Appointing the leadership to take an ambitious British brand forward
Finding the right CEO for the next chapter of a distinctive premium womenswear brand
For founder led and entrepreneurial consumer businesses, appointing a Chief Executive Officer is about far more than finding someone with the right experience on paper. The right leader needs to understand what has made the brand successful to date, while having the commercial judgement and leadership capability to shape what comes next.
Consumer Exec partnered with Wiggy Kit on the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer, leading the search for a senior leader capable of taking responsibility for the next stage of the business.
The Challenge
Wiggy Kit has built a distinctive position within the premium womenswear market, with a strong brand identity and a product proposition centred around versatile, considered dressing.
As the business looked ahead to its next phase, the CEO appointment represented an important leadership hire.
The brief required a candidate who could combine strategic and commercial capability with an appreciation of the dynamics of an entrepreneurial consumer brand. Just as importantly, they needed to understand the importance of protecting the identity and qualities that had already made Wiggy Kit distinctive.
This made cultural alignment and leadership style as important as previous titles or company scale.
Our Approach
Led by Wayne Jenkins, Consumer Exec approached the assignment as a targeted executive search rather than a broad recruitment exercise.
Drawing on Wayne's network across luxury, premium fashion and founder led consumer businesses, the search focused on leaders with relevant experience of building and developing brands while operating effectively within entrepreneurial environments.
The assessment went beyond functional experience. Consumer Exec considered each candidate's leadership style, commercial instincts and ability to work with the existing business while bringing the perspective required of a CEO.
This produced a focused shortlist of candidates aligned not only with the requirements of the role, but with the character and ambitions of Wiggy Kit.
The Outcome
Consumer Exec successfully completed the CEO search, securing senior leadership for a pivotal stage in Wiggy Kit's development.
The appointment demonstrates the value of combining sector knowledge with a highly targeted network when recruiting at CEO level. For businesses where brand, culture and commercial ambition are closely intertwined, finding the right leader requires an understanding of all three.
More than a CV match
At Consumer Exec, our work with founder led and premium consumer brands is built around understanding the business behind the brief.
We partner with founders, investors and leadership teams on critical C suite and Director appointments, identifying people who can respect what has already been built while helping shape what comes next.
Exceptional Talent + Exceptional Brands
Looking for senior leadership that can take your brand into its next stage of growth? Talk to Consumer Exec about your next C suite or Director appointment.
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