How Shifting EMEA Legislation Is Reshaping Leadership in Industrial, Consumer & Commodities Markets

The EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation, InvestEU, the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, CAP reforms, and the UK’s Great British Energy initiative are each reshaping access to capital, altering subsidy regimes and increasing compliance demands. But while the policies vary, the impact converges around several critical themes that are now defining the leadership agenda. 

In this article I explore the impact of new, evolving and existing EMEA legislation and their impact on talent requirements and hiring strategies in 2025. 

ESG as a Compliance Mandate, Not Just a Value Proposition 

Once considered more a reputational issue, sustainability is rapidly becoming a prerequisite for accessing capital and subsidies.  

Under the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF) and InvestEU, financial support is being channelled primarily into projects that deliver measurable environmental outcomes. In agriculture, CAP reforms tie subsidies directly to biodiversity and carbon impact. 

In plastics recycling specifically, the industry is in crisis: Plastics Recyclers Europe reports that recycling plant closures across the EU doubled in 2024 compared to 2023 and continue worsening in 2025, citing:  

• Rising energy and feedstock costs 

• Competition from cheaper imports 

• Unviable margins 

Circular performance is now a linchpin for investment, especially for consumer brands and commodities companies. For industrial recyclers and agri-tech firms, access to subsidies depends increasingly on demonstrating compliance. This shift is changing executive dynamics: Chief Sustainability Officers – and even Chief Operations or Supply Chain roles – are being tasked with shaping ESG-linked business models and mining public funding instruments that reward circularity. 

Leadership demands now include translating raw sustainability data into strategic advantage. Executives must blend operational know-how with regulatory literacy to qualify for and capitalise on public funding. Boards are hiring leaders who can convert ESG initiatives into quantifiable business outcomes, and traceability in supply chains is becoming a boardroom priority. 

Cross-Border Complexity and the Fragmentation of Capital Access 

With the introduction of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), companies operating across jurisdictions face more complex barriers to entry, particularly when backed by non-EU funding. Meanwhile, the TCTF enables wealthier EU nations to offer aggressive green subsidies, while smaller states lag behind. 

This uneven playing field is influencing site selection, investment prioritisation and deal structuring. Commodities players are steering clean energy and raw material projects toward high-subsidy jurisdictions like Germany and France. Industrial firms are redesigning cross-border M&A strategies to mitigate FSR risk. 

Leadership now requires a sophisticated understanding of subsidy environments and legal constraints. General Counsels, Chief Strategy Officers and cross-border M&A specialists are increasingly influential in executive decision-making. 

State Aid as a Competitive Lever and a Leadership Competency 

The revival of state-backed industrial policy, from InvestEU to Great British Energy, signals a shift toward public-private partnership as a foundation of economic growth. But navigating these mechanisms demands new capabilities. InvestEU, for example, offers scale – but at the cost of complex timelines and approval processes. TCTF subsidies can be generous but vary significantly across borders. 

As subsidy access becomes a competitive differentiator, companies are seeking leadership that can unlock and operationalise public funding. This includes:  

• CFOs with experience in subsidy-backed finance 

• Chief Development Officers fluent in EU funding instruments 

• Public affairs leaders able to influence emerging policy 

Talent is increasingly following the capital. Regions with consistent subsidy regimes and clear industrial strategies are becoming magnets for senior leadership, especially in green tech, energy infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. 

Political and Regulatory Fluency as Core Executive Skills 

The velocity of regulatory change across EMEA legislation is redefining what makes an effective leader. Whether navigating the evolving industrial policy in the UK or EU competition rules, executives must now anticipate – not just react to – legislative developments. 

In the UK, the rollout of Great British Energy is reshaping energy investment strategies, but uncertainty around legacy support schemes is prompting caution. In the EU, the FSR, TCTF and CAP reforms are each raising the bar on compliance, strategic alignment and funding eligibility. 

Boards are actively seeking leaders who combine commercial acumen with political insight. Legal, sustainability and government affairs roles are moving closer to the CEO. Increasingly, companies are embedding policy interpretation into strategy – not as a support function, but as a growth enabler. 

Conclusion: A New Leadership Model for a Regulated Era 

The landscape across EMEA legislation is becoming more fragmented, more strategic, and more central to business performance. Regulatory fluency, ESG execution and public funding navigation are no longer niche competencies – they are prerequisites for growth. 

For companies in the industrial, consumer and commodities sectors, the new EMEA legislation means redefining leadership expectations. Successful organisations will be those that treat policy as a core capability, embedding it in their executive DNA and building teams that can lead not just through change, but through complexity. 

Proco Group partners with organisations across EMEA’s industrial, consumer and commodities industries to deliver comprehensive talent mapping and source in-demand talent to fill critical roles. With a presence in EMEA, APAC, NORAM and LATAM, Proco Group has a truly global reach, empowering our clients with access to a large network of talent. 

For a conversation about your organisations talent strategy in the face of changing EMEA legislation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

Stuart MacSween

Managing Partner | EMEA

E: stuart.macsween@weareprocogroup.com T: +44 20 3962 4665

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