Driving European Growth: Rapid Senior Commercial Leadership Hires for SBJP Bottling / Atlantica Foods

SBJP Bottling / Atlantica Foods – Senior Commercial Leadership Recruitment

Client: SBJP Bottling / Atlantica Foods – European HQ, Rotterdam
Sector: Juice & Bottling / FMCG
Roles: Senior Commercial Manager + 1 additional hire

Background

Following a successful placement into Atlantica Foods’ UK team earlier in the year, the company approached Paragon Talent to assist with replacing their Senior Commercial Manager for the European market. The outgoing manager was leaving for personal family reasons, and Atlantica Foods sought a highly qualified successor who could continue leading their European commercial team with minimal disruption.

The Senior Commercial Manager role oversees all commercial activity, P&L responsibility, and team leadership across Europe. The business required someone with strong experience in the juice industry, knowledge of European bottling markets, and the leadership skills to drive a high-performing team. While the role could be located anywhere in Europe, regular time at the Rotterdam HQ was essential.

Challenge

Key challenges included:

Replacing a high-performing manager with someone of equal calibre, ensuring a smooth handover.
Short timeframe: the outgoing manager’s departure was scheduled for 8th January, creating urgency.
Finding candidates with deep juice industry knowledge, European bottling experience, and strong leadership capabilities.
Ensuring cultural fit with a Brazilian-rooted business operating across Europe.

Approach

Paragon Talent leveraged its strong sector network and industry knowledge to deliver rapid, high-quality results:

Targeted Search: Utilised deep connections in the juice and citrus markets to identify candidates with the right experience and cultural fit.
Rapid Shortlisting: From initial briefing (12th October) to a shortlist of three highly qualified professionals took just one week.
Accelerated Interview Process: All three candidates progressed to first-stage Teams interviews within 10 days of the shortlist.
Candidate Preparation & Support: Guided candidates through the process, highlighting business culture, expectations, and interview guidance.
Flexible Engagement: Coordinated final interviews and in-person CEO meetings to secure a swift offer and acceptance.

Outcome

Speed & Efficiency: From initial briefing to accepted offer for the first hire took just one month.
High-Quality Placements:
- Thomas Spengler – Senior Commercial Manager, Europe
- Andrei Perjun – Additional strategic hire to support expansion in Eastern Europe
Cultural & Experience Fit: Thomas’ German/Brazilian background, combined with extensive European and Latin American juice industry experience, ensured a seamless integration into Atlantica Foods’ leadership team.

Candidate Recommendations:

“I really appreciated working with Jamie. He was supportive at every step, always open, honest, and quick with feedback. His understanding of the industry and his way of guiding the process made a big difference. I’m truly grateful for his support and can highly recommend him.” – Thomas Spengler

“Jamie is very helpful and details oriented. In short time he provided me few job openings he had, and we chose together the perfect combination. I recommend Paragon for everyone who is looking for a job or a change in their careers.” – Andrei Perjun

Key Takeaways

Deep sector knowledge and strong networks accelerate the identification of top-tier talent.
A personalised, hands-on approach ensures cultural alignment, smooth transitions, and strong leadership continuity.
Rapid, structured recruitment processes allow businesses to maintain momentum even during leadership changes.

Result: Atlantica Foods now has a strengthened European commercial leadership team with a smooth handover and strategic capacity to expand across the continent.

About Paragon Talent

Paragon Talent is a specialist recruitment consultancy connecting high-growth manufacturing and FMCG businesses with top-tier commercial and technical talent. We focus on senior-level appointments across the Food, Beverage, Flavour, Fragrance, and Pharmaceutical Ingredients sectors. With deep industry knowledge, a global network, and a hands-on, personalised approach, we deliver fast, high-quality recruitment solutions that drive growth, strengthen leadership teams, and create long-term value for both clients and candidates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What types of roles does Paragon Talent specialise in?
A: We focus on senior-level appointments across the Food, Beverage, Flavour, Fragrance, and Pharmaceutical Ingredients sectors, particularly niche and hard-to-fill positions where specialist knowledge and networks are critical.

Q: How does Paragon Talent find top-tier candidates?
A: We use targeted market mapping, deep sector knowledge, and proactive outreach to both active and passive candidates, ensuring clients have access to the highest-calibre talent.

Q: What makes Paragon Talent different from other recruitment agencies?
A: We combine professionalism with a highly personalised approach, understanding both client business needs and candidate motivations. Our transparency, responsiveness, and industry expertise consistently deliver fast, high-quality results.

Q: How quickly can Paragon Talent fill senior roles?
A: While timing depends on role complexity, our focused methodology and direct access to top talent allow us to significantly reduce time-to-hire compared to traditional recruitment approaches.

Q: How does Paragon Talent ensure a good cultural and commercial fit?
A: Beyond skills and experience, we assess alignment with company culture, commercial acumen, and leadership style, coaching candidates and advising clients to ensure the right match from day one.

Q: What kind of support does Paragon Talent provide throughout the process?
A: We manage the full recruitment lifecycle, from role briefing and candidate identification to interview preparation, offer negotiation, and onboarding support, delivering a seamless experience for both clients and candidates.

About the Author

Jamie Pickup is the Founder & Director of Paragon Talent, specialising in senior-level appointments across the Food, Beverage, Flavour, Fragrance, and Pharmaceutical Ingredients sectors. With almost 15 years of experience, Jamie has built a strong track record of connecting high-growth flavour and ingredient manufacturing businesses with top-tier commercial and technical talent. Known for a hands-on, transparent, and highly personalised approach, he combines deep industry knowledge with an extensive international network to deliver fast, high-quality recruitment outcomes that drive growth and strengthen leadership teams.