THE PALIO GROUP
You're 90 Days
Into Your
China Leadership Search.
Still No Shortlist You Can Defend.
The Stakes
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Your board is losing patience
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Competitors are gaining ground
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You're stretched too thin
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Covering two roles
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From 12 time zones away.
One more mis-hire and your credibility is shot.
You simply can't afford another round of recruiter roulette.
The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong
When a senior hire in China fails, it's not just a "bad fit."
It's a credibility event.
One client described it this way:
"I ended up having to call my wife and say I'm not coming home this week and ended up spending three months in Beijing fixing the problem." — Eric Strecker, EVP Sales APAC
Another said:
"The candidates they were putting forward were not screened properly. It felt like they had a list of people they were just recycling through. You don't know how well they've been screened. It's almost like rolling the dice." — Vladislav Hermann, President
You know exactly what they're talking about.
Recycled résumés. Junior recruiters. Candidates who look good on paper but bomb in person.
And you're done with it.
What If You Never Had to Worry About China Hiring Again?
Imagine:
✅ A board that stops calling for updates
✅ A team that executes without drama
✅ Leaders who stay 3× longer than industry average
✅ You, finally sleeping again
I'm Michael Whelan
American recruiter. 40 years in Asia. 28 in search.
(6 in Hong Kong, 3 in Shanghai, 19 in Beijing).
I've helped dozens of CEOs and APAC Presidents stop rolling the dice on China hires—and start building leadership teams that actually deliver.
Here's what I believe:
Mid-sized U.S. and E.U. manufacturers get crushed by "standard search practice."
You don't have the resources of the big multinationals. You can't afford to waste 6 months on a search that produces nothing. And you definitely can't afford another mis-hire.
So I built something different.
Why I Started Palio
(And Why It Matters to You)
In 2012, I got fed up.
I'd spent decades watching good companies get wrecked by bad hires and lazy recruiters.
The pattern was always the same:
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Recruiters fishing in stale databases
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Junior staff cold-calling senior executives
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Candidates who looked qualified but couldn't deliver
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90-180 day guarantees that expired right when problems surfaced
And CEOs left holding the bag.
So I built Palio as a personal crusade to fix this.
No delegation. No junior staff. No database spam.
Just me, personally delivering every search with a system that eliminates risk before the shortlist is even built.
Since founding Palio, I've worked alongside CEOs and APAC Heads to transform their senior hiring in the region.
The results?
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Turnarounds that tripled revenue in 2 years
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Leaders who've stayed 5-10+ years (several over a decade)
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Near 100% one-year retention rate
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Zero refunds requested in 6 years of offering guarantees
If you've nodded at any of this, let's bring hiring savvy and momentum to your business.
The Palio Precision Hiring System™
You replace recruiter roulette with a measurable, risk-free framework.
Here's how it works:
The Palio Precision Hiring System™
You replace recruiter roulette with a measurable, risk-free framework.
Here's how it works:
STEP 1: Strategic Discovery Protocol
Clarity before candidates.
We don't start with "send me the job description."
We start with a forensic deep-dive into your China reality:
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Your history (what you've tried, what worked, what failed)
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Your board pressures and timeline constraints
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Your company culture and leadership style
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What "winning" must look like in 12 months
One client said:
"Michael understood the photonics market at a high level, understood the challenges of hiring in China, understood the challenges of a small US company trying to hire." — Holly De Nike, Director HR, Cambridge Technology
This is where alignment begins and mis-hires end.
STEP 2: Performance Scorecard
(Not Job Descriptions)
We define Year-One success before recruiting for it.
Together we build a Weighted Year-One Scorecard that translates your business objectives into measurable leadership outcomes:
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Revenue targets with timelines
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Operational fixes with deadlines
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Cultural shifts with metrics
One client explained:
"Michael does a lot of upfront scrutiny around deliverables and what are the key outcomes you want. It's not just 'I'll find you a candidate with the qualifications you want.' It's 'I'll find the candidate who can produce the outcomes you want.'" — Brett Rodgers, CHRO, Sachem Inc.
Now you're not hiring résumés. You're hiring proven ability to deliver specific results.
STEP 3: Precision Market Mapping
Finding the invisible 10%.
The best leaders in Asia rarely apply for jobs. They're buried inside competitors, suppliers, and adjacent industries.
We map every relevant executive ecosystem and engage those hidden performers.
The numbers:
✅ Fresh research, not recycled databases
✅ 50-100 priority target companies identified upfront
✅ 20-30 adjacent sector companies where skills transfer
✅ Minimum 200 prospects personally contacted
One client observed:
"He screened candidates to meet our targets and I would say 99.5% of whoever he put forward, we will interview, and they will be considered as acceptable candidates." — Vladislav Hermann, President, VAST LLC
No database spam. Just disciplined market intelligence.
STEP 4: Compelling Package Development
Top executives don't respond to "I have an opportunity for you."
We co-develop a Compelling Package that captures everything unique about your opportunity:
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Direct CEO reporting line (signals high visibility)
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Day-one equity participation
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Documented decision speed and autonomy
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Proprietary technology edge
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Clear career trajectory
Each contact is handled personally, never delegated.
That's how passive candidates become enthusiastic contenders.
STEP 5: Extended Verification & Due-Diligence Firewall
Before you sign, we stress-test everything.
✅ Independent due diligence (shareholdings, conflicts of interest, etc.
✅ Full-day psychometric assessment (leadership fit, blind spots)
✅ Structured reference calls (performance verification)
One client said:
"Michael is honest as the day is long. He's a guy you can trust—he's going to work hard and do his best. His goal is to find the right fit. He has integrity." — Randall Hoeflein, President APAC, Rexnord
It's your risk firewall.
STEP 6: 12-Month Integration Support
Our work doesn't end with a signed candidate.
For twelve months, we stay engaged:
Month 1: Weekly touch-points (new-hire + hiring manager)
Month 2-3: Biweekly calls to surface friction early
Month 4-12: Monthly calls—Scorecard monitoring, adjustments, course-correction
We catch small problems while they're still small.
That's how our clients achieve 3× longer retention and 90% Year-One performance success.
The 7-Shield Guarantee
Seven Protections No Other Recruiter Offers
1️⃣ Top 10% Talent Shield
Only candidates in the top 10% of the market are presented. You set the bar, not us.
2️⃣ 100% Satisfaction Shield
If you're not fully satisfied with Palio's performance within 90 days, full refund.
3️⃣ 90% Year-One Performance Shield
If your senior hire fails to score 90% on the recruitment scorecard at Year One, pro-rata refund.
4️⃣ Due-Diligence Firewall Shield
Independent verification exposes hidden shareholding conflicts, political entanglements, or conflicts of interest.
5️⃣ Full-Day Psychometric Shield
Real fit assessment, not pop psychology (senior hires).
6️⃣ 12-Month Replacement Shield
Because risk doesn't stop at 90 days. If your hire leaves for any reason within 12 months, free replacement.
7️⃣ 12-Month Integration Shield
Ongoing support to ensure you keep the hire and they deliver.
These aren't marketing claims. They're contractual commitments.
In 6 years of offering these guarantees:
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Zero refunds requested
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Near 100% one-year retention rate
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90%+ Year-One performance outcomes
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Multiple placements lasting 5-10+ years
What Clients Say
"Michael made me look good! She was a successful hire."
— Carlos Corcelles , VP HR, A.J. Antunes
"You can trust Michael to find a person you can trust to run your business in China."
— Andrew Rickman, OBE , Chairman & CEO, Rockley Photonics (UK's first tech billionaire)
"I feel like I have a friend and a partner there if and when I need it."
— Brett Rodgers, CHRO< Sachem, Inc
"This is one of the best stories in my career."
— Eric Strecker , EVP Sales APAC, Dresser Italia (now Baker Hughes)
"The right hire will give you unimaginable growth. If you want to find the right person for the job, Michael will help you do that."
— Randall Hoeflein, President APAC, Rexnord
Case Studies: What Precision Hiring Delivers
From Zero to €55M: The Airport Systems Turnaround
Client: European airport systems company
Situation: 5 years in China, zero wins, ready to quit
Challenge: Job description called for "young, aggressive" sales leader with baggage handling experience
Our insight: The buyers were ex-military, former government colleagues in their 50s-60s who needed a peer, not a kid
Solution: Recruited an electronics GM who'd delivered a hospital project in Russia under brutal conditions—no baggage handling experience, but exactly the grit and character traits the context demanded
Results:
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€55 million business built from zero
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Global reference projects (major Chinese airports)
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Market leader position in China
Tripling Revenue in 2 Years: The Industrial Valve Success
Client: Dresser Italia (now part of Baker Hughes)
Situation: 11 years of barely acceptable results, two leaders departed
Challenge: Consolidate two roles, drive China growth
Solution: Recruited an 11-year valve industry veteran from a
competitor
Results:
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Years 1&2: Revenue grew from $38M to $105M
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Additional: $102M in revenues the company otherwise would never have seen
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15 years later: Exceeded $2 billion threshold in total revenue contributions
"I've seen our China business grow 92% [in a single year]. Michael and his team recruited the Chief Rep / Director of Sales who is driving this remarkable growth." — Eric Strecker , EVP Sales APAC, Dresser Italia (now Baker Hughes)
40% Revenue Growth, 50% Headcount Reduction, 2× Profit
Client: US-German industrial manufacturer
Situation: Lost control of China operations, margins collapsed, quality slipped, global OEMs ready to walk
Challenge: Regain control and turn around a failing JV
Solution: Recruited a gritty veteran from an adjacent industry with embattled recovery experience
Results Within 12 Months:
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Revenue: +40%
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Headcount: -50%
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Profit: 2×
Results within 60 months:
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Revenue: +261%
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Profit: +802%
Same company. Different leader.
The Game-Changing Hire
Client: JLG Industries/Oshkosh
Challenge: Add capability and talent to China/Asia team
Solution: Multiple senior leadership placements
"The people The Palio Group brought in have added a tremendous amount of talent and capability to the JLG team in China and Asia... It is a whole different ball game for us now. The results are game changing for us." — Tracey McKenzie , VP HR
The CTO Who Stayed
Client: Rockley Photonics (silicon photonics)
Challenge: Disruptive tech start-up JV needed a strong CTO
Solution: Global search for bilingual, bicultural, technically expert, commercially savvy CTO
Results:
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Hired a world-class silicon photonics PhD with exact fit
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3 years later: Same CTO still leading the JV
"Michael and Palio exceeded my expectations by delivering an outstanding shortlist of absolutely first rate, global CTO talent, one of whom is now leading our JV in China. I recommend Michael and Palio unreservedly." — Dr. Andrew Rickman, OBE , Chairman & CEO
More Success Stories:
Aerospace Giant: APAC R&D Director search—candidate promoted twice in 9 years
Cambridge Technology (Novanta): National Sales Director tripled China revenues in 4 years
"The best hire I've ever made in China, in my 15 years' experience there." — Brian Young , CHRO, Novanta
Battenfeld-Cincinnati: CFO replacement—client rated Palio 100/100
"This was very impressive and a totally different approach (concept). It was enjoyable to work with such professionals." — Toni Bernards , CEO China
Somero Enterprises: GM Sales restored growth momentum after mysterious 50% revenue drop
"Michael impressed us very much. The process of selection, the scorecard and the dynamics the company brings. Very professional." — Howard Hohmann , EVP Sales
Your 3-Step Path to Fixing China Hiring
STEP 1: Schedule a Discovery Call
We clarify your challenge, your timeline, and see if Palio is the right fit.
20 minutes. No pressure. No sales pitch.
STEP 2: Get a Precision Hiring Plan
We co-develop your Performance Scorecard, Compelling Package, map the market, and define Year-One success.
STEP 3: Hire an "A" Player—Guaranteed
You get a leader who delivers measurable outcomes and stays 3× longer than industry average.
Simple. Fast. Board-ready.
Before You Hire Any Recruiter, Read This
Download: "3 Fatal Mistakes in APAC & China Leadership Hiring (And How to Avoid Them Before It Costs You Credibility, Profit, and Sleep)"
This guide shows you:
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The 3 mistakes that keep recycling mediocre candidates
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Why "top-tier" firms often deliver the worst results for mid-sized manufacturers
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How to identify these mistakes BEFORE they cost you another 6 months
Ready to Fix Your China Hiring for Good?
Book your Discovery Call before your next board review.
📞 +86 139 1112 5683
✉️ michael.whelan@thepaliogroupsa.com
🔗 linkedin.com/in/michaelwhelanchinaapac