Sales & Marketing takes a strategic, cautious hiring approach amid global shifts and 2026 skill demands

Companies across all sectors and industries hired more strategically in 2025, drawing in talent to support key areas of growth amidst tighter budgets.

Nowhere was the cost-consciousness more evident than in the industrial sector. According to Marie Lee, Director at Robert Walters Malaysia, employers – particularly at international multinational corporations (MNCs) - seemed more cautious about headcount, prioritising replacement hires over new growth roles. However, local businesses spent the year diversifying into green segments like electric vehicles and energy-efficient products to meet sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) demands. Tariffs also created a new wave of opportunities in manufacturing, as companies looked outside of China to Malaysia as an alternative base for exports into the US.

In retail, hiring was active among local brands as consumers shun international brands due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. Sluggish economic conditions pushed customers to cut back on “non-essential” goods, affecting profits for luxury and fashion businesses. Consumer spending flowed instead to lifestyle services such as travel, propping up hiring demand and creating new roles in the food and beverage (F&B) and hospitality industries.

The FMCG sector contended with more discerning consumers, who now buy with an eye on factors like quality, wellness and sustainability. To chase growth, businesses expanded their presence across digital platforms, focusing on social commerce, direct-to-consumer, and integrated omnichannel models. Traditional skill sets like brand management, key account handling and trade marketing were no longer sufficient alone. Candidates were asked to bring skillsets in data analytics, digital marketing, AI, automation, omnichannel strategy and insights-led decision-making.

Digital technologies were also a key focus for the healthcare and life sciences sector. Companies expanded adoption of cloud computing, machine learning and generative AI across research and development (R&D), operations, regulatory affairs and manufacturing. Jobs in biotech and pharmaceutical R&D rely on investment inflows, so hiring slowed or came to a halt in certain sectors when funding for early-stage biotech dried up. The industry also continued to wrestle with a shortage of highly specialised talent. To appeal to these rare candidates, companies spiced up their employer value proposition to promote flexibility in work-life balance, scheduling and location.

Read on to find out more about the labour market and hiring trends for Malaysia’s Sales & Marketing professionals in 2026.

Businesses hire with caution and deliberation

Industrial sector companies will maintain a careful approach to hiring. Although there has been some buzz around skills-first hiring, preference remains strong for candidates with direct industry experience. Nevertheless, a limited talent pool will force employers to be open to candidates from adjacent industries, especially for skillsets sorely missing in their own industry. More companies are already searching for business and commercial leaders who can drive growth under margin pressure and lead the charge on transformation and turnaround initiatives. As such, Marie believes that regional experience, government relations and export markets skillsets will feature more prominently in the job market in 2026.

Within retail, headcounts remain restricted as restructuring continues in some parts of the industry. The need to turnaround sales or business results will be a key driver in hiring. Therefore, Marie expects a steady demand for commercial, sales and business development roles, as well as “unicorn” talents who possess diverse skillsets and can wear multiple hats. Candidates with experience from a range of companies – including MNCs and local businesses will also stand out, as they are perceived to be tenacious and highly adaptable.

FMCG employers will also be more selective in hiring, prioritising roles in areas that deliver clear business value. Marie also flags that many regional companies are now establishing a direct footprint in the Malaysian market, rather than operating through distributors only. “This has spurred demand for experienced leaders who can independently establish operations and spearhead local growth. There’s also a growing need for trade marketing managers who support go-to-market and route-to-market strategies,” she reveals. Another prominent theme in hiring will be e-commerce strategy and platform management, as companies seek to capitalise on the growth of digital commerce on platforms like TikTok.

Meanwhile, hiring in the healthcare and life sciences will be significantly influenced by a shift towards hospital channels. Tightening insurance policies have affected high-value uptake among general practitioners, and this is accompanied by a rise in generic and biosimilar companies introducing oncology products. As such, hiring for hospital sales management positions is expected to increase. More positions will open up for business managers as companies seek senior leaders who can set direction for recent business spin-offs and new product portfolios. Lastly, there will also be a growing emphasis on driving brand and product awareness.

“With AI taking over routine tasks, it’s critical for candidates to show that they can analyse complex information, identify challenges and devise innovative solutions.”

Top roles and skills in demand

Industrial companies will seek out commercial directors, general managers, sales directors, heads of sales, and talent for business development and strategic partners. These employees will primarily be responsible for driving growth. Therefore, it’s essential that they possess strong stakeholder management and influence, resilience, and a transformation mindset. Leaders with cross-cultural and change experience are also extremely valuable.

With sales and profits also being a priority for the retail sector, hiring will be dominated by sales and operations managers, business development managers and marketing managers. For marketing roles, those with 360 experiences have a distinct edge. Across all roles, employers are looking for candidates with high emotional intelligence, tenacity, adaptability, effective communication, and strong stakeholder management skills.

Meanwhile, the most significant areas of hiring in FMCG will be key account management, distributor management, trade marketing, category management, brand marketing, and product management.

In healthcare and life sciences employers, there will be tremendous demand for positions in sales management, key account management, medical and regulatory affairs, medical scientific liaison, and clinical, application and product management.

“In the latter two sectors, employers want empathetic candidates who can manage emotions and communicate well, as these industries require close teamwork and engagement with customers and patients,” says Marie. “With AI taking over routine tasks, it’s also critical for candidates to show that they can analyse complex information, identify challenges and devise innovative solutions.”

Jobs impacted by AI

For the industrial sector, sales support roles, including inside sales and lead generation, are at risk of integration with AI. The same goes for marketing coordinators, as AI tools can now automate content, data segmentation and reporting. Junior communication roles that oversee PR and media monitoring are also at risk.

To safeguard careers against AI, Marie points to several skills and areas of focus: strategic relationship-building, negotiation, influencing skills, deal closing, cross-functional leadership experience, stakeholder management and storytelling. Candidates who can move beyond execution work to develop strong commercial strategy and profit and loss ownership skills also have a competitive edge.

Within retail, marketing support roles such as content creation and content writing are at risk. Professionals are advised to broaden their skillsets and contribute to the overall marketing strategy. They can also pick up analytical skill sets that are key to decision-making in digital and performance marketing.

Within FMCG, basic sales support and order processing functions are vulnerable to automation. These functions are responsible for taking orders, handling routine customer inquiries and updating CRM systems – all tasks that can be managed by AI-driven chatbots and automated workflows. Professionals whose jobs revolve around standardised trade marketing activities should also be mindful, as technology can now automate tasks like campaign scheduling, preliminary sales data analysis, and field reporting.

Lastly, in healthcare and life sciences, AI and robots are automating routine data entry and administrative tasks. These include patient data management, basic documentation, compliance record-keeping, repetitive laboratory tests and quality control procedures that follow standardised protocols.

Advice for talent attraction and retention

Generally, candidates have hesitated to switch jobs for various reasons.

Job movers in the industrial sector most prioritise job security. They tend to move only if an offer provides career progression, long-term growth or exposure to new challenges, and carefully evaluate the hiring company’s organisational vision, leadership and work-life balance.

Talent retention for this sector thus requires a well-rounded approach. It is advised that companies define clear career development pathways and succession and mobility plans. When structuring salary packages, companies should also keep in mind candidate concerns around inflation and the costs associated with their individual life stages. Overall, leaders should aim to foster purpose, stability, and trust by communicating how the business plans to move ahead.

Retail sector professionals evaluate job opportunities through these similar lenses, though Marie notes that over the past year, restructuring and shrinking headcounts have pushed many to quit without a job lined up due to burnout. When returning to the job market after taking a break, candidates tend to seek out work-life balance in their job hunt. Companies should thus define clear strategies around talent management and team structures to avoid employee burnout.

When it comes to hiring in both sectors, Marie emphasises the importance of speed in decision-making. “Top talents are hesitant to switch jobs and delays drive up the risk of losing them,” she warns. Companies should also be open to candidates from other industries or backgrounds, as many come with transferable commercial skills and networks that allow them to perform well. Their differentiated experience may also help larger conglomerates diversify into new sectors.

Meanwhile, FMCG professionals are primarily concerned about economic uncertainties and are daunted by a competitive labour market. They are selective, deliberately picking roles that demonstrate clear growth, skill development and alignment with their values.

In healthcare and life sciences, lengthy hiring processes, regulatory complexities, and the specialised nature of jobs in the industry often give professionals pause when considering a job switch. However, they tend to bite fast when compelling opportunities arise in innovation fields such as digital health or cell and gene therapy.

Marie’s advice for hiring teams in both industries is to focus on career development, such as opportunities to gain certifications, to help employees feel prepared for the future. Work-life balance is another key area of focus. Companies should provide flexible work models, particularly for roles in corporate, R&D, marketing and technology.

Moderate rise in salaries

Companies remain cost-conscious, so wages are expected to increase at standard rates for most industries.

Job movers in the industrial sector will range between 15 – 25%, though companies are likely to fork out more for strong talent in niche areas and candidates from competitor firms.

Similarly, salaries for most retail sector job seekers will fall between 10 – 20%.

For the FMCG sector, wage growth is driven by the growing need for expertise in digital and cross-functional capabilities. Positions requiring advanced analytics, e-commerce and innovation skill sets will provide higher compensation. However, the industry at large will be more strategic amidst cost challenges, such as structuring compensation to be performance-based.

The healthcare and life sciences sector is the only anomaly for salary trends next year. Wages will increase more significantly due to talent shortages for niche skill sets, especially for high-demand roles that require rare certifications or technical expertise. This trend applies to areas, namely, biomanufacturing, regulatory affairs, data science, and cell and gene therapy. However, increments will be more modest for entry-level roles or more commoditised functions.

Find out more

Request access to our 2026 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends in the Sales & Marketing industry in Malaysia.