Sector · Consumer & Retail
Consumer and retail executive search.
Retained search for consumer brands, retail groups, DTC and premium consumer-goods businesses.
Industry insight
Understanding the landscape.
DTC operator vs traditional retail profile
The commercial leadership profile that scaled a DTC brand from £5m to £50m is not always the profile that takes it to £200m and multi-channel. Boards frequently underestimate this transition; we brief candidates on both.
Retail post-transformation
UK retail has been through a decade of transformation. The strongest CEO candidates now blend physical retail operational fluency with genuine digital and data-driven decision-making. Candidates who bring only one side are less competitive than they were five years ago.
Chief Commercial Officer as a strategic seat
The CCO role has broadened in consumer businesses to include revenue, marketing and commercial partnerships. This has narrowed the candidate pool for genuinely capable CCOs.
Founder-transition dynamics
Consumer brands with strong founder identities require specific care in transitioning to non-founder CEOs. The right profile respects the brand voice while professionalising the operation.
Roles we recruit
Senior appointments across the sector.
We recruit across seniority levels, from senior specialists to board-level appointments.
- Chief Executive Officer (Consumer Brand / Retail Group)
- Chief Commercial Officer
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Chief Merchandising Officer
- Chief Operating Officer
- Head of E-commerce / Digital
- Head of Retail Operations
- Head of Brand / Creative Director
- International MD (regional or country lead)
Why work with us
Retained, senior-partner-led, sector-fluent.
- Consumer sector fluency: We understand DTC, omnichannel retail, premium consumer goods, hospitality-adjacent brands, and beauty. We calibrate briefs against the specific commercial model.
- Growth-stage awareness: Consumer brands scale in phases (£5m, £50m, £200m, £1bn). The right leadership profile changes at each threshold; we match candidates to the phase.
- Founder-transition experience: Consumer brands with strong founder identities require careful handling in leadership transitions; this is a distinct competency we bring.
- Retained and senior-partner-led: Every mandate is owned end-to-end by a named partner.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle DTC brand CEO searches?
Yes. DTC brand CEO search is a specialism. We understand the operational transitions that come at £50m, £200m and £1bn scale, and we assess candidates against the specific phase of growth the client is entering.
Can you support omnichannel retail leadership?
Yes. Omnichannel retail (physical + digital + wholesale) CEO and MD appointments are a specialism. The candidate pool sits at the intersection of traditional retail experience and digitally-native leadership.
Do you recruit for premium and luxury consumer brands specifically?
Yes. Premium and luxury consumer brands (beauty, fashion, home, wine and spirits) sit within our Consumer & Retail practice and are handled with the same discretion as our family office and UHNW mandates.
How long does a consumer CEO search take?
Twelve to eighteen weeks brief to accepted offer is typical. Founder-transition searches often run longer due to the additional cultural-fit calibration required.
How is compensation typically structured?
Base salary, cash bonus, and equity or LTIP participation. Private consumer brands typically use management equity structures; PE-backed businesses use ratchets tied to exit; listed businesses use standard LTIP grants.
Discuss a mandate