Executive Hiring Guide: CPG & Retail Industry

The CPG and retail sectors demand executives who understand omnichannel commerce, brand building, and supply chain complexity. This guide covers how to recruit top consumer goods and retail leaders.

The CPG & Retail Executive Landscape

Consumer packaged goods and retail are undergoing a fundamental transformation. DTC brands are challenging legacy players, e-commerce continues to reshape distribution, and consumers expect personalized experiences across every channel.

Excecutive talent in CPG and retail must bridge traditional brand-building expertise with digital commerce capabilities. Leaders who can drive both top-line growth and operational efficiency are in highest demand.

Key Executive Roles

Critical roles include Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Digital Officer, VP of E-Commerce, SVP of Retail Operations, Head of Brand Strategy, VP of Supply Chain, Director of Consumer Insights, and Chief Merchandising Officer.

The rise of DTC and marketplace models has created demand for executives with experience scaling digital-first brands while maintaining retail partnerships and wholesale relationships.

What to Look for in Candidates

Top CPG and retail executives demonstrate a blend of brand intuition and data-driven decision making. Look for leaders with omnichannel experience, P&L ownership, and a track record of launching or revitalizing consumer brands.

Supply chain leadership has become a board-level priority. Candidates who have navigated supply chain disruptions while maintaining brand quality and margin targets are exceptionally valuable.

Common Hiring Challenges

The CPG talent market is bifurcated — legacy brand executives may lack digital expertise, while DTC leaders may lack the scale experience needed for enterprise operations. Finding executives who bridge both worlds is the primary challenge.

Retail leadership searches are complicated by seasonal business cycles and the need for leaders who can manage both in-store and digital experiences simultaneously.

Partnering with an Executive Search Firm

CPG and retail executive search benefits from a firm with deep relationships across the consumer ecosystem — from mass retail to luxury, from food and beverage to beauty and fashion.

Mogul's CPG practice has placed leaders at companies including Under Armour, Nike, Hershey's, HelloFresh, and Salvatore Ferragamo, with an average time to placement of 45 days.