It’s no secret that both the media and retail industry face some real challenges.

Declining subscriptions, diversified and diminishing ad revenues and freemium loss leaders eroding the value of paid services are industry wide problems, to top it off, the Great Hope of Digital is not turning out to be the Panacea of profit that many thought it would be.

Similarly, retailers face challenges from all corners in a tough economic climate; how to retain customer loyalty, how to drive stock turn without losing sales, the correct level of activation through promotions, engaging social media channels, using analytics throughout the supply chain – all the while facing intense competition from both the high street and online.

In amongst these tumults - are companies who have broken the inertia, who have delivered growth, brought savings to the bottom line, installed a culture of change and challenged themselves to engage with customers in a more open way.

So what are they doing differently?

The opportunity that Digital really represents, and the reason why some companies are flourishing in an otherwise distressed market, is that they have leaders who have embraced nascent business methods derived from the successes and failures of Digital & Ecommerce enterprise.

The leaders bring with them a new combination of priorities; agility, a relentless focus on the customer’s needs, iterative improvements, an attitude of embracing the constant change necessary to stay ahead, as well as the zeal and fortitude necessary to be successful in a fluid landscape.

It’s your leadership team that will make the difference.

Our Executive Search team has been helping clients make great hiring decisions in this industry since 1998. Our historical understanding of the industry’s growth, as well as our experience with working at the top level of the industry, means we can identify those who can make the difference, instead of just being able to talk a good game.

Straight talking pragmatism is in short supply in an industry as hyped as ours – we cut through the jargon to help identify the talent that can get the job done.

Would you like to talk?

If you have a possible mandate you would like to discuss confidentially, or are an executive who would like to connect with our Search team for imminent or future involvement in one of our client engagements – we would be delighted to hear from you.