How to Choose an Executive Search Firm: What Actually Matters
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerChoose an executive search firm on genuine sector and functional specialism, a retained and rigorous process, real access to the leaders who are not looking, and a partner who will tell you the truth about the role and the market. For a specific leadership hire, […]
How to Hire a Beauty COO: When, Why, and What to Look For
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerHire a beauty COO when operational complexity starts to outrun the founder or CEO — more SKUs, more launches, more channels, and a supply chain under strain. The right COO owns supply, quality, planning, and fulfilment, and gives a fast-growing brand the backbone to scale […]
What Does a Chief People Officer Do? The CPO/CHRO Role Explained
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerA Chief People Officer (CPO), or CHRO, leads an organisation’s people strategy — talent, leadership, culture, reward, and organisational design. In consumer and growth businesses it is a commercial role on the executive team, not a support function, and it becomes essential when a company’s […]
Executive Search vs. Recruiting: What’s the Difference?
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerExecutive search is a consultative, retained process for senior leadership — it proactively maps the market and approaches the best candidates, including those not looking. Recruiting (often contingent) works active candidates across a broader range of roles and is usually paid only on placement. For […]
What Is Retained Executive Search? A Guide for Hiring Companies
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerRetained executive search is a consultative, exclusive process for hiring senior leaders. You engage a firm on a retainer to run the search end to end — defining the role, mapping the market, approaching and assessing candidates (including those not looking), and managing it through […]
