NEWSFLASHES

Working in the Worldwide World

Robert Adriaans
Whoever wishes to work or who has a job abroad will at some point or another come in contact with LEX EXPATspecialist or, in short, LEX. A team of driven experts in the area of expats who all have their own worldwide experiences that they deploy each day to build new futures far away from our homeland...

Incrowd.info interviewed Marieke Kolthof and Eddy Lania from LEX. Driven managers who each have their own area of expertise but who share a passion: working in the worldwide world.

LEX’s history and establishment
LEX founders Gerrit Pierik and Tineke Hulst have gained plenty of experience abroad. They have, for example, gained practical experience in West Africa in countries such as Ghana, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. Brazil and Indonesia, however, are also countries they know well. They started the Pirex company when they returned to the Netherlands. A successful organisation for Interim and Project Management, in particular, General, Project and Financial Management. Often they were asked whether Pirex could fill positions in Africa. Quickly they realised that this required a different business, which resulted in the creation of LEX in 2007.

A multi-cultural company
Initially the focus was on the difficult Africa market but quite quickly activities were expanded to include the growth economies in South America, the Middle East and Asia as well as Europe. In particular, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing became special areas of attentions. Subsequently, global coverage was achieved within six month and now LEX has a database with many capable expats who have impressive CVs. LEX finds it important that vacancies do not remain open too long and, therefore, that there are people in their ‘portfolio’ who really wish to work in a relevant country whilst being highly motivated. Quality always comes first at LEX above quantity. It is fair to say that every LEX employee has lost his or her heart to the international world. Marieke, for example, has gained experience while studying and working as an expat in beautiful South Africa as well as having a background in marketing. The world in its entirety and the different cultures that LEX employees have to deal with manage to greatly motivate every day again.

The right match
LEX invests its time heavily and focuses on higher and middle management covering several industries and disciplines. LEX can also find the right person for very specific jobs such as, for example, in the dredging industry. There is a high demand for expats with a broad knowledge and experience in the area of (project) management supplemented by technical or financial training.
LEX will, of course, extensively research whether the expat also fits in within your corporate culture through HRM and professionals when searching for the right expat for your organisation. It is all about the person behind the applicant and the human perspective behind the company that has the vacancy. This is where we should look for the balance and the fit. Sometimes, however, a company needs a completely different person because, for example, a change process is being implemented within the company.

Trust and additional value
LEX is well aware that organisations tend to initially try to fill vacancies themselves. They know as no other how time-consuming a selection procedure can be. Searching in the market for suitable candidates represents, for most companies, a huge investment in terms of time.

LEX can give you a head start of 6 to 8 weeks with regard to this. It knows its candidates personally. It has a thorough knowledge of the expat market and a very efficient and pragmatic working method and can successfully broker for a strongly growing customer base in the short term. LEX uses an open approach, the threshold is low and the probability of success is high with regard to all parties.

We say: 'Your risk will be non-existent and we will meet the challenge head-on!'
LEX experts have, in most cases, gained experience themselves as expats, they know as no other the ‘pain’ of the expat and his or her life partner. The expat’s life partner or family is the decisive factor to guarantees success in the long term. LEX staff will, therefore, make every effort for life partners. 'He or she often also has ambitions and should not be forgotten.'

Would you like to know more? Visit: www.lexexpatspecialist.com



Incrowd 19 • November/December-2008/January 2009
 

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