A leader across two disciplines at once.

A leading global travel retailer operating across the UK and internationally required a Group Food & Beverage and Retail Director to help lead the business through a significant period of growth and transformation.

The role sat at the heart of the company's strategic ambition, supporting the CEO in driving change, elevating the commercial offer, and bringing cohesion and momentum to a talented but evolving team.

The brief was demanding. The ideal candidate needed genuine respect across both the retail and food and beverage disciplines, a balance rarely found in one individual, which immediately narrowed the field. The global travel retail market is a small, well-connected world, so the confidential nature of the assignment required exceptional discretion at every stage. One conversation in the wrong place could have created significant noise.

Targeted, relationship-led and discreet.

We approached this assignment with the precision it demanded. A broad-based search would not serve the brief, so we ran a highly targeted, relationship-led search built on deep market knowledge and trust.

We conducted a thorough mapping exercise across the UK and beyond, drawing on our network to identify the select few who genuinely possessed the cross-disciplinary experience, market standing and personal qualities the role required. Every approach was handled with the highest level of discretion.

Alongside established names within the travel retail space, we looked beyond its immediate boundaries to strong retail and food and beverage leaders who had previously operated in the sector and carried a genuine desire to return, widening the pool thoughtfully without compromising on quality or relevance.

The right leader, brought back to the market.

We identified and placed a highly regarded leader who, despite being outside the travel retail space at the time, was precisely the right person for the role.

Through our network we reached them, engaged them and ultimately brought them back to a market they knew well and were ready to re-enter at the highest level. The appointee has thrived, already making a tangible impact on both the business and the team around them.