Setup & Grow in Australia.
01.
THE CLIENT
Naval Group
Naval Group (formerly DCNS) is a leading French industrial group specialised in naval defence and marine renewable energy. The group employs almost 13,200 people in 18 countries.
Naval Group designs and builds submarines and surface combatants, develops associated systems and infrastructure, and offers a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The Group has also expanded its focus to civil nuclear engineering and marine renewable energy.
As a project manager and integrator of armed vessels, Naval Group operates all along the value chain, from strategic program planning to design, construction and management of operational readiness.
Founded
1631
HQ
Paris, France
Company Size
10,0001+ Employees
Industry
Defence & Space
Specialties
Naval Construction, Engineering, Marine Renewable Energy, Nuclear Energy, CybersecurityAbout The Project
In 2016, Naval Group Australia was awarded the SEA1000 contract – a $50 billion program – by the Australian Government. This project involves the design and construction of twelve Future Submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.
Submarines are the most complex, sensitive and expensive defence capability acquisition that governments can make.
They are of strategic importance to Australia and a critical element in the nation’s maritime security planning. Australia’s national security and $1.6 trillion economy depend on secure sea lanes.
As such, Australia requires the best possible submarines to protect trade and support national security.
The Future Submarine project represents the largest and most complex defence acquisition Australia has undertaken to date. It is, thus, a vital part of Australia’s defence capability.
Thanks to our long-term business relationship with Naval Group, Polyglot Group was chosen to recruit their Head of Finance, ahead of this historic project.
02.
THE CHALLENGE
When first partnering with Polyglot Group, the Naval Group team was just 5 representatives strong. They had not yet won the bid for the SEA1000 contract.
Hence their need for a hybrid senior Head of Finance. The senior profile would be responsible for not only setting up their modest finance structure but also transforming it into a multibillion-dollar machine in preparation for the Future Submarines project.
At the time, the Naval Group team was comprised solely of Technical and Political experts, to focus on the success of the tender.
However, when it came to recruiting a Senior Finance professional, none of them could quite put their finger on what they needed.
Furthermore, all of their finance was managed on Microsoft Excel – which was fine for their then-minuscule structure. But with their long-term vision to grow and the contract deal just around the corner, their finance department needed a significant overhaul.
With this in mind, Naval Group sought guidance on what profile to seek, which accounting system to use, and how to deal with Payroll & HR compliance.
The next step would require hands-on search and assistance throughout their growth journey – all for which they looked to Polyglot Group.
03.
OUR SOLUTION
Thanks to our team of experts in the Finance and Accounting space, we were able to guide the company and define for them the profile of their future Head of Finance.
We activated our network, and within 2 weeks of search, we came up with a shortlist of 3 candidates suitable for the role. We consolidated the business finance structure by providing them with the right skill set.
All this, just a few months before Australia selected Naval Group as their largest Defence supplier of all time.
But our partnership didn’t stop there. As a one-stop shop for their HR needs, we also provided Naval Group with our tailored and comprehensive Payroll and HR Outsourcing services. This would give them the peace of mind to focus on their core business and the success of their major contract deal.
From delivering onboarding assistance to coordinating their visa application and paying their employees, Polyglot Group was there as a partner to Naval Group on all fronts, all along their growth journey.
04.
THE RESULTS
True to their goal, Naval Group won the tender, successfully closing the largest ever defence contract between France and Australia.
Polyglot Group is extremely proud to have been a part of this process. Our contribution included sourcing and placing the precise profile that Naval Group was after, assisting in building out their finance structure, and, above all, being their growth partner of choice.
This is not only a testament to our expertise and reach but also a reflection of our core values and mission. We were able to provide a holistic, tailor-made solution to exceed all the critical needs and expectations of Naval Group.
