Among donor agencies and Implementing Partners (IPs), there is a widely perceived shortage of qualified senior leaders in Market Systems Development (MSD). This is despite more than a decade of investments dedicated to building capacity in the field of international development from both sides of the industry. In the sixth installment of the Canopy Lab’s Inclusion and Leadership series, we set out, with generous support from Mercy Corps, to understand the structural barriers and biases influencing this phenomenon. Specifically, we asked the question, “What are the key enablers which contribute to the career transition from ‘national’ to ‘international’ senior staff for MSD professionals?”