CLIENT BACKGROUND
A privately owned, $15M hospitality and retail organization needed to find an accomplished Chief Executive Officer to succeed an incumbent who had decades of successful history with the company.
CHALLENGE
A privately owned, $15M hospitality and retail organization needed to find an accomplished Chief Executive Officer to succeed an incumbent who had decades of successful history with the company. The client sought an executive with strong overall industry experience and the ability to collaborate with the first-generation senior leadership team in assuring continuity of profitable operations of all businesses. The ideal candidate would also be capable of preparing for future growth while mentoring and guiding the second-generation leadership, as that group prepared to assume a broader scope of responsibilities.
CCI SOLUTION
Working closely with the leadership team, who had limited experience working with a retained search partner, we helped refine the job search specifications to ensure the job profile focused on the position needed and not replacing the person. A targeted focus was placed squarely on the hospitality and retail space to be sure that the candidates could smoothly transition into the role. We primarily targeted candidates across a local (mid-Atlantic) region. Where out-of-area candidates were considered, emphasis was placed on their motivation to relocate or return to the location of the role. Careful client and candidate management occurred on this project to make sure that communication and process were smooth for all parties. This was particularly important due to the number of client stakeholders in the selection process.
RESULTS
Nearly 170 candidate profiles were considered, and four top-tier candidates were submitted to the client; all were interviewed by the client. Two finalist were identified, making the hiring decision a challenge. One was hired. The new CEO brought 34 years of experience and a proven track record in growing, developing, and optimizing profitability in the hospitality industry. The successor was hired in the desired timeline and continuity was assured. The client was complimentary of the discipline of the CCI process, the caliber of the candidates, and the overall result.
