Success depends on how the appointment is defined.
Responsibility for AI may sit within a dedicated function or form part of a wider creative, strategy, technology, data or operational leadership. We establish what the appointment must deliver and where it sits within the senior leadership structure.
We also establish the basis of the appointment. A permanent hire, a fractional leader embedded part-time to a standing mandate, or an interim leader covering a defined period. The right basis follows from what the work requires and how quickly it needs to begin.
Every appointment follows the same disciplined path.
We test the brief against the market before making any direct approach. You get a clear view of relevant profiles, compensation, reporting structures and where comparable responsibilities currently sit.
The relevant experience may sit under a different title, within another function or across several earlier appointments. The work to be done determines where we run the search. Depending on the assignment, that may take us across creative, strategy, technology, product, data, machine learning and operations.
Your longlist sets out the relevant market, why each leader is included and the evidence connecting them to your appointment. You see the market before we form the shortlist.
We assess the value a leader has created and then look at how they have managed client, legal and reputational risk, how they have approached governance and their ability to lead across functions. We assess both established AI proficiency and the capacity to develop it.
We present each shortlisted leader alongside the evidence supporting their inclusion, any material considerations and the areas you should examine further.
We conduct every assignment in confidence.
We do not advertise the position. We disclose information to leaders in stages as the conversation develops.
Every assignment includes.
Definition and calibration of the brief
Agreed assessment criteria
Market mapping and market intelligence
A structured longlist
Direct approach and detailed competency-based assessment
A presented shortlist
Search reporting throughout
Referencing, offer negotiation and onboarding support