Scaling Sonnedix’s European leadership with confidence

Sonnedix, a leading Independent Power Producer (IPP), was entering a new phase of rapid growth across Europe following significant investment and a fast-expanding project pipeline.

To deliver on this momentum, the business required four senior leadership hires across Operations, Engineering & Construction, Projects, and Grid, covering the UK, Spain, and France.

With a competitive European talent market and a shortage of local specialists in certain regions, Sonnedix needed a recruitment partner who could combine global reach, speed of delivery, and sector-specific insight.

The story behind the search

I’ve had a very positive experience working with Jaime. He has always been helpful and proactive, anticipating needs and offering solutions before issues arise.

I particularly value his collaborative approach and reliability, which have made working with him both effective and enjoyable to work with.

Elisa Zuccari | Head of People (Europe) | Sonnedix

The challenge

Rapid growth across a competitive European market

Sonnedix, a renewable energy Independent Power Producer, was entering a new phase of growth following significant investment and an expanding project pipeline. Four senior appointments were needed across Operations, Engineering & Construction, Projects and Grid.

Competition for experienced leaders and shortages of local specialists made the search challenging. Sonnedix needed technical excellence and cultural alignment across the UK, Spain and France.

The takeaway: Four business-critical leadership appointments across three countries.

The brief

Local expertise and pan-European delivery experience

The brief covered a Head of Operations in London with scale-up experience; a VP of Engineering & Construction in London with pan-European delivery expertise; a bilingual Senior Project Manager in Madrid; and a Grid Connection Manager in Marseille with knowledge of French connection processes and regulations.

Working with Elisa Zuccari, Head of People in Europe at the time of the assignment, the search was aligned to Sonnedix’s culture, mission and long-term growth plans.

The takeaway: Operations, construction, projects and grid expertise in one search programme.

The placement

Four senior leaders appointed

The Head of Operations brought renewable sector scale-up experience to improve processes and efficiency. The VP of Engineering & Construction added pan-European delivery expertise to support project execution.

The Senior Project Manager provided bilingual leadership for complex solar projects in Spain. The Grid Connection Manager brought specialist knowledge of France’s regulated connection environment.

The takeaway: Four leaders matched to distinct technical and geographical needs.

The result

An average time to hire of 30 days

The programme delivered four successful appointments, an average time to hire of 30 days and a 100% retention rate at the time of publication.

These hires strengthened leadership capacity, operational efficiency and delivery of Sonnedix’s European pipeline. Their contributions covered global operational capacity, construction delivery, Spanish solar projects and French grid connections.

The takeaway: Four hires • 30-day average time to hire • 100% reported retention.

Why it matters

A partner aligned to the next growth phase

The search brought together renewable energy networks, proactive outreach and tailored assessment. Close collaboration gave Sonnedix access to senior people whose skills and values matched the business.

Elisa’s feedback emphasised a proactive approach, reliability and collaboration throughout the process.

The takeaway: Speed and sector knowledge supported long-term fit.

Is a critical hire holding you back?

When the right experience is difficult to find, you need more than a shortlist. Tell us what you’re trying to achieve and we’ll help you find the people with the expertise to make it happen.

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