Private Equity Executive Search
Building leadership teams that drive growth, transformation and exit value
Consumer Exec partners with private equity investors, portfolio companies and founder-led consumer businesses to secure exceptional leadership talent capable of delivering accelerated growth and exit-ready performance.
Why Consumer Exec
Executive search built for consumer brands
Unlike generalist executive search firms, Consumer Exec focuses exclusively on consumer-facing businesses. We partner with private equity investors, portfolio companies and founder-led brands to identify and secure leaders capable of delivering growth, transformation and long-term value creation.
Our sector expertise spans FMCG, retail, ecommerce, hospitality, leisure, luxury and digitally-led brands. This specialist focus gives us access to exceptional leadership talent and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by ambitious consumer businesses.
Whether supporting a newly acquired portfolio company, strengthening an executive team ahead of expansion or preparing a business for transaction, we help secure the people who make a measurable difference.
Track Record
Trusted by private equity investors and portfolio companies
We have supported private equity investors and founder-led businesses across the consumer sector with leadership appointments that drive growth, strengthen capability and create long-term value.
Piper Private Equity
Mous – Finance Director
Bruce's Doggy Day Care – Finance Director
Omlet – CFO
Omlet – Chief Commercial Officer
Imbiba
Camm & Hooper – CFO
Sessions – CFO
Head of Commercial Finance
Director of Special Projects
Wellfound – Finance Director
Ballie Ballerson – Finance Director
Vagabond – Finance Director
Private Equity Executive Search
Why investors and founders choose specialist executive search partners
Leadership quality remains one of the most significant drivers of value creation within private equity-backed and founder-led businesses. The right executive appointment can strengthen operational performance, improve decision making, accelerate growth initiatives and provide the leadership capability required to support future investment or exit strategies.
Unlike traditional recruitment, executive search focuses on identifying and engaging senior leaders who are not actively searching for new opportunities. Many of the strongest candidates in the market are already successful within their current organisations, making proactive search, market mapping and relationship-led recruitment essential to securing exceptional talent.
At Consumer Exec, we specialise in executive search for consumer brands across FMCG, retail, ecommerce, hospitality, leisure and luxury sectors. Our understanding of these markets allows us to identify leaders with the commercial, operational and financial expertise required to navigate complex growth challenges and deliver long-term value.
Private equity investors often face leadership decisions at critical stages of the investment lifecycle. Whether supporting a newly acquired portfolio company, preparing a business for international expansion, strengthening a leadership team following investment or building capability ahead of a future transaction, securing the right leadership talent can have a significant impact on business performance.
Our executive search assignments regularly include CFOs, Finance Directors, Chief Commercial Officers, Managing Directors and other senior leadership appointments. We work closely with investors, boards and founders to understand both immediate hiring requirements and longer-term strategic objectives, ensuring every search is aligned with the future direction of the business.
Through Consumer Exec and Consumer Additions, we provide an integrated approach to talent acquisition. While Consumer Exec focuses on executive and board-level appointments, Consumer Additions supports management and specialist hiring across finance, commercial, digital and operational functions. Together, this provides investors and portfolio companies with access to a complete recruitment solution capable of supporting growth at every level of the organisation.
Testimonials
What our clients say
Trusted by investors, founders and leadership teams across the consumer sector.
We have had some great results working with Consumer Exec finding Finance Directors for our portfolio companies. Jon and Matthew are highly professional and a pleasure to work with.
Annabel Feather
Associate Partner, Talent & HR | Piper Private Equity
Jon Cooper has been a delight to work with. He seems consistently able to understand and interpret our needs and as a result we see only relevant and high quality candidates for the roles we have explored. I would not hesitate to recommend his services.
Simon Wheeler
Partner | Imbiba
Contact Consumer Exec
Looking for leadership talent?
Whether you're hiring your first CFO, building a board, strengthening an executive team or preparing a business for investment or exit, our executive search specialists can help you secure the leaders who will shape the future of your organisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Private equity executive search FAQs
What is private equity executive search?
Private equity executive search focuses on identifying and securing senior leaders for private equity-backed and investor-led businesses. This often includes CFOs, Finance Directors, CEOs, Commercial Directors and other leadership appointments that support growth, transformation and value creation throughout the investment lifecycle.
How is executive search different from traditional recruitment?
Executive search is a proactive and targeted approach to leadership hiring. Rather than relying solely on active applicants, executive search firms identify, engage and assess senior professionals who may not be actively seeking new opportunities but possess the skills and experience required for a specific leadership role.
What leadership roles does Consumer Exec recruit?
Consumer Exec recruits across a wide range of executive and senior leadership positions including CFOs, Finance Directors, CEOs, Managing Directors, Commercial Directors, Chief Commercial Officers, Non-Executive Directors and Board-level appointments across consumer-focused businesses.
Do you work with private equity-backed businesses?
Yes. We regularly partner with private equity investors and portfolio companies across the consumer sector. Our experience includes supporting leadership hiring strategies for businesses at various stages of growth, from newly acquired investments through to businesses preparing for exit.
What sectors does Consumer Exec specialise in?
Our executive search expertise spans FMCG, retail, ecommerce, hospitality, leisure, luxury and digitally-led consumer brands. This sector specialism allows us to provide valuable market insight alongside access to highly relevant leadership talent.
Can Consumer Exec support international executive search assignments?
Yes. We support executive search assignments across the UK, EMEA and North America. Many of our clients operate internationally and require leadership talent capable of managing growth across multiple markets and regions.
Why do private equity firms use specialist executive search firms?
Specialist executive search firms provide access to highly targeted leadership talent, sector expertise and extensive market networks. For private equity investors, securing the right leadership team can have a direct impact on growth, operational performance, value creation and eventual exit outcomes.
What makes Consumer Exec different from other executive search firms?
Consumer Exec specialises exclusively in consumer-facing businesses. Our combination of executive search expertise, private equity experience and sector-specific knowledge enables us to identify leadership talent that aligns with both immediate business needs and long-term strategic objectives.