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International Expansion & Market Entry

Building Your Freight Forwarding Team in a New Country

Entering a new market starts with the people who will lead it. We recruit the country managers and teams freight forwarders need to grow across the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia.

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New Market, Same Standards: Delivering the Right Team

When a freight forwarder enters a new country, the business plan is usually ready long before the team. Experienced candidates see a new market entrant as a risk, and the salespeople with the strongest books of business are the least likely to move. Expectations also shift from one market to the next, from salary and incentives to how many days people expect to work from home.

Our recruiters speak to freight professionals across the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia every day about what they earn, how they want to work and what would make them move. We use those conversations to help you shape an offer that competes from the first approach, and to explain your plans to passive candidates who would never respond to an advert.

Supporting CLASQUIN’s Growth in the US

French forwarder CLASQUIN, which has more than 85 offices worldwide, made 2025 a year of expansion in the US. We managed 11 of its vacancies across customs, pricing, operations and inside sales, averaging five to six interviews per role.

Our co-founders visited CLASQUIN’s Los Angeles office to understand its culture first-hand. Ten candidates received offers and seven were hired, including Customs Brokers, Pricing Analysts and Air and Ocean Import/Export Agents, helping CLASQUIN reduce the number of recruiters it works with.

Read the Case Study
Five Branch Start-ups for Gebrüder Weiss

Gebrüder Weiss, the Austrian logistics group with more than 180 locations in over 30 countries, has been building its US air and ocean freight network city by city. We recruited the branch managers and teams behind its start-ups in El Paso, Miami, Laredo, Denver and Phoenix.

We engaged more than 100 candidates to find leaders with US market expertise who matched the company’s values. Across 23 placements in operational and leadership roles, every branch start-up hire remains in place, and the partnership continues as further locations are planned.

Read the Case Study

Explore Our Freight & Transportation Recruitment Sectors

Explore Freight Forwarding & Logistics
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Aerospace & Defence Recruitment

We recruit specialist talent across aerospace, government and defence logistics, connecting employers with experienced professionals across sales, operations, compliance, management and senior leadership.

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Automotive Recruitment

From inbound logistics to finished vehicle transportation, we help automotive logistics businesses recruit experienced professionals across commercial, operational, management and leadership roles.

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Energy Recruitment

We connect energy logistics businesses with professionals experienced in complex, time-sensitive and project-driven supply chains, from sales and operations through to senior management.

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General Cargo Recruitment

Our recruiters support freight forwarding businesses handling general cargo, helping them hire skilled professionals across air freight, ocean freight, sales, operations and leadership.

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High-Tech Recruitment

We recruit for technology and electronics logistics, connecting businesses with professionals experienced in high-value, sensitive and time-critical supply chains across commercial and operational roles.

Explore High-Tech
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Pharmaceuticals Recruitment

We help pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics businesses recruit professionals with experience in temperature-controlled, regulated and time-sensitive supply chains across operations, sales and leadership.

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Project Logistics Recruitment

From oversized cargo to complex global projects, we recruit experienced project logistics professionals across operations, business development, chartering, management and senior leadership.

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Time Critical Recruitment

We connect time-critical and expedited logistics businesses with professionals who understand urgent freight, specialist transport and high-pressure operations across sales, operations and leadership.

Explore Time Critical
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Transportation Brokerage Recruitment

We recruit experienced freight brokerage and 3PL professionals across sales, account management, carrier sales, operations, branch management and executive leadership.

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Asset-Based Transportation Recruitment

We help trucking companies and asset-based carriers recruit talent across transportation sales, dispatch, fleet operations, safety, terminal management and senior leadership.

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Why Freight Forwarders Choose Freight Appointments to Lead Their Expansion

Freight Appointments is a specialist freight forwarding recruitment agency founded by Danny Barnes and Lewis Bunn, with recruiters covering the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia. We build shortlists from an established forwarding network rather than job boards, so you reach the operators, salespeople and leaders already working for your future competitors. We recruit by vertical as well as job title, across pharmaceuticals, project logistics, time critical, aerospace and defence, automotive, energy and high-tech freight. For country manager and branch manager appointments, we run searches under NDA and present two or three carefully vetted candidates.

Everything You Need to Hire in an Unfamiliar Market

Entering a new country raises questions your HR team may not be able to answer. What should you pay a branch manager in Houston or an air export coordinator in Hamburg? Which languages will the role need in Antwerp? What do candidates expect on commission, notice periods and home working? Our recruiters advise on all of it from live conversations in each market, so your offer is right before the search begins. We also manage the process for you across time zones, from sourcing and screening to interview scheduling, feedback and offer negotiation. Once your hires start, we stay in touch to make sure the role works for both sides.

Your country manager will set the direction for the whole market, often working with limited support from head office. We approach proven freight forwarding leaders who know the local market and have built a business before. For confidential market entry plans, we run the search under NDA and present two or three carefully vetted candidates.

Whether your first international office is in New Jersey, Hamburg, Rotterdam or Sydney, it needs a small team that can do a lot from day one. We recruit operators, customs specialists and salespeople who are comfortable building processes in a new business, and match every hire to the leader they will report to.

Growing beyond your first location means finding leaders for new regions without diluting what already works. That is how we supported Gebrüder Weiss as it grew its US network, recruiting the branch managers and teams behind start-ups in El Paso, Miami, Laredo, Denver and Phoenix.

Every market has its own customs rules, and a new entrant cannot afford mistakes on its first shipments. We recruit customs and compliance professionals with proven local experience, including licensed customs brokers with active licences for forwarders entering the US.

Our recruiters work in the same freight markets year after year, so we know the business development managers who already have relationships with local shippers, and what it would take for them to move. We speak to them about what they want from their next role, from commission and earning potential to the chance to build something new, and present your opportunity in a way that appeals to them.

Looking to Expand Your Freight Forwarding Business Into a New Country?

Freight forwarders come to us at different stages of international growth. Some are opening their first office abroad. Others are already trading in a market and need leaders to take them into new regions. Freight Appointments is trusted by some of the world's leading freight forwarders and logistics organisations. 

Whatever stage your expansion has reached, we recruit the country managers, regional leaders and teams who turn a market entry plan into a trading business, across the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia.

What Our Freight & Logistics Clients Say

"Working with Freight Appointments was a refreshing experience in a tough job market. In these current times working with a highly motivated, professional and responsive recruiter is not so easy to come across. Thanks Lewis and Freight Appointments! I look forward to working with you again."

Brett M

"At a delicate time in both my personal and professional life, Mica appeared like my lucky star. Never forgot about me even if months went by. When I was ready, we had a wonderful intro meeting, and the rest is history. Within a week I was assigned 5 interviews and on the 3rd one I clicked. The time frame was 2 weeks and a day from initial contact to verbal hiring agreement. I am very happy where I am and owe this young woman so much. Passionate, fun, professional and focus. Never had I had the opportunity to work with such a talented recruiter. I hope she gets noticed because she stands out from the crowd. Gracias Mica, lo mejor del mundo siempre. We shall always keep in touch."

Marc M

"I had a wonderful experience using this service. Thomas was absolutely great every step of the way. Very responsive and knowledgeable as well as being assertive in knowing my value. Thank you for your assistance I would definitely recommend anyone out there looking for placement go here. You will be meet with kindness and respect. 10 out of 10"

Nequita O

"I had reached out to Danny for assistance in finding me new job opportunities and right from the beginning he was very helpful and supportive. He took the time to find out what I required as well as my strengths to find opportunities that would be a good fit not only for myself but for the companies as well. I would highly recommend Danny- the right choice"

Susan I

"Clara has been a great help for me in looking for my next venture. From day one she has been very helpful. She listened to what I was looking for and matched me up with exactly what I needed. She makes the interview appointments and follows up to be sure all went well. She is there every step of the way and beyond. Thank you Clara for a job well done!"

Christal P

"Danny is great to work with. He is patient , as I was very selective where I went , he clearly saw the big picture and never tried to direct me to an employer for his benefit. He understood his success comes with the right employer/employee placement. Not a short term quick sale. Equally important, he followed up after the placement to ensure I was OK at my new job , questions etc"

Romesh G

"I give Lewis my highest recommendation. He was and is first class, professional and thorough. Through his hard work and due diligence, I found myself in a role that I couldn’t be more pleased with."

Corey M

"First class professional, we talked about one role and ended up taking a different route that exceeded all of my expectations. I cannot thank Lewis enough in what he did for my career."

Neil G

"I had the great pleasure of working with Elliot ! He immediately went into action with presenting me with the best job that fits my resume. I interviewed one day and the next day got the email stating I got hired that was 7 months ago! Elliot thank you for your recommendation and assistance i really like my current employer."

Tanisha W

"Jack worked well for me to connect me with a great local match and advocate for my best. He was easy to get in touch with, kept me updated with the process, and was super professional. Please use Freight Appointments if you are looking for the best option for employment in brokerage/logistics."

Patrick N

"I am very pleased working with Alfie Banwell of Freight Appointments. I thank Alfie for connecting me with an excellent employer. Alfie is very professional, detail oriented and has excellent communication skills. He is very easy to talk to and understood my career goals and expectations. He communicated those clearly to the employer. He helped and guided me in navigating the interview stages, offer letter and acceptance. He followed through every step of the way and produced positive results. He is also very kind and patient. Thank you so much Alfie and Freight Appointments. Alfie, thank you for believing in me. You were an excellent recruiter."

Anna M

"I have a great experience with Elliot at Freight Appointments. He was very positive, informative and supportive of what I was looking for. I ended up staying my current employment, but he will be my preferred contact if I do need to find other opportunities for employment."

Sophy K

"Had the opportunity to work with Elliot and it was a great experience. Almost a year ago, Elliot was the link between me and my current employer. Great recruiter, very professional and detail oriented and highly knowledgeable. I'm very thankful for the way he worked with me around my resume and interview preparing by making sure that all my qualifications and skills were a fully exposed and a matching-factor to get the right fit for me, as well as for my employer. Thanks for your work Elliot and Freight Appointment team!"

Manuel H

"My experience with Sam was exceptional. He was easy to talk to. He gave me the impression he wanted to help me. He listened to my needs. I wasn't sent on wild goose chases to job interviews for positions I didn't want. He also has amazing follow-up. He wanted to know my interview experiences. 10/10 recommend Sam Jelbert."

Holly O
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Founders Who Know Your Market First-Hand

Our co-founders spend time in the markets we recruit for, from visits to clients across the US to weeks on the ground in Australia. They attend industry events such as TPM and Breakbulk and meet forwarders in hubs like Rotterdam, so the advice you get on a new market comes from people who have been there recently.

They have also supported several forwarders starting up in new countries and cities, so they know where expansions tend to stall and how to plan the hiring around it.

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400+
Import, Export & Customs Specialists Hired
800+
Successful Candidates
160+
5* Google Reviews
$52000000
Worth/value of salaries negotiated

Whoever You Need, in Whichever Market You’re Entering

From the leader who launches your business to the operators who handle its first shipments, we recruit every role a freight forwarder needs to establish itself and grow in a new country.

Your first in-country leader carries the market. They build relationships with customers, carriers and partners, make the first hires and represent your brand in a country where it may not yet be known, often several time zones away from head office.

Through our Executive Search, we recruit leaders who have built or grown a forwarding business in that market and can work with the autonomy a new entry demands. We look for people who can connect your international network with what local customers actually need.

Once your business is established, senior leaders take on commercial strategy, product development and performance across the market. They decide which regions to grow into next and which services to build around.

We recruit senior freight leaders with local market knowledge and experience inside international groups, so they understand both the market you are growing in and the expectations of a global business. In the US, that means leaders who know the differences between gateways such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

As you expand across a new country, each location needs a leader who can secure premises, recruit a team and own the P&L from day one, often in a city where your brand has no history.

We recruit branch managers with P&L exposure and start-up experience who can lead mixed sales and operations teams. For Gebrüder Weiss, that meant the leaders behind its US branch start-ups in El Paso, Miami, Laredo, Denver and Phoenix.

Your commercial team turns a market entry into revenue, winning local shippers and connecting them with the services your international network already provides.

Our recruiters know the salespeople with established relationships in each market and what would make them move. We recruit business development managers to open new accounts, global sales managers to coordinate multi-country customers and key account managers to protect and grow your most valuable relationships.

Every country has its own customs rules, and a new market entrant needs compliance expertise in place before its first shipment arrives. Mistakes at this stage are costly and slow to recover from.

We recruit customs and compliance professionals with proven local experience, including licensed customs brokers with active licences for forwarders entering the US. When CLASQUIN expanded in the US, the roles we filled included Customs Brokers.

Your operations team keeps freight moving and quotes competitively against forwarders who have been in the market for years. In a new business, they often cover a wider range of tasks while processes are still being set up.

We recruit operators with hands-on shipment control, documentation accuracy and pricing experience who are comfortable building something new. For CLASQUIN’s US growth, our placements included Pricing Analysts and Air and Ocean Import/Export Agents.

Planning Your Next Market?

Tell us which country you are entering, which services you will launch and when you need your team in place. We will help you plan the hires and find the people to lead your expansion.

‍Please note that any information provided is treated as strictly confidential.

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