I fully agree that having a strong corporate culture helps a lot. It would a good base for building the local company's unique blend -bringing together the best of both cultures, without making compromises that would contradict the foundations of either culture. The leader should not forget to adapt his/her leadership style to the local environment and the company's business circumstances.
If there is no clear existing corporate culture, then this is the opportunity for the leader, and the leading team to build one using relevant best practices in the country or elsewhere.