Case study: Interim CCO – Consumer Client

The senior leadership team of an investment-backed luxury consumer brand wanted to engage a Chief Commercial Officer on an interim basis. The company, a European leader that operates globally, had embarked on an ambitious multichannel growth strategy. However, a sector-wide downturn meant the organisation was facing challenges implementing this plan.

The CEO and investment sponsor therefore sought an experienced interim CCO to design and execute a commercial turnaround to address these challenges. Working closely with the CEO and leadership team, the candidate would also lead a multi-geography sales team within the role.

The interim CCO was expected to act quickly to develop a short- and medium-term transformation roadmaps. The role required hands-on leadership for someone with expertise in transformation, as well as commercial acumen and strategic insights. The ideal candidate also needed P&L ownership, international experience, and the necessary language skills.

Venari Partners received the mandate to identify the target interim CCO and presented the first relevant individual in just 48 hours. The client had multiple options to consider, including those both with and without sector expertise. However, each candidate possessed significant experience managing sales teams and P&L for mid-sized consumer brands. In a matter of weeks, the right person was selected and engaged by the client.

The successful individual had an extremely strong track record as an interim CCO. He had rich experience leading sales teams of multiple sizes and managed to turn the client’s commercial strategy around. He also proved to be an excellent culture fit, which resonated with the leadership team. The CEO was appreciative of Venari’s work on the brief. The client said that Mhairi Geraghty, Senior Consultant, ‘did an excellent job at truly understanding the target profile and looking beyond the usual suspects to find the right candidate for the role’.