How to Hire a Sportswear & Activewear Executive
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerHire sportswear and activewear leaders who understand the category’s blend of performance and product credibility, brand and fashion sensibility, and consumer and retail commercial strength. The best combine authentic connection to sport, movement, and an active lifestyle with the discipline to build a scalable brand […]
How to Hire a Spirits & Drinks Executive
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerHire spirits and drinks leaders who combine genuine brand-building and premiumisation instinct with commercial and route-to-market mastery — and an understanding of the category’s distinctive dynamics, including regulation, distribution, and the importance of brand heritage and storytelling. The best pair aspirational brand-building with hard commercial […]
The Longlist and Shortlist in Executive Search
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerIn an executive search, the longlist is the broad initial set of potential candidates identified from mapping the market, and the shortlist is the refined group of assessed, genuinely-qualified candidates presented to the client. The longlist is about breadth — casting the net wide; the […]
What Is a Retainer Agreement in Executive Search?
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerA retainer agreement is the contract under which a client engages an executive search firm to conduct a search, with the firm paid a professional fee across the engagement rather than only on placement. It sets out the scope, the fee and its structure, and […]
How to Close an Executive Candidate
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerClose an executive candidate by keeping them engaged and building genuine conviction throughout the process, understanding what really matters to them, moving decisively when you have decided, and handling the offer as the start of a relationship rather than a negotiation to win. Strong candidates […]
What Does a Chief Administrative Officer Do?
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerA Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) oversees the internal administrative and operational functions that keep a business running — often a mix of areas such as HR, facilities, IT, legal, and operations, depending on the business. It is a broad, coordinating role that lets other leaders […]
How to Hire a Chief Compliance Officer
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerHire a Chief Compliance Officer who combines deep regulatory knowledge with commercial judgement — a genuine partner who helps the business grow within the rules, not just a policing function. Match their expertise to your specific regulatory landscape, and assess for the ability to build […]
What Does a Chief Transformation Officer Do?
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerA Chief Transformation Officer leads major, business-wide change — driving a defined transformation programme (digital, operational, strategic, or cultural) with dedicated focus and authority. It is typically a role for a specific period and purpose: making sure a critical transformation actually happens, rather than stalling […]
How to Hire a Board Chair
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerHire a board Chair for the ability to lead the board effectively, partner well with the CEO while retaining independence, and provide the experience and stability the business needs for its stage. Because so much rests on judgement, temperament, and the CEO relationship, assessing fit […]
How to Hire a VP of Operations
By Annabel Norman, Managing Partner · Norman Consultants The short answerHire a VP of Operations who combines hands-on operational capability with the leadership to build and run effective teams — and match them to whether the priority is building operational capability, scaling it, or improving efficiency and reliability. Because the role is about execution, assess […]
