Reverse for Arcese: Case Study

A key ingredient in the project's success was the innovative approach of Arcese’s HR team, who positioned themselves as true strategic business partners rather than sticking to traditional, administrative HR stereotypes. Led by Chiara Novello, the project embraced advanced methodologies and a deeply business-focused mindset. Demonstrating surprising foresight for a non-tech company, Arcese’s HR treated digital transformation as a top business priority, investing in cutting-edge tools, adopting data-driven processes, and showing uncommon openness to innovative talent acquisition methods. This forward-thinking and strategic HR function was the perfect counterpart for Reverse, setting the stage for a synergistic partnership and ongoing dialogue blending business vision, tech expertise, and talent management. The HR team’s fluent 'language' bridging leadership and technology effectively built a bridge between traditionally distant worlds, turning a simple recruitment process into a full-fledged company evolution project.

"For a non-tech company investing in technology and tech talent, having a partner like Reverse—who sparks conversations with tech professionals coming from industries different from ours—is a strategic game changer." — Chiara Novello, HR & Change Manager. This approach went way beyond the usual “list of CVs”: Reverse proposed profiles truly tailored to Arcese’s needs, matching not just technical skills but also cultural fit, delivering lightning-fast search and executive screening times.

Arcese found in Reverse a consulting partner capable of supporting such a challenging project. The choice wasn’t based solely on tech recruiting skills, but on their ability to deeply understand the company’s context, organizational structure, and digital roadmap. Rather than just providing candidates, Reverse acted as a genuine strategic advisor, collaborating with Arcese’s HR team and CTTO to define roles, responsibilities, and tech priorities.

The talent acquisition strategy unfolded in five key phases:

1. Strategic Analysis We conducted an in-depth analysis of Arcese’s technological goals, clearly identifying digital transformation processes, architectural needs, and technical requirements. This phase helped define critical roles and relevant skills, avoiding organizational redundancies.

2. Structural Definition In collaboration with Arcese’s HR and CTTO, we understood and leveraged the existing organizational architecture, characterized by clear reporting lines and responsibilities. The four key areas — Demand, Digital Factory, IT Operations, and Cyber Security — each had specific needs that we analyzed thoroughly, enabling us to pinpoint candidates with complementary skills both technically and managerially, capable of integrating smoothly and ensuring optimal synergy across teams.

3. Targeted Search Strategy Identifying senior profiles was a priority to shape the culture and technological vision of the newly formed IT department. We systematically mapped companies with advanced infrastructures, not just in logistics but also highly digitalized industries, to attract talent experienced in the strategic projects Arcese planned to implement.

4. Rigorous Selection Process It wasn’t just about technical skills: Reverse focused heavily on candidates’ flexibility, autonomy, and entrepreneurial spirit—key qualities for a restructuring IT environment. The direct involvement of Arcese’s top management in the final stages ensured perfect value alignment and clear transmission of the strategic vision.

5. Structured Onboarding Once the professionals were selected, Arcese set up tailored integration paths, pairing new hires with key internal figures and providing training on core processes. This approach sped up the full operational readiness of the new employees, boosting team cohesion and quickly turning plans into results.

The effectiveness of this consulting model is crystal clear: in just 18 months, Reverse helped Arcese fill 18 senior IT positions with a 100% retention rate after 12 months.

Among the chosen candidates were standout professionals from multinational companies and highly innovative environments. This mix brought cutting-edge methodologies and advanced skills into Arcese, accelerating their digital transformation.

The partnership between Arcese and Reverse generated benefits that go far beyond simply filling open roles:

1. Transformation of Corporate Identity Arcese positioned itself not just as a leader in transportation and logistics but also as a frontrunner in technological innovation. This positively impacted both the brand’s reputation and employer branding, making the company way more attractive to IT professionals.

2. Make vs. Buy Strategy The collaboration helped the company make strategic decisions on whether to develop new skills in-house or bring in external partners. Clear guidance on the “make or buy” strategy ensured more sustainable organizational choices, avoiding unnecessary investments and maximizing resource efficiency.

"Head Hunting during a transformation phase like ours can be a game-changer, providing crucial support in defining the 'make or buy' strategy that really helps sustain organizational health." — Chiara Novello

A few key takeaways emerged from the experience:

1. Proprietary Dashboard for Head Hunting A standout feature of Reverse’s approach was the implementation of their own digital dashboard, custom-built for complex projects like this. This tool was a quantum leap ahead of old-school Excel sheets and email chains, offering a real-time, comprehensive view of the entire selection process. The platform, highly praised by Arcese’s IT team, ensured full transparency on recruitment progress and streamlined info sharing among all stakeholders, cutting communication lags and drastically speeding up decision-making.

2. Deep Understanding of the Project and Consulting Approach Beyond technical know-how, Reverse invested time and resources to fully dive into Arcese’s context, grasping its dynamics and long-term goals. This continuous synergy between the company and Reverse experts enabled highly targeted selection and onboarding processes, slashing time-to-hire dramatically.

3. Recruiting Collaborativo®: 360° Skills Assessment A game-changing element that defined the project’s success was Reverse’s proprietary Recruiting Collaborativo® model — an innovative, collaborative headhunting approach. For each role, the process involved not only sector-specialized headhunters but also technical Scouts with deep expertise in specific IT fields (cybersecurity, cloud, business intelligence, IT operations, etc.). This dual-layer expertise allowed for thorough evaluations of both technical hard skills and cultural fit with Arcese. Candidates spoke with people who “got them,” dramatically enhancing their experience and boosting Arcese’s reputation as an employer of choice. After every technical interview, Scouts drafted detailed reports shared with HR and management, providing a clear, objective overview of each candidate and smoothing the decision-making process.

4. Innovative Employer Branding The adoption of digital platforms and transparent processes proved key in attracting IT talent, who particularly value operational clarity and organizational transparency.

“Besides the great rapport with Reverse’s Head Hunters we worked with, the biggest value from Reverse was having a project partner who knows the details as well as my internal team and can pinpoint the perfect match for my company environment.” — Chiara Novello