Head of eCommerce — Italy

eCommerce

The Challenge

A high-profile Italian luxury design label approached MSC Headhunting with a brief to source a Head of eCommerce. The brand had a basic online strategy but was losing ground to competitors, particularly in international markets. The Far East and Middle East were regions the company felt they could develop by adapting to local market needs.

Finding a candidate with both deep technical eCommerce expertise and luxury brand marketing knowledge was going to be a significant challenge. MSC’s researchers set to work mapping potential source companies for the client to review.

Our Approach

The consultants began confidentially approaching potential candidates around the world who worked for competitor organisations with well-established eCommerce processes. There was strong interest from candidates — many had spent a decade building skills in creating an online presence and it was rare to find an opportunity to essentially create an eCommerce strategy from scratch for a well-known luxury brand.

The challenge for MSC was narrowing down the shortlist of suitable candidates. After only one month, the best international candidates were put forward to the client.

The Result

The interview process gave the organisation valuable insight into how competitors were developing their eCommerce strategies. The successful candidate had a strong mix of technical and commercial skills, enabling him to build a team and develop the IT infrastructure in line with the company’s objectives.

The increase in revenue following the shift in the company’s online strategy was substantial. Business is now booming for this client, particularly in areas where the company has no physical retail presence.