Knowledge Hub
Strategic analysis, salary benchmarks, and leadership intelligence from the global Print & Packaging sector.
Female representation at senior leadership level in packaging manufacturing has improved — but remains well below 30% at Director level. We examine what the businesses making the most progress are doing differently.
A quick-read data snapshot: sustainability roles in packaging now command 15–22% salary premiums over equivalent operational positions. The data — and the reasons why.
As private equity involvement in packaging increases, the demand for non-executive directors with genuine sector expertise has grown significantly. We examine what makes an effective packaging NED.
From paper-based alternatives to chemical recycling infrastructure, we identify the six macro-trends that will define sustainable packaging over the next 18 months — and their talent implications.
When a 60-year-old family corrugated converter needed its first professional CEO, the challenge was finding someone who could earn the trust of the founding family while delivering a step-change in performance.
Four years on from Brexit, we examine the real impact on UK packaging manufacturing labour markets — and what it means for executive recruitment strategy.
Robotics, cobots, and AI-driven quality systems are transforming packaging operations. The leaders who can manage human and machine workforces simultaneously are in acute demand.
23% of executive hires in packaging businesses fail within 90 days. The cause is almost never competence — it is almost always onboarding, cultural alignment, or a misspecified brief.
Demand for packaging sustainability executives is growing at 34% year-on-year. Supply is not keeping pace. We examine the causes, consequences, and what boards should do about it.
AI-powered candidate sourcing tools are proliferating. We examine what they can and cannot do in the highly specialised context of executive packaging recruitment.
South-East Asia is seeing its fastest ever expansion in flexible and corrugated packaging capacity. We examine the talent landscape and what Western-headquartered businesses need to know before entering these markets.
A global FMCG group committed €50m to a greenfield flexible packaging facility in Poland and needed a complete leadership team — 9 senior roles — delivered before ground-breaking. CHI delivered all 9.
How CHI delivered a complete C-suite and senior leadership team for a €50m greenfield flexible packaging investment — from brief to all 9 offers accepted.
67% of packaging executives received a counter-offer in 2023 — yet 78% who accepted still left within 18 months. Understanding why people really leave is the only effective retention strategy.
Single-pass inkjet has reached commercial maturity in corrugated. The talent gap is now wider than the technology gap — and businesses investing in digital leadership early achieve 3–4× faster ROI.
Drawing on 1,400+ executive placements across 15 markets, this is the definitive annual guide to Print & Packaging leadership remuneration — from Plant Manager to Group CEO.
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