An international premium fashion brand was looking for a successor to the CEO of one of its key markets.

The previous CEO had led the business for around ten years before moving to a role at the global headquarters. There was no ready internal successor, so his responsibilities were temporarily distributed across other team members.

This was an unusual appointment for the company, which rarely hires executives at this level from the external market. The appointment therefore required a multi-level international approval process involving the local team, international HR, regional leadership, and the brand's founder.

To identify a leader who could ensure continuity of management while continuing to drive the business forward.

The key requirements included:

• experience managing retail, wholesale and e-commerce;
• international experience and an understanding of Western business environments;
• experience working within a matrix organization;
• strong cultural fit with an international premium fashion brand;
• experience in fashion, luxury, or adjacent premium consumer sectors.

The combination of these competencies was critical. The company was looking for a leader who could manage retail, wholesale and e-commerce as one integrated business, rather than an executive with deep expertise in only one of these areas.

By the time the company approached Be-EXEC, it had already been searching for a CEO for around six months and had considered approximately 20–25 candidates.

The shortlist included strong retail executives, but they lacked the broader experience required to manage retail, wholesale and e-commerce simultaneously at CEO level.

The search also involved a complex international decision-making process. The local team, international HR, regional leadership, and the brand's founder were all involved, with each stage requiring separate approval.

Weeks could pass between stages. This meant that success depended not only on identifying the right executive, but also on maintaining the candidate's engagement and interest throughout a lengthy international process.

Be-EXEC conducted a targeted search among executives leading international companies and leveraged its established network of senior leaders.

One of the strongest candidates was already part of our network, while several others were identified specifically in response to the client's brief. This allowed us to quickly present a focused shortlist without launching a broad market search from scratch.

Five executives were presented to the client. Several progressed to the next stages, with one ultimately selected for the final interview with the founder.

Be-EXEC supported the candidates throughout the process, coordinating communication between all parties, maintaining engagement during waiting periods, collecting references, and supporting negotiations around the terms of the move.

The final candidate was based in the Middle East and required relocation to the region. Be-EXEC supported the process through to the final stage, after which the company agreed additional compensation to cover relocation expenses for the candidate and his family.

1. Strong candidates from the first shortlist
The client highly valued the quality of the executives presented. The international HR team specifically noted that the candidates were significantly different from those the company had considered during the previous six months.

2. First relevant candidate presented in less than two weeks
Less than two weeks after the search began, Be-EXEC presented a candidate who subsequently completed several rounds of interviews and international approvals and received an offer.

3. Successful appointment despite a complex international process
The candidate reached the final stage, received the offer, and was appointed following international approval. The company also arranged his relocation and supported his transition into the role.

The company secured a CEO with international experience and the required combination of expertise across retail, wholesale and e-commerce, while ensuring continuity of management and maintaining the momentum of the business.

The project demonstrated the level of precision required when appointing a senior leader for a global premium fashion brand. At this level, management experience alone is not enough. The right executive also needs to understand international business, the specifics of the market, the company's matrix structure, and the culture of the brand.

For businesses looking to appoint a CEO or senior executive, ensure continuity of leadership, or identify a leader capable of operating within an international organization, Be-EXEC can help build a focused search process and identify a candidate who meets not only the requirements of the role, but also the company's broader business strategy.