Behind Every Successful Placement Lies a Story — of people, decisions, and sometimes unexpected turns.

Daniel Lechner, Managing Director of HILL International Carinthia since 2017 and thus representing the second generation in this role, has been supporting companies and candidates on their professional journeys for many years. What drives him isn’t just numbers and profiles, but genuine connections and sustainable development. In this article, he shares three moments that deeply moved him — and explains why experiences like these make his work so fulfilling.

What was the most exciting position?

I've been working in Executive Search for around ten years. People often ask me which position has been the most exciting. But surprisingly, this question isn’t so easy to answer.

As a recruitment consultant, I encounter many extraordinary roles, ambitious companies, and impressive individuals. And yet, every now and then, there’s that one position that truly stands out. In this article, I share a few particularly memorable placements — and explain why they’ve stayed with me to this day.

One situation that stands out in my memory: a long-time client approached me with a very specific request. They were looking for a Sales Director for China — ideally of Chinese origin but raised or socialized in Austria. Of course, the candidate also needed to be highly qualified professionally. So we were looking within an extremely narrow talent pool. Even so, we managed to reach a decision within the defined timeframe. Almost seven years later, the candidate is still with the company — and the market entry in Southeast Asia was a complete success.

Another case I won’t forget was the placement of a General Management position in a company undergoing a major transformation. Several retirements were on the horizon, a key executive had already left, and the business focus was being realigned. The challenge was to find someone who could stabilize the company — while also acting as a driving force for change. To make things more difficult, the owner wasn’t willing to pay market-rate salaries. Nevertheless, we found a young man who took on the challenge — and mastered it brilliantly. Today, he owns the company. And what brings me particular joy: he’s become a good friend.

One of the most touching moments for me was receiving a handwritten letter about a year after successfully placing a candidate. In it, the candidate thanked me for the professional support throughout the process. So far, so common — we’re fortunate to receive such feedback regularly. But what made this one special was the drawing (as seen above in the picture) enclosed with the letter: it was from his young daughter, thanking me for bringing her family to Carinthia. That picture hung framed in my office for years.

Of course, there have been many other roles I look back on fondly.
But the honest answer to the question of which one was the most exciting is probably: the next one.