Marketing Executive Search

Marketing leadership has never been more important. In a fast-evolving digital landscape, the right senior marketing hire can define how a business grows, how a brand is experienced and how a company stays ahead of its competitors. Today’s marketing leaders must combine strategic vision with data-driven execution. They must also navigate an increasingly complex mix of channels, platforms and technologies.

Finding that calibre of professional requires more than a broad database search. The strongest marketing leaders are rarely looking for their next role. They are delivering results inside high-performing organisations and will only consider a move for the right opportunity.

Marketing Executive Search

Our marketing executive search practice has been placing senior marketing professionals across in-house teams and agencies since 2002. We work with FTSE 100 firms, multinational brands, high-growth scale-ups and investor-backed ventures. Whatever the discipline or seniority level, we bring genuine sector knowledge and a personal, senior-led approach to every search we conduct.

A Rigorous Marketing Executive Search Process

Marketing executive search requires precision, sector knowledge and a genuine understanding of what great marketing leadership looks like. Generic recruitment does not work at this level. The professionals who lead at the highest level in marketing combine creative instinct with commercial rigour. They also bring the ability to lead teams across disciplines, platforms and geographies simultaneously. We work as a boutique practice. From the moment you brief us, a senior consultant leads your search from start to finish. There are no handoffs to junior researchers. We do not rely on job boards or automated databases.

Instead, we map the market thoroughly before approaching a single candidate. We assess every individual on their strategic capability, commercial track record and leadership style. Similarly, we also look at their ability to operate within the specific context of your organisation and your industry.We reach passive candidates through relationships built carefully over more than two decades of marketing executive search work across global markets. We also maintain close industry ties by attending events including Cannes Lions and by hosting our own events focused on marketing leadership and innovation.

Specialists in Building High-Performing Marketing Teams

Today’s marketing leaders are expected to deliver results across brand, digital, data and technology. They must also inspire teams, manage agencies and influence boards. Identifying candidates who bring all of that is not straightforward. It requires recruiters who understand the discipline deeply. Our marketing executive search practice covers the full breadth of marketing. This includes brand and content strategy, digital and performance marketing, CRM and lifecycle marketing, AI-driven marketing and martech integration, social media and experiential, and customer acquisition and growth. We work across industries including technology, ecommerce, SaaS, fintech, healthcare, consumer goods and financial services.

Hanson’s dedicated marketing practice covers the full seniority range. This includes specialist mid-level hires as well as CMO-level and board appointments. Whatever the level or function, we apply the same rigour and the same commitment to finding the right match. The work we have done as a specialist marketing headhunter has earned multiple accolades at the Marketing and Digital Recruitment Awards. These include Best Client Service, Best Candidate Experience and Best International Agency.