Question 1

What does LYC Partners do?

Accepted Answer

LYC Partners is a boutique executive search and leadership advisory firm at the intersection of China, APAC, and Europe. It helps organizations hire and develop senior leaders who succeed across borders, with 500+ placements and a published 95% retention rate.

Question 2

Why do cross-border executive placements fail?

Accepted Answer

LYC Partners publishes that 67% of cross-border placements fail to meet objectives within 24 months. The leading causes are cultural misalignment (about 42% of failures), weak local stakeholder support, unclear performance expectations, and family or personal transition difficulty.

Question 3

How long does an executive search in China take?

Accepted Answer

A thorough C-suite search in China typically takes 8 to 12 weeks from brief to signed offer, with a first longlist presented within 15 working days. Cross-border searches generally take 12 to 16 weeks.

Question 4

How much does retained executive search cost?

Accepted Answer

Retained search fees commonly range from 25% to 35% of the placed executive's first-year total cash compensation, depending on role complexity, corridor, assessment rigor, and transition support.

Question 5

What is the C.I.D. Framework?

Accepted Answer

The C.I.D. Framework assesses cross-border leaders on three dimensions: Cultural Intelligence, Influence Dynamics, and Delivery Orientation. It is used to predict success in international roles beyond resume credentials.

Question 6

Should companies hire a local executive or an expatriate for a China leadership role?

Accepted Answer

For permanent leadership roles, LYC Partners advises that a local or returnee Chinese executive usually delivers faster time-to-performance, deeper local stakeholder relationships, and lower cost. Expatriate assignments work best for short-term knowledge transfer.