Executive Search Success Story: CPG CMO Search — Private Equity-Backed Growth & Marketing Transformation
How JRG Partners executed a confidential Chief Marketing Officer search for a private equity-backed consumer packaged goods company preparing for its next phase of accelerated growth and organizational transformation.
Engagement Snapshot
| Industry | Consumer Packaged Goods / PE-Backed Consumer Brands |
| Leadership Mandate | Chief Marketing Officer and senior marketing leadership |
| Business Context | PE-backed consumer company expanding distribution, brand presence, and consumer demand |
| Core Need | Evolve marketing from a tactical support function into a strategic, measurable growth engine |
| Roles Searched | Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Growth Officer, Chief Brand Officer, SVP Marketing, VP Marketing, Head of Consumer Marketing, Digital Marketing Leadership |
The Challenge
A private equity-backed consumer packaged goods company was preparing for its next phase of accelerated growth. Following a period of investment, product expansion, and operational improvement, the company had identified significant opportunities to expand distribution, strengthen its brand presence, and increase consumer demand.
The Board and CEO recognized that the existing marketing organization needed to evolve from a tactical support function into a strategic growth engine. The company required a CMO who could operate effectively in a PE-backed environment while balancing brand development, consumer acquisition, commercial performance, and organizational transformation.
The executive team identified several key priorities and challenges:
- Rapid revenue growth requirements
- Need to increase brand awareness
- Expansion into new retail channels
- Increasing customer acquisition costs
- Limited marketing organizational structure
- Need for stronger consumer analytics
- Fragmented marketing technology
- Increasing competitive pressure
- Need for stronger product launch capabilities
- Preparation for future business expansion
Why They Chose JRG Partners
CPG & Consumer Executive Search Expertise
JRG Partners provided access to senior marketing executives with experience across CPG, consumer brands, retail, e-commerce, and high-growth organizations.
PE-Backed Leadership Experience
The company required an executive comfortable operating within a performance-driven environment where marketing investment needed to be aligned with broader business objectives.
Growth & Commercial Marketing Expertise
The search focused on leaders who understood brand growth, consumer acquisition, customer retention, product launches, retail expansion, digital marketing, e-commerce, analytics, go-to-market strategy, and commercial performance.
Access to Passive Executive Talent
JRG Partners used targeted market mapping and discreet outreach to identify senior marketing executives who were not actively participating in the traditional candidate market.
The Search Strategy
Phase 1 — Leadership Assessment
JRG Partners worked directly with the CEO, Board, and Human Resources leadership to evaluate capabilities and define the ideal CMO profile specifically aligned with the company’s growth strategy and investor expectations. The assessment covered:
- Current marketing capabilities
- Brand awareness and consumer acquisition strategy
- Marketing organization structure
- Retail expansion plans and product portfolio
- Digital marketing capabilities and e-commerce strategy
- Consumer analytics and marketing technology
- Growth objectives and organizational development requirements
- Future CMO leadership competencies
Phase 2 — Market Mapping
The market mapping process covered PE-backed CPG companies, high-growth consumer brands, venture-backed CPG organizations, global consumer companies, retail-focused brands, DTC consumer companies, emerging CPG businesses, household product organizations, personal-care brands, and consumer health companies across North America.
Phase 3 — Executive Engagement
Consultants discreetly engaged senior marketing executives with proven experience in CPG growth, brand development, consumer acquisition, digital marketing, e-commerce, product launches, go-to-market strategy, retail expansion, consumer analytics, marketing technology, customer engagement, marketing organization development, and business transformation.
Phase 4 — Assessment & Selection
Finalists underwent comprehensive evaluation covering strategic CMO leadership, CPG expertise, growth marketing, brand strategy, consumer acquisition, digital transformation, e-commerce, marketing analytics, product innovation, retail expansion, team-building capability, CEO partnership, Board communication, cultural alignment, and long-term leadership potential.
Results Delivered
JRG Partners successfully completed the CPG CMO executive search and identified a senior marketing executive with experience scaling consumer businesses within growth-oriented, investor-backed environments.
- Growth-Oriented CMO Leadership Established: Appointed a CMO capable of connecting marketing strategy directly with broader business growth objectives.
- Marketing Organization Strengthened: Established clearer marketing responsibilities, leadership structures, and organizational priorities.
- Consumer Acquisition Strategy Improved: Developed a more integrated approach to acquiring and engaging consumers across multiple channels.
- Retail Expansion Supported: Strengthened marketing collaboration with commercial and sales teams to support expansion into new retail channels.
- Digital Capabilities Expanded: Expanded digital marketing, e-commerce, and consumer engagement capabilities across key customer touchpoints.
- Executive & Board Alignment Improved: Established stronger communication and strategic alignment between marketing, executive leadership, and the Board.
Planning a Confidential Executive Search for Critical Leadership Roles?
JRG Partners supports investor-backed and growth-oriented organizations seeking senior marketing leadership for high-growth, transformational, and omnichannel environments. Our executive search approach combines leadership assessment, targeted market mapping, discreet executive engagement, and rigorous finalist evaluation.
Connect with our executive search team to discuss your confidential leadership mandate.
Connect With Our PE-Backed CPG Search Experts