Leathwaite Launches CMO Executive Search Practice
January 26, 2021 – London-based executive search firm Leathwaite expanded with the addition of Shannon Silsby as a director to launch the firm’s global CMO executive search practice. “We are incredibly excited to welcome Shannon to Leathwaite to facilitate our functional offering expansion into the CMO/marketing space while we also work to continue moving beyond financial services into consumer/retail/CPG,” said Paul Groce, partner and head of Americas. “Shannon’s combination of both industry and executive recruiting experience, will enable us to provide an even more robust service offering to our clients and help expand the Leathwaite brand into an even greater array of market areas.”
With experience in placing global marketing leaders across organizations of all sizes whether public, private, equity-owned or VC-backed, Ms. Silsby specializes in recruiting innovative brand marketers, digital transformers and media and communications executives by leveraging her expertise in resilient team building, the global consumer marketplace, diversity & inclusion and strategic pipeline and succession planning.
Ms. Silsby joins Leathwaite from Perpetual, where she served as a partner for the global boutique executive search firm that works with the consumer brands companies. Before beginning her talent advisory consulting career, she spent 15 years as a brand marketing executive at organizations including Unilever, P&G, Combe Inc and Sun Products (now Henkel).
“The CMO’s role underwent a rapid metamorphosis in 2020 in response to COVID, and 2021 shows no sign of this trend slowing down,” said Ms. Silsby. “Those CMOs who have shown the agility to respond to a consumer who is more digital and more socially-conscious than ever before, have seen their stock-value rise exponentially. The CMO, and their team, will continue to become pivotable hires as companies seek to navigate their way through COVID into our shared new normal.”
The addition of Ms. Silsby is yet another senior hire for Leathwaite throughout the last 12 months, following the recent addition of Kevin Parker in Dallas, who joined from Heidrick & Struggles, to accelerate the global growth of the commercial and digital practice. “Mr. Parker has an impeccable track record as a leader in executive search and leadership consulting,” said Mr. Groce. “With this experience in mind, he is a perfect match for the expanding Leathwaite business model and brings a wealth of knowledge in front office operations and highly sought-after functional expertise where client needs are increasing. Kevin will enable us to scale our efforts and advise our clients more effectively as we continue to ramp up our capabilities.”
U.S. Growth
“The U.S. continues to become a crucial market for the global Leathwaite business as it comes off its best year to date,” added Mr. Groce. “Our U.S. investment strategy, both in terms of people and geographical footprint, continues to gather pace as we seek to serve our clients with a more robust, experienced and personalized offering than ever before. We are on course for further growth throughout 2021 and look forward to providing additional announcements in the near future.”
Leathwaite is an executive search and human capital specialist firm, delivering an interconnected range of executive search, executive interim and data and insight services. Established in 1999, the firm has developed key international client partnerships across a range of industry sectors. Leathwaite has a network of international offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Hong Kong and Zurich.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
