment in finance, retail and real estate. It has been a wise decision because in Europe there will be a crisis that does not affect there. The growth of its market is due to the internal pull, through Southeast Asia, North Africa, Russia...”. Again, the idea is to support Spanish and German companies that want to bring talent there. Expect to bill 100,000 euros per year within three years.
Already coming of age, the company has seen profound changes. More and more female managers are being sought, "who provide a different vision, more empathic and taking more care of the employee". At a global level, but today "there is a lack of talent, because many workers leave voluntarily after the pandemic." The great renunciation is noticeable: it is open to offers and the work environment is increasingly valued. Here they are a separate case. Advantage has a 4-day working day – without salary reduction – and the workforce is 100% female.
