Consumer · CEO
Consumer brand CEO executive search.
Retained CEO search for DTC brands, retail groups and premium consumer businesses.
What the role is
A short definition.
A consumer brand CEO leads a brand or retail business through the specific growth phase it is in. 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; the leader who ran a £200m business through a leveraged buyout is not always the leader who prepares it for a strategic exit. Consumer CEO search is about matching profile to phase.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Commercial and brand strategy at group level
- P&L accountability across all channels — retail, DTC, wholesale, international
- Executive team leadership — CCO, CMO, CFO, COO, CPO
- Board and investor relationships (private equity, family office, or public)
- Brand stewardship — protecting the brand voice while professionalising the operation
- Capital allocation — inventory, marketing, retail expansion, M&A
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
On the transition from a founder CEO to a scale CEO; on a private equity acquisition; ahead of a strategic sale or IPO; on entry into new geographies; on a channel-mix reset (physical to digital, DTC to omni); on the departure of an incumbent CEO.
How we search
The specific approach we take.
Retained mandates. Candidate pools depend heavily on the growth phase — Series A-B DTC brands require operationally-hands-on CEOs, £200m+ businesses require professional operators with LBO experience, £1bn+ businesses require CEOs with genuine plc-scale accountability. Every mandate is led by a partner with sector fluency, and every shortlist is calibrated to the specific phase.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle DTC-specific CEO searches?
Yes. DTC CEO search is a specialism, and we distinguish DTC-only candidates from candidates with genuine omnichannel experience.
Can you support founder-transition CEO searches?
Yes. Founder-transition searches require specific care — cultural fit and brand-voice preservation weigh as heavily as commercial capability. We handle these with a longer briefing phase and more structured candidate assessment.
Do you recruit for premium and luxury consumer brands specifically?
Yes. Premium and luxury consumer brands 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.
How is compensation structured?
Base, cash bonus, and equity or LTIP. Private consumer brands use management equity; PE-backed businesses use ratchets tied to exit; listed businesses use standard LTIP grants.
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