I am in agreement with the fact that quality above else should be key.
I think in the past most of this companies shied away from from locals not because they were not qualified but it's the aspect of PEP's ( Politically Exposed Persons) and history had judged that once you have such a person at the helm then it's a spiral down from then on.
More often than not a brilliant mind was head hunted and 2-3 years down the line you wonder what the hell they have been smoking, case in point there was a brilliant chap from Cambridge head hunted now the MD of xxxxx but everyday i wonder and ask my self the above question.
Hinc lucem et pocula sacra...
The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday's logic.