Atlantic Research Technologies’ Recruitment in the

Automotive & Transport Sector

Report by Gemini, 5 January, 2026

Atlantic Research Technologies (ART) has conducted executive search and management recruitment in the Automotive & Transport sector since its founding in 1987. The firm’s work in this vertical is defined by a global, "virtually local" reach across six continents and a focus on identifying strategic leaders capable of navigating the technical and cultural complexities of international markets.

 

Sector and Technical Specialization

ART’s expertise covers a broad spectrum of the transportation industry, from traditional internal combustion vehicles to cutting-edge sustainable technologies:

• E-Mobility & Sustainability: The firm has a dedicated focus on the future of

mobility, including battery-electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and fuel-cell powertrains (FCEV).1 This specialization extends to charging infrastructure, solid-state battery cells, and second-life battery repurposing.

• Automobile Design & Manufacturing: Recruitment for the passenger car

market spans the entire supply chain, including OEMs and Tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers. Technical expertise includes body-in-white manufacturing, powertrain assemblies, and ADAS sensor suites.

• Larger Automotive & Heavy Equipment: Expertise includes

manufacturers of commercial trucks, city transit and intercity buses, heavy construction equipment (e.g., hydraulic excavators), and agricultural machinery (e.g., combine harvesters).

• Rail & Urban Transit: Recruitment covers rail-bound rolling stock, including

diesel-electric and high-speed maglev locomotives. It also includes urban guideway systems such as light rail, subways, metros, and automated people-mover systems, as well as signaling and control technologies.

• Vertical & Marine Transport: The practice extends into vertical transport

(passenger elevators, freight lifts, and escalators) and commercial maritime vessels, including container ships, LNG tankers, and offshore support vessels.

Functional Recruitment Scope

ART focuses on filling senior and middle-management roles within the key departments required for a transport company’s success:

• General Management: CEO, COO, President, Managing Director, and

Country Manager roles.

• Commercial & Financial: VP Sales, Marketing Directors, Business

Development Directors, CFOs, and Financial Controllers.

• Operations & Technical: VP Manufacturing, Supply Chain Directors,

Logistics Managers, and heads of R&D, Engineering, and Quality.

 

Sampling of Past Search Assignments

Past assignments illustrate ART’s ability to find "bridge" managers for companies expanding into new regional markets:

• General Manager – North American Operations: Tasked with optimizing

sales and operations across the US, Canada, and Mexico for a major group.

• General Manager – Ag Equipment (US Midwest): Recruited for a major

agricultural equipment distributor to develop and achieve business plans while meeting the expectations of diverse stakeholders.

• US National Sales Director – Logistics Services: Focused on expanding a

sales team specifically into the automotive parts and CPG sectors.

• Brazil Business General Manager: In charge of all operations for the Brazil

market and potentially other South American territories.

 

Methodological Approach

A core differentiator of ART’s automotive practice is its total rejection of online advertising and AI-driven automated selection processes. Instead, ART recruiters—each with a minimum of 10 years of experience—utilize a human-centered "direct approach" to source passive candidates from competitors. This ensures that placements are based on candidate excellence and a deep alignment with the client company’s unique business style rather than mere availability on job boards.