Building the team behind global growth.
A long-term executive search partnership supporting Orlebar Brown with senior appointments across commercial, creative, digital, product and operational leadership.
From tailored swim shorts to a global lifestyle brand.
Orlebar Brown launched in 2007 with a distinctive idea: to bring a more tailored approach to men's beach and swimwear. The proposition quickly developed beyond swim shorts into resort wear and, ultimately, a complete lifestyle offer.
As the brand's international profile grew, so did the scale and complexity of its leadership requirements. Consumer Exec became a long-term search partner, identifying senior people capable of bringing commercial rigour to the business without losing the creativity and entrepreneurial character behind the brand.
The relationship spanned several critical stages of Orlebar Brown's development, including the period ahead of its acquisition by Chanel in 2018.
Building capability across the business.
Leadership talent that could protect the brand while scaling the business.
Orlebar Brown needed experienced leaders who could operate effectively inside a creative, fast-moving business while bringing the commercial expertise required to support significant growth.
The searches therefore went well beyond identifying candidates with the right job title. We needed to understand how each individual had operated previously: the scale of business they had helped build, the markets they understood, the teams they had led and how they balanced creative ambition with commercial delivery.
Across marketing, digital, sales, retail, design, product and supply chain, the objective remained the same: find people with the experience to deliver now and the capability to grow with the business.
The strongest appointment is not simply the closest CV match. It is the person who fits where the business is going next.
Search driven by the market, not the database.
Our partnership combined established senior-level networks with proactive market mapping and direct headhunting. For roles of this significance, the right person is not necessarily actively looking for their next position.
We mapped talent across luxury, fashion, lifestyle and adjacent consumer businesses, assessing individuals against both the immediate mandate and Orlebar Brown's longer-term direction.
Understand the ambition
We built each search around the business strategy, existing leadership team, culture and the capabilities required for the next stage of growth.
Map the market
Relevant leadership talent was identified across luxury, fashion, premium lifestyle and wider high-growth consumer brands.
Engage exceptional people directly
Our headhunting approach enabled us to reach high-calibre executives beyond the active candidate market and open conversations around the opportunity.
Assess beyond experience
Commercial impact mattered, but so did leadership style, entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to complement the existing culture of the business.
“He understood the needs of our business and our vision to scale and ultimately position Orlebar Brown for investment.”
A recruitment relationship that grew with the brand.
What began with individual senior searches developed into a long-term partnership spanning many of the functions fundamental to Orlebar Brown's growth.
Consumer Exec supported the business with leadership appointments across digital, marketing, sales, retail, design, product and operations, helping to strengthen the team as the brand expanded internationally.
The value of the partnership was not simply the number of appointments delivered. It came from developing enough understanding of the business to repeatedly identify leaders who could combine performance, personality and cultural alignment.
Building the leadership team for your next stage of growth?
Consumer Exec partners with ambitious consumer brands on C-suite, Director and senior leadership appointments in the UK and internationally.
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