Function · Creative leadership
Chief Creative Officer and creative leadership search.
We advise boards, chief executives and founders on Chief Creative Officer, Creative Director and design leadership appointments across the global luxury economy.
The appointment
Creative leadership determines more than a collection or campaign. It shapes product, image, culture and the permission a house has to evolve. The appointment must carry creative authority while understanding the commercial, operational and organisational system required to turn a point of view into enduring enterprise value.
The organisations
Fashion and leather-goods houses, fine jewellery and watch maisons, beauty and fragrance businesses, design-led groups, founder-owned brands and investors rebuilding cultural relevance.
Leadership briefs
- Chief Creative Officer
- Creative Director and Artistic Director
- Design Director and studio leadership
- Brand image and content leadership
- Product and collection direction
- Creative operations and studio management
Reading the field
We assess authorship, cultural intelligence, leadership range and the ability to create within an established code. Just as importantly, we examine how the candidate works with the chief executive, product, merchandising and commercial teams; builds a studio; and translates vision into a coherent client experience.
Questions behind the brief
- Does the brief require evolution, renewal or reinvention?
- How should authority be divided between the CEO and creative leader?
- Which adjacent creative worlds could expand the market?
- What operating structure will allow creative work to succeed?
Defining this mandate
Agree the creative authority, product remit and relationship with the chief executive. Assessment should examine the candidate’s own contribution, the team behind the work and the practical conditions needed to deliver it.
How retained search worksPractical questions
How do you distinguish creative authorship from brand reputation?
Explore the candidate’s specific decisions, portfolio and responsibilities, including the contribution of the wider studio. A well-known employer is context, not sufficient evidence of individual authorship.
Can a founder retain creative involvement?
Yes. The brief should state which decisions remain with the founder and which belong to the appointed leader, including product sign-off, image and team leadership.
Does the role include studio management?
It can. Define responsibility for people, budget, delivery and the relationship with merchandising and production, alongside the creative mandate.
The right search begins with a better brief.
Tell us about the appointment, the ownership context and what must change.
Discuss a leadership hire