Executive Hiring Guide: Media & Advertising Industry

Media and advertising executives must navigate the convergence of content, technology, and data. This guide covers how to recruit leaders for an industry in constant transformation.

The Media & Advertising Executive Landscape

The media and advertising industry has been fundamentally reshaped by streaming, programmatic advertising, creator economies, and AI-generated content. Traditional media executives must now understand data science, and digital-native leaders must understand brand safety and premium content monetization.

The convergence of media, technology, and commerce is creating demand for executives who can operate at the intersection of all three.

Key Executive Roles

Critical roles include Chief Content Officer, VP of Ad Sales, Chief Revenue Officer, VP of Global Partnerships, Head of Programmatic, Chief Marketing Officer, VP of Audience Development, and SVP of Distribution.

Emerging roles include Head of Creator Partnerships, VP of AI Content Strategy, and Chief Streaming Officer — reflecting the industry's rapid evolution.

What to Look for in Candidates

The best media executives combine creative vision with commercial discipline. Look for leaders with experience managing P&Ls across multiple platforms, building direct-to-consumer relationships, and leveraging data for content and advertising decisions.

In advertising, seek executives who have navigated the shift from linear to digital, understand privacy-first advertising models, and can articulate a vision for AI-enhanced creative and targeting.

Common Hiring Challenges

Media executive searches are complicated by the industry's rapid consolidation and the blurring of traditional sector boundaries. A streaming executive might come from technology, retail, or traditional entertainment.

Retention is challenging as top media executives are constantly recruited. Non-competes are less common in media, making it easier for competitors to poach talent.

Partnering with an Executive Search Firm

Media and advertising executive search benefits from a firm with relationships across the full ecosystem — studios, agencies, platforms, publishers, and brands.

Mogul's media practice has placed leaders at companies including Disney, Warner Music, iHeart, Publicis, and Dentsu, with deep networks across entertainment, digital media, and advertising technology.