Start with the business question.
For a beauty, home or premium consumer brand, growth may depend on distribution, new customers, repeat purchase, retail performance or the way the business is organised. Identify the constraint before deciding whether the next appointment is primarily commercial, marketing or a combined role.
Define the marketing remit.
A CMO may own brand, communications, demand generation, customer insight and retention. The balance depends on the company. Specify the channels, team and budget, and how marketing performance will be assessed alongside brand stewardship.
Define the commercial remit.
A chief commercial officer or senior commercial director may own revenue, channel relationships, business development and regional performance. Clarify their authority over pricing, distribution and commercial planning, and how they work with finance and operations.
Test whether a combined role is realistic.
A smaller business may combine responsibilities that a larger company separates. Be explicit about the priorities, available team and practical workload. A broad title cannot compensate for unclear decisions or resources that do not match the remit.
Assess the candidate’s contribution.
Ask for examples that establish the starting position, the decisions the person made and the outcome within their control. Consider the size and stage of the business, the channels involved and the support they had. Avoid treating a well-known brand name as sufficient evidence.
Use adjacent-sector experience carefully.
Useful experience may come from another category with a comparable customer, channel or operating model. Explore both the similarities and the differences. The candidate should be able to explain what needs to change when their previous approach meets a new brand.
Agree the brief before widening the search.
Document the role’s purpose, accountabilities, decision rights and assessment criteria. If the leadership structure remains uncertain, a defined advisory or mapping project can help establish options before the appointment process begins.