Context
Aurora Energy Research, Europe’s largest dedicated power analytics firm, was preparing for a strategic market entry into India. With its roots in Oxford and a legacy of deep analytical rigour, Aurora aimed to replicate its success by launching advisory operations in India.
This was not a soft launch. The firm was entering at a go-to-market stage, keen to build a high-performing advisory team from the ground up to power its expansion in Asia.
The ambition was clear- assemble a team that reflected the same quality, strategic sharpness, and analytical depth that had positioned Aurora as a leader in its home markets.
The Challenge
From the outset, Aurora was clear on one thing: no compromises on talent. But this high bar came with significant roadblocks.
- Their shortlist-to-offer ratio was severely skewed- screening over 100 profiles per role and still struggling to close mandates.
- As a European brand entering India, Aurora was navigating nuances in role positioning and perception. Designations that were well understood in their home market didn’t resonate the same way in India, making it harder to attract the kind of talent they were targeting.
- The roles demanded a rare combination- advanced quantitative skills, an advisory mindset, strong communication capabilities, and the agility to operate at scale. Finding individuals who ticked all these boxes was proving to be difficult.
Our Approach
To unlock the right talent pipeline, we focused on market alignment, education, and precision hiring.
- Solved for Market Adaptability: We partnered closely with the India and global leadership teams to navigate the transition into the Indian market. This included aligning on local hiring behaviours, role expectations, and what it would take to engage top talent effectively.
- Sourced Rare Talent Profiles: The combination Aurora was looking for- quant expertise, advisory mindset, communication fluency, and speed was uncommon in the market. Through our specialised network and focused outreach, we identified candidates who met these benchmarks and aligned with the broader business vision.
- Expanded Talent Mapping: We helped widen the search to include high-performing professionals from less conventional but highly capable academic and professional backgrounds, unlocking new talent pools that offered the right mix of skills and mindset.
- Built a Dedicated Search Squad: Once the revised strategy was in place, we deployed a focused delivery team with deep experience in consulting mandates to run a high-precision search.
The Impact
Our hiring precision drastically improved their funnel quality.
- Higher Offer Conversion: For every 2 profiles we shared, 1 led to an offer- down from the earlier 100+ screened to 1 offer.
- Improved Speed and Relevance: Candidates better understood the opportunity, and interviews became more outcome-driven.
- Shift in Hiring Confidence: With better results and less friction in the process, Aurora built greater confidence in its India hiring strategy and was able to scale its team more effectively.
End result: A strong advisory team that combined analytical rigour with strategic agility- equipped to lead Aurora’s India growth story with confidence.
Why The LHR Group
We understand the unique challenges global firms face when entering the Indian market, especially when the expectations are shaped by large-brand thinking but execution needs local market adaptability.
Our strength lies in translating ambition into local hiring strategy, and in bridging brand, market, and mindset gaps so companies can build high-impact teams without compromise.
That’s how we deliver precision hiring with real-world alignment.
