Our client is an award-winning, mid-market private equity house with an exciting portfolio of Consumer businesses within their portfolio. They have made a recent acquisition and need to secure a truly outstanding Chairman to lead the Board of this business.
The recently acquired business has enjoyed strong levels of growth over the course of the last 5 years, supplying a premium branded product in to the key UK customer channels. It also has a reasonably embryonic international proposition that needs refining and fuelling. The leadership team of the business is performing well during this demanding period of adjustment, applying energy and enthusiasm to the task. Unsurprisingly, the business is already engaged in a significant piece of transformational change. This will test the resilience and focus of the leadership team.
- Location: Southern/South East
- Salary: Excellent, including a significant equity opportunity.
Key purpose
The individual will leverage their vast experience to the benefit of the Board, the investors and the business itself as it navigates through this exciting evolution. He or she will lead the Board and act as conduit between the private equity investor and the management team. It is likely to be a non-executive appointment but there is a scenario where it could become executive.
The ideal candidate
The successful individual will need to offer deep experience within a blue-chip, Consumer business or businesses. They will have a track record of success, be widely respected for their achievements and be able to comfortably operate as a figurehead in the business but also with the wider stakeholder group. It is critical that they can offer a highly potent mix of sector, category and contextual knowledge with exceptional leadership credentials. The following criteria are required:
- Expertise in identifying and prioritising the key growth opportunities both in the short term but also in to the mid and longer term.
- Experience in devising and implementing a successful Manufacturing strategy.
- Demonstrate a track record in driving and achieving significant efficiency gains, transforming a good performing business to an exceptional one.
- Capability in devising and converting credible, sustainable international opportunities.
- An understanding of brands, and ideally but not essentially, the idiosyncrasies of own-label.
- A robust senior network with the key UK customer channels, certainly the multiple retailers, but ideally offer one within a wider suite of routes to market.
- Experience in M&A transactions, even if this had previously been led by a specialist function within a larger business.
- Able to offer real change management depth, from a leadership perspective, and able to quickly communicate the pitfalls and opportunities.
If you have the skills and experience and are looking for a new challenge, we would be delighted to discuss this opportunity further.