The Brownestone Group has completed executive search assignments for some of the most recognizable brands in the world. We invite you to review the selection of case studies below that speak to our large portfolio of diverse projects, as well as to inquire about additional case studies that may reflect more closely to your brand and current needs.
Opportunity
- A multichannel, multinational corporation and a leader in auctions and private sales needed a Chairperson for its West Coast contemporary art business. The new hire needed to be extremely driven and hands-on, possess an unrivaled global network of high net-worth clientele, and have deep experience in new business development.
- The client struggled to find a search firm it believed could identify and recruit the perfect person until it chose Tim Boerkoel and his team to consult their business leaders and recruit an essential Chairperson.
Approach
- Researched, analyzed and presented our survey of relevant business landscapes to the client who was eager to understand key players and industry trends. A highly confidential and completely unique approach to identifying candidates was devised, discussed and performed with the utmost discretion and extensive collaboration.
- Reviewed the opportunity and potential candidates extensively with industry experts, focusing on businesses and individuals with an international customer base, global living experience, and immersion in the world of fine art and art business.
Outcome
- A top performer from a client competitor was recruited and hired at a higher level due to their more than 25 years of leadership and proven business success. The hire increased business significantly and has been promoted to a broader role overseeing the Americas.
- Our team was invited by the client to perform additional searches in similarly challenging and nuanced sectors which were completed with similar success.
Opportunity
- The Founder and Creative Director of a modern luxury women’s brand, having built a unique and innovative women’s apparel collection sold in the most prominent key specialty stores and channels globally, needed a Chief Executive Officer that could take the business and brand to the next level.
- CEO had to be capable of establishing this burgeoning company as a global fashion brand, increasing the wholesale, retail and e-commerce businesses while adding new categories and secondary lines.
Approach
- Worked closely with client, the company’s founder, to fully understand their personal and professional identity and goals – the “soul” of the company.
- Identified business leaders who had an entrepreneurial spirit and the drive and commitment to bring improvements to an owner-operator business. Special attention was given to global minds with experience in licensing high-touch culture and out-of-the-box thinking.
Success
- An extensive search and assessment of top talent yielded the chosen CEO, a person with international licensing, wholesale and retail experience in many aspirational and luxury brands, several of which were founder/owner-operated.
- The hire’s experience in small to large global organizations, and their history as a strong, dynamic leader with a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude, made for an instantly comfortable and effective partnership.
Opportunity
- A private equity group specializing in the fitness, health, wellness, food and travel sectors, needed to turn a once-family business into a much larger business and brand. The client knew their portfolio company needed a leader with proven success in building growth through culture advancement and the implementation and company-wide adoption of best practices.
- The business needed a Chief Financial Officer who would expand the premium fitness and sports lifestyle brand’s overall reputation, as well as regionalize clubs nationally. The candidate would need to have diverse successes and be up for the challenge of working within a lean, nimble and cost-conscious company that values effort in both its employees and customers.
Approach
- Looked outside the health and fitness industry, focusing on premium brands known for a exceptional client service and attention to detail.
- Introduced a broad selection of retail and other multi-unit operations professionals with proven success partnering with a CEO, assembling and executing strategic plans, and quickly immersing themselves in a company, its customers, and industry.
Outcome
- Over the past 12 years, the hire has expanded the business 10-fold. New complementary businesses have been launched, and the successful placement remains very happy, engaged and grateful to still be at the well-respected brand. The hire was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and is still very engaged and successfully working at the brand.
- We were invited to partner with the client on other executive searches, and recruited several successful candidates that have spent years helping the brand move forward.
Opportunity
- A several-hundred million dollar apparel manufacturer came to The Brownestone Group in search for its first Chief Merchandising Officer. The business, family-owned and led, was planning for its next phase of growth and needed an experienced executive to lead its design and product-focused merchandising team.
- The new hire would be instrumental in training a staff varied in skillset and tenure, implementing best-in-class practices, elevating the product and brands, and potentially impacting distribution strategy.
Approach
- The Brownestone Group assessed the client organization’s current sales and merchandising structure while consulting the company’s leadership on potential talent sources, competitor’s organizational structures, and the executive recruiting process.
- Two levels of candidates were introduced, those with previous Chief Merchant experience who have worked in a variety of cultures, and others with promising careers that prepared them to enter a lead merchant role for the first time. Brownestone consultants coached the client on assessing and interviewing candidates, with each conversation yielding new and quality thinking for the hiring managers – regarding the recruiting of leaders and other business learnings.
Outcome
- Select candidates spanning a variety of product specialties were introduced, and The Brownestone Group guided the client throughout to ensure a consistent, effective and smooth candidate experience. Ultimately one of the most senior candidates was chosen as the successful hire.
- The company’s new Chief Merchandising Officer will apply their design, merchandising, product and sales experience to drive change and transformation for brand, talent and product.
Opportunity
- A recently hired CEO assessed their organization and identified the company’s need for a new Chief Merchandising Officer.
- This new retail executive needed to have broad experience including best practices developed from a combination of traditional best practices and pure play e-commerce backgrounds.
Approach
- Targeted omni-channel and pure play retailers with deep merchandising experience involving the building of new categories of business.
- Assessed potential candidates on the agreed upon criteria, with extra attention given to each person’s experience and desire to work in lean, nimble and fast-growth environments.
Outcome
- Two perfectly qualified individuals made the final hiring decision difficult for the client, and additional organizational consulting and candidate assessing lead the team to the best decision.
- The successful candidate has identified several new product introductions which have lead the company to double digit growth in gross margin and overall profitability.
Opportunity
- A well established and respected private global family business in the luxury cosmetics industry needed to elevate the level of its executive talent in order to gain additional market share within its grasp.
- The Executive Vice President would need to be experienced in domestic and international business, as well as all retail channels in order to grow the premium business in accord with its goals.
Approach
- Leveraged all existing luxury and prestige contacts and resources to identify top-tier potential prospects.
- Performed complete research and review of the marketplace and its best leaders, ensuring any candidate brought forth had the experience and drive to propel this particular brand into its next stage of growth.
Outcome
- A successful candidate was recruited from their long-term employer, and despite this sector’s traditional non-compete agreements an earlier start date was negotiated. This allowed the hire to quickly build relationships internally and externally, expediting the achievement of goals thanks to their personal demeanor, professional experience and remarkable leadership skills.
- Having added significant value to the Americas business, our successful hire was promoted and now serves as division President.
Opportunity
- A global luxury client, based in Europe and known for creating the most beautiful and luxurious men’s, women’s and accessories products, needed a new President following the internal promotion of its leader.
- This executive would build the American business of all portfolio brands and ensure a continued reputation for excellence.
Approach
- Identified candidates with strong experiences in global leadership and proven success in the luxury retail sector.
- Focused on candidates’ potential to effectively liaise with both domestic teams and international leadership/stakeholders, and assessed each potential hire’s long-term goals and desire for internal promotion/growth.
Outcome
- We recruited a well known and respected leader from a top luxury business who was notably happy and successful in their previous engagement. The new position, in which the recruit succeeded, was a broader role that included the voice to influence global product offering and the further development of omni-channel business.
- The hire was promoted to the company’s European headquarters to serve in a larger role, and following additional promotions now serves in a partner division as Chief Executive Officer.
Opportunity
- A privately held casual footwear and accessories company, based in Europe, was looking for a new President to grow the 10 year old business regionally.
- The President, Americas would be responsible for creating a new and defined strategic business plan to expand the online and wholesale businesses.
Approach
- Surveyed a diverse talent pool including executive outside the footwear industry, focusing on growth experience utilizing new and existing retail partners.
- Consulted our extensive client and candidate base, in addition to standard research efforts, to identify and reach uniquely qualified prospects.
Success
- Two exceptional candidates were ultimately offered positions by the client.
- The hire has partnered well with the global CEO and the leadership team, identifying several strategic initiatives and establishing product extensions and new retail partners. The candidate has been promoted to the executive committee as a result of their successes.
Opportunity
- One of the most recognized and well-respected brands in the world, a global premium and luxury apparel, accessories, footwear and home manufacturer and omni-channel business, bought back its global footwear licensee with the goal of rebuilding its entire mid-channel and premium footwear business.
- The new President would be charged with developing a strategic plan that would be a multi-stage, global re-launch of the aspirational brand’s footwear business. The client needed a merchant and sales professional with experience in global production and new business launching.
Approach
- Sourced and assessed footwear leaders with multi-channel and category experience.
- Focused interviews on diverse production and sourcing capabilities, as well as each candidate’s cultural fit with the client and its customers.
Success
- A new President, one that exceeded the criteria outlined for the position, joined the client brand. The successful recruit is widely recognized by industry peers as a global-minded thinker and effective change maker.
- The successful candidate built a global strategic platform that grew the business from $20 to $600 Million.
Opportunity
- International omni-channel footwear, apparel, accessories and equipment brand, known for its state of the art performance products, spanning mass to premium and specialty channels, was in need of a Vice President of Apparel. This leader had to be a creative merchandising executive with deep experience in and knowledge of technical fabrication development.
- It was important that this individual partner with the four key international business units and create a centralized program that would positively impact the business on a global basis. They would be a seasoned professional with the depth of experience required to work cross functionally within a highly matrixed global organization.
Approach
- Identified and targeted brands with large, complex business models containing broad and deep apparel manufacturing capabilities.
- Pursued candidates with experience in similarly team-oriented cultures within a highly complex organization, and presented a wide range of talent known for their success in international business related to design, manufacturing, merchandising and more. All were strong influencers with great collaboration and partnership skills.
Success
- The successful candidate immersed themself within the business and built an international strategy that greatly impacted the business and increased profitability in less than two years from hire.
- Over the past 12+ years, the successful candidate has been promoted four times and has grown and launched several new concepts.