Jose Ruiz

Mexico’s troubled oil industry – How many Mexicans does it take to drill an oil well?
Oct 1st 2009 | MEXICO CITY
From The Economist print edition

More than 140,000, and even then they’re not very good at it. For this, now acute, problem, blame the politicians

IT IS bad enough that Mexico’s economy is in deep recession, triggered by its close links to the ailing United States. To make matters worse, the country’s oil industry, its fiscal cash-cow for the past three decades, is declining swiftly (see chart). As recently as 2004 Cantarell, the country’s main offshore field, produced 2.1m barrels per day (b/d) of crude. Now its output is just 600,000 b/d. There are no obvious replacements: 23 of the 32 biggest fields are in decline. Barring big new finds, the world’s seventh-largest oil producer is forecast to become a net importer by 2017.

The Mexican treasury is ill-prepared for this. Taxes and royalties from Pemex, the state-owned oil monopoly, have accounted for almost two-fifths of federal revenues in recent years, compensating for one of Latin America’s weakest tax regimes (which collects just 11% of GDP). If oil output drops below 2m b/d, as many industry-watchers fear, the government would be forced to cut spending by more than 10%—or jack up taxes correspondingly, to avoid an unsustainable budget deficit. This might threaten economic recovery…

|Read Full Story at Economist.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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It’s not a cliche. Leadership is not about the leader, yet many forget.
By Jose Ruiz

If you collected every single article that defines leadership, you’d probably have reading material for a many years and you’d probably go crazy with ideas and suggestions on how to improve your leadership skills.

Leadership is much like parenting. You can read a lot, you can be taught, you can be mentored and guided, but in the end your leadership style will be unique to your experiences and specific situations. There will seldom be black or white answers. However, just like parenting, the one irrefutable characteristic about true leadership is that it is not about you. Good leadership is not reflected in the leader’s actions, it is reflected in the impact and effect of those actions on the team.

This is not a plea for servant leadership, a humble leader, leading from the back, or leading softly. I believe in that, but I don’t believe a good leader can, or should be that all the time.  A leader should adapt to the environment and what the team needs today without losing sight of what will be needed tomorrow and always preparing for that moment when he or she will no longer be there. Guaranteeing the growth and sustainability of the team and the individuals that comprise it beyond the leader’s time is the ultimate trait of a great leader. In fact, the true success of a leader can not be measured without considering the results of the succession plan.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose Ruiz

How much?  There is no easy answer for this question but the best way to address is it is to understand a company’s typical thought process.  Regardless of what companies will openly admit there are three things that will determine what a company will offer you when changing jobs:

What you are worth in the Market
This has nothing to do with your perceived value, it is important to distinguish your perceived value from your market value.  Your market value is simply based on what others with a similar skill set and experience (your competition) are currently or willing to make. I have had candidates tell me: “I saved the company $500,000 dollars last year why can’t they pay me 50% more?” And the answer is pretty straight forward, harsh, but straight forward: Because they don’t have to if someone else can save them the same amount for 25% less than what you make.

So, research the market when setting your expectations. Once you arrive at market data it is important to understand how it is used.  If you take market statistics as a reference, consider that companies will try to make offers below the 50 percentile to guarantee room for growth and development. The area above that percentile is reserved for compensating performance and experience at the corresponding level.  If at any point you are able to negotiate above the 50 percentile be cautious of what your future will look like. You might be staring at a few years with below average salary increases.

Your current salary
This becomes a none-issue if you are at market, but if you are under the market it will force a question: Why are you below market?  In many cases there is a valid reason. But beware of how you present your case. Companies will know about other companies more that you might expect. Company names in your resume and your current salary will hint to what your performance has been. Questions marks will fly if you have been with a well recognized organization for the past 4 years and your salary is below market.  Regardless of how well the interview process goes and how good an organization may be when evaluating potential employees there is never a guarantee that a new hire will perform as expected. So if you are below market don’t expect a significant immediate increase to bring you to market level. Companies will typically provide an increase to bring you on board but it will be up to you to bring yourself to market level by performing.  So worry about positioning yourself in an organization that will FACILITATE getting back to market level within a certain amount of time versus trying to find a sponsor that will immediately take you there because they feel for you and believe your story.

It is also important to consider that while companies understand that money is important they will seek a candidate’s decision based on the challenge, expected career path and career development and not on an immediate boost in pay. For that reason, most organizations will shy away from providing sharp increases when presenting an offer. The average increase, assuming that the increase does no put you outside the hiring companies range for the position is between 15-25%. The higher the salary the lower the percentage tends to be. In very few instances do we see organizations that are willing to increase an executive’s salary by more than 25% when they bring them on board. So once again, worry about positioning yourself in an organization that will provide a level of responsibility, training and experience that will allow you to progressively increase your market value and consequently your salary.
Chase responsibility and experience that can be marketed and the money will come.

Their internal pay structure
You would think that the pay structure in most companies would match market data. Unfortunately it is not always the case and not because organizations would not want it that way. External events can change the market quicker than what a company can or would be willing to react to. When we see a mismatch it is typically a temporary supply and demand issue for specific industries and disciplines. In most instances companies will prefer to take more time to fill a job opening or even lose a few employees to a hot job market over turning their cost structure upside down or generate disgruntled employees by increasing the salary range for specific positions while keeping other similar ones the same.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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What can we expect in 2010 as we continue to see signs the economy is beginning to recover and expand?  Uncertainty is gone. We’re certain it’s going to be a tough year but challenges will be different from those we encountered in 2009.
By Jose Ruiz

When 2009 began uncertainty filled the air and the economy paralyzed. It was like driving in dense fog. Trying to sort out what was around us, while we attempted to move forward with caution, hoping nothing would come out of nowhere and hit us. Swine flu did just that and it was not until June that the fog began to lift. We hit bottom, and it became evident that the recovery was going to take time and it was going to be tough.

Let’s take a broad look back at what happened from the perspective of Connie Consumer and Pete Producer. Back in 2006 Connie Consumer was flying high with a steady job, a house, retirement and investment accounts with values that were growing well beyond inflation. The Consumer family’s net worth was growing at a steady pace and they felt comfortable making major purchases. Pete Producer was doing very well struggling to keep up with demand. Pete and Producer Inc. hired more employees and made investments with an eye to the future. He needed to expand to not lose market share.

In 2008 Connie Consumer began to see her net worth slip as house prices began to drop. The foreclosure of her neighbor’s house put downward pressure on the price of her home and her investments were not performing well. The Consumer family is a responsible consumer so they began to hold back on some spending. Pete producer began to notice the Consumers where not spending as much as before and began to see his demand fizzle. Producer Inc. was already set for higher output. Pete producer made small adjustments but his inventory began to accumulate. Pete felt he had increased capacity too aggressively betting on the come and allowed his costs to get out of control. Towards the end of 2008 he had no choice and began to make cost adjustments and had to let some employees go.

By the start of 2009 Connie Consumer was facing a pay-cut and was uncertain about her own job. She could no longer count on the safety net of her home equity or her investment accounts. If she lost her job she would have a hard time making ends meet. The Consumer family hunkered down and increased their savings trying to spend only on the essentials. Pete Producer felt the pressure as his products stacked up in his warehouse. Producer Inc. had no choice and made deeper cost cuts, letting more people go and shutting down plants. Pete was in trouble. His costs were climbing and his product was not selling. Pete needed cash at a time when his bank reduced his credit line. He knew that increasing his prices would be suicide. In fact he had to provide discounts to empty his shelves. He accepted losses to guarantee cash flow.

At the end of June 2009 Connie felt a bit more secure at her job. Layoffs appeared to be over. The Consumer family was still dealing with lower pay because of the pay-cuts but they felt a bit more comfortable spending. Government programs had helped Pete reduce his inventory and Producer Inc. began to see demand come back.

So this is where we are today. Connie Consumer is cautious but spending. Pete Producer has his production lines working again. His reduced capacity is almost at its limit.

The uncertainty is gone but now comes a tricky recovery.

Pete Producer is seeing demand increase but he is very reluctant to increase capacity. His fear of loosing market share is outweighed by his fear of letting his costs get out of control. He will accept losing some customers to guarantee that he will stay afloat and profitable. Pete will grow at a very slow pace keeping a close eye on the Consumer family betting very little on the come.

Connie Consumer will probably get her full pay back by the end of the year. But her employer will be thinking along the same lines as Pete and will keep pay increases in check. In 2010 Connie will likely earn the same salary she did in 2008.

Now say hello to my little friends: inflation and loss of purchasing power.

2009 was a year characterized by the elimination of excess inventory and capacity (supply). When I talk about capacity it’s not only manufacturing capacity. Restaurants, dealerships and stores were closed, production lines were shut down. Overall, capacity to provide goods and services was reduced in reaction to a dramatic drop in demand. Prices remained mostly in check because supply outweighed demand.

Through the reminder of 2009 and 2010 demand will continue to grow at a slow pace. Supply and demand will even out and we will very likely see inflation levels above those that we saw in 2009. 

Higher inflation levels and a virtual freeze in salaries equals a loss in purchasing power adding another element to the already strong argument of a slow recovery.

2010 will be a year of recovery. But a slow and difficult recovery as Connie Consumer and Pete Producer keep an eye on each other before taking any steps, both protecting their cash and taking nothing for granted.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose J. Ruiz – Heidrick & Struggles

Monterrey, Mexico (August 18, 2009).- Positive signs continue to bring hope that an economic recovery, though a slow and long one, has arrived. There is an emphasis on slow and long.

The peso dropped against the dollar by 1.3 percent on Monday, the single biggest drop since May 11, before climbing back and positioning itself slightly below 13 pesos per dollar around noon today.

Concerns were awaken a few days back as Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens said Mexico faces the worst “fiscal shock” in 30 years because of declining oil production. This means there will be little money left to stimulate the economy. However, the biggest factor in Mexico’s economic recovery will continue to be consumer demand in the United States simply because Mexico sends more than 80% of its exports to the U.S.

“The United States was not only at the origin of the crisis, it is central to any world recovery,” said Olivier Blanchard, the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund.

At least for now, the positive signs in the U.S. continue.

Automotive Industry
GM has called back over 1300 union workers as the company prepares to boost production during the second half of the year. In Mexico, GM recently inaugurated a transmission plant in San Luis Potosi. This is a great sign for Mexico considering 21% of exports come from the automotive industry.

Blanchard believes the recovery has started but has cautioned it can’t be sustained by government programs such “Cash for Clunkers”. The private sector needs to be the engine of economic activity.

Demand still needs to recover and it will take years for it to reach pre-recession levels but having inventories drop enough to kick-start plants that had be shut down is a great step forward.

Housing and Construction in the United States
There are still many negative sides to the housing equation in the United States. Foreclosures will continue to be fed by many variable-rate loans that will reset between now and 2012 putting downward pressure on pricing but for the first time in many years renting is now more expensive than buying for those with a good credit rating and cash in the bank.

The amount of deals in the market has stopped the price slide in places like San Diego where the medium price of a home in July stood at $320,000, up from $316,250 in June but still below July 2008′s $364,000. Some builders like KB home expect to show year-over-year increases in sales for the current quarter.

U.S. housing starts declined by 1 per cent in July, ending a two-month winning streak but despite missing expectations, watchers viewed the housing data as a largely positive development. The drop can be attributed to apartments since construction of single-family homes rose by 1 per cent to the highest level since October 2008, for the fifth straight monthly increase.

It’s too early to pop the Champaign bottle but it appears that activity in both the construction and automotive industries may have stabilized to a degree.

Jose Ruiz is a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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You Corp.
Succeed by applying to your personal life and career the same principals that propel leading corporations.

by Jose Ruiz

The exact definition of business is a matter of debate.  But without getting into much detail or controversy a business is a legally recognized organization designed to provide goods and/or services to consumers.  Formed to earn profit that will increase the wealth of its stake holders and grow the business itself.
 
If you are reading this there is a high probability that you work, you are either an employee or an entrepreneur.  It really does not matter.  In the end, you do something (your product) and someone pays for it.  People who surround you or depend on you such as your wife, kids, parents are affected by how you do it and what you get. They, along with you, are stake holders. I’m pretty sure that you and your stake holders have felt the need to increase your wealth. You are a business.
 
Working in executive search I speak to many managers and directors from Fortune 500 organizations. They are masters of business strategy and execution yet, most of the time, I get a strange look if not a blank stare when I ask how they have applied those concepts to their person and how they have used those concepts to get to where they are. I truly can’t say they got there by chance. But I’m also not sure it was always something that was planned and mapped out. There are moments in time which change the course of events, alter the paths of your career and change your professional life. Some are positive and some are negative and for most of us the majority of these events are unexpected.
 
When I ask people who have had successful careers what the secret is, the most common response is “hard work and perseverance”. Check! You won’t be successful without them. But I also know many people who have worked hard, been relentless and have fallen short of their goals. There are no guarantees that you will be successful and achieve all of your goals, but I bet you can increase your chances by applying the same business concepts great corporations use. You might already work for one and apply them everyday, you just might not be applying them to yourself.
 
Identify and understand your stakeholders
People who surround you or depend on you such as your wife, kids, parents are affected by how you do it and what you get. What are their needs today and what will they be tomorrow? Your needs and those of your other stakeholders should be your big objective.
 
Know, understand and develop your product/service 
Know what makes you valuable and think about how your current job or activities will affect that value. In the end, your employer is your client. How many potential clients do you have? Be strategic. Everything you do should be part of the creation of a unique and valuable position. A good strategy may require you to make trade-offs – Your resources are limited. Choosing what not to do is just as important as choosing what to do.
 
Create and propel your personal brand
Yes, you are a brand. Distinguish yourself and make sure you never forget that perceptions matter. People remember you and what you are by what you do and what you reflect. Work on a positive brand.
 
Apply The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles)
Good-to-Great companies do what they can do best (as opposed to what they want to do best), what they are deeply passionate about, and they focus on what drives their economic engine.
 
Be effective: Plan and execute seamlessly
Know where you want to go, plan how you are going to get there and when. Be visionary. Spot trends but stay focused and constantly reassess everything.
 
Focus, document and measure relentlessly
Use a central score board and share it with your stakeholders. Goals slip when progress is not being measured…and measured against time. Set milestones at frequent intervals. When gaps occur, question what went wrong and apply corrective actions.
 
Be ruthless with resources and stay financially flexible
We live in a world of cycles. Recessions and economic crisis will happen and most likely a few times in our lifetime. Be prepared, don’t lose focus and be sustainable. Plan long term.
 
Don’t B.S. yourself
B.S. your clients or your stakeholders and it will have an impact on your personal brand. B.S. yourself and you will be on a direct path to failure. Believe your own B.S. and you are done.

Jose Ruizis a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose Ruiz

Monterrey,  Mexico (August 5, 2009).- I’ve said it more than a few times: A full manufacturing recovery in Mexico will be slow and very dependant on the automobile industry which makes up 20 percent of Mexico’s industrial production and it looks like we are headed in the right direction.

Factory orders in the US rose in June for the fourth time in five months, an unexpected gain and the latest sign that the ailing manufacturing sector is recovering

Cash-for-clunkers, the program in the US that gives up to $4,500 in rebates for trading in old gasoline chugging cars for newer fuel-efficient vehicles has injected new life into the automotive industry. Almost 250,000 consumers have taken advantage of the program.  This is not even close to a permanent solution, but it is certainly a life line for the automotive industry when it needs it the most. Dealerships had huge inventories going into the second half of the year when 2010 models start arriving. The program coupled with the automakers’ production cuts has slimed down inventories.

Dealers in the US have reported very slim inventories of the Jeep Patriot, Ford Focus, Fusion and Honda Civic. Some GM dealers are even reporting spot shortages of full size pick-ups.

This may not fix the overall demand issue but it has at least cleaned out the excess inventory of smaller models and given manufacturers a clean slate to plan production according to demand.

All of this is good news for Mexico’s automotive industry manufacturing facilities that supply parts and assemble small and compact vehicles.

Jose Ruiz is a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose Ruiz

Monterrey,  Mexico (August 3, 2009).- Overall the free fall appears to have slowed but we are still falling.  In the US the stabilization of consumer spending, unemployment benefits and the housing markets, a lessening of financial turmoil and increased government spending all suggest the longest recession since the 1930s may be close to ending.
 
In the U.S. Manufacturing shrank in July at the slowest pace in many months and factories moved closer to stabilization. In a Bloomberg News survey, The Institute for Supply Management’s factory gauge increased to 46.5, from 44.8 in June (readings less than 50 signal contraction).
 
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan believes the worst is behind us, “collapse, I think, is now off the table…I’m pretty sure we’ve already seen the bottom… In fact, if you look at the weekly production figures for various different industries, it’s clear that we’ve turned, perhaps in the middle of last month, the middle of July.” Greenspan said.
 
U.S. Recovery will be the first step for a recovery in Mexico but other concerns are looming.  A growing deficit and falling oil output may be sleeping monsters that can put added pressure on growth, the exchange rate and an already tricky inflation scenario.

Jose Ruiz is a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose Ruiz

Monterrey,  Mexico (July 23, 2009).-  Mexican manufacturers are seeing an end to steep declines in output as U.S. companies begin ramping up orders and reducing inventory.

Overall manufacturing activity is still declining but it is doing so at a slower pace. U.S. Manufacturing declined in June at its slowest pace since August of last year, a sign that the bottom is near in the U.S. and consequently in Mexico which is closely tied to U.S. activity. Mexico last year sold 80 percent of its $291 billion in exports to the U.S.

A full manufacturing recovery in Mexico will be slow and very dependant on the automobile industry which makes up 20 percent of Mexico’s industrial production. A number that is too large to be offset by other industries.

Production in that industry sank 42 percent during the first part of 2009 as General Motors and Chrysler adjusted factory production to match lower demand in the U.S.

Local recovery will depend less on internal factors and more on U.S. consumer demand where employers cut more jobs than expected in June threatening a decrease in consumer confidence and consumer spending which will be critical for an economic recovery.  It is expected that the unemployment rate in the United States will hit its worst point until early next year.

Other indicators pointing towards hitting bottom is the factory index from The Institute for Supply Management which rose in June for a sixth consecutive month to 44.8, after hitting its lowest point in December (32.9). An index below 50 indicates a contraction. So the trend, while still reflecting a contraction is positive as the contraction rate slows. 

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Jose Ruiz is a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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CHICAGO (January 29, 2008 ) — Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII), the world’s premier executive search and leadership consulting firm, today announced that Jose Ruiz has joined the firm’s Monterrey office as a Principal in the Industrial Practice, with the additional responsibility to continues the firm’s expansion to the Northern Mexico.

“With a robust experience in engineering and operations management working for manufacturing organizations in the US and Mexico within the aerospace, automotive, medical device and other industrial sectors, Jose will be instrumental to our growth strategy in the country and regionally”, said Manoel Rebello, Regional Managing Partner, Latin America. “We are pleased to welcome Jose to Heidrick & Struggles.”

Jose joins Heidrick & Struggles from a boutique executive search firm based in San Diego, CA, where he was the Managing Partner. Previous experience includes serving as VP and General Manager at Holley Performance Products. Prior to that, Jose held positions in organizational development, human resource, quality management, project management and equipment design with Frisa Forjados in Monterrey, NL and Energy Labs Inc. in San Diego, CA. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).

Jose holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from the Instituto Technologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. is the world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services, including talent management, board building, executive on-boarding and M&A effectiveness. For more than 50 years, we have focused on quality service and built strong leadership teams through our relationships with clients and individuals worldwide. Today, Heidrick & Struggles leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles, please visit www.heidrick.com.

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Contact
Paula Barifouse at +55 11 5504 4058 or pbarifouse@heidrick.com

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