As digital becomes a strategic capability rather than a channel, the Chief Digital Officer has become a pivotal hire — and a hard one to scope. Here is how to get it right.
When to hire one
The trigger is digital ceasing to be a channel and becoming a strategic capability. When data, technology, and the digital customer experience need a single accountable owner to drive transformation across the whole business — rather than progressing unevenly in pockets — a senior digital leader earns a seat at the table.
Define what 'digital' means here
The Chief Digital Officer remit varies enormously — transformation and change, data and analytics, technology and platforms, e-commerce and DTC, or the digital experience. Before searching, define which of these the role must own and how it relates to marketing, operations, and IT. A mis-scoped digital role is a common cause of the appointment stalling.
The profile that delivers
Strong digital leaders combine genuine technical and data fluency with brand and commercial judgement — able to build capability without losing the experience and brand that carry it. In beauty and consumer businesses, that balance of technology and brand sensibility is decisive.
How the search works
A retained search starts by defining the specific digital mandate, then maps and assesses leaders against it — including an honest read on transformation experience.
Hiring a digital leader?
We recruit Chief Digital Officers and senior digital and technology leaders across beauty and consumer.
Explore Digital Executive Search →Frequently asked questions
When does a business need a Chief Digital Officer?
When digital becomes too strategically important to sit as a sub-function and needs a single senior owner to drive transformation across the whole business.
What makes a great CDO hire?
Technical and data fluency paired with brand and commercial judgement, matched to the specific digital mandate — transformation, data, technology, or experience.
Related: What Does a Chief Digital Officer Do? · Beauty Digital & Technology Search · How to Scope an Executive Search
