What I Do
Executive search for marketing transformation leaders—CMO, Chief Growth Officer, VP Marketing, President/MD.
Polymaths. Leaders who bridge brand and growth, strategy and execution, agency and corporate.
No handoffs. No associates. You get me—someone who recruits for roles I once held.
That's why placements last. 4+ years average. 44% promoted.
How I Work
Advisory is the through-line—not a phase.
I came from agency and consulting. That's how I approach search: diagnose the problem, shape the brief, understand where the market is heading. The output is talent. The lens is advisory.
Definition before selection. Most briefs arrive with gaps—unclear decision rights, competing priorities, roles shaped by who just left rather than what's needed next. I fix that first. A few days of clarity eliminates weeks of searching in the wrong direction.
Every hire changes what you need next. I think about how this leader fits the system you're building—not just the role you're filling.
Agile, not waterfall. Sourcing, calibration, and client feedback run in parallel—not in sequence. Each conversation informs the next. Directional profiles test assumptions early. Misalignment surfaces fast. The search sharpens as we go.
Working session as final validation. Not "tell me about a time when..."—live problem-solving on your actual challenges. You see how they think. They see how you work. Both sides prove fit before anyone commits.
Support through Year 1. Pre-start planning, 90-day roadmap, quarterly check-ins. That's BeyondStart—why placements stick.
Post Placement Support
Success is the outcome, not the placement. I stay engaged through Year 1.
Before Day 1, the 90-day roadmap is formalized. Decision authority is clear. Support needs are documented. Leaders hit the ground running—not spending the first quarter decoding politics or discovering constraints.
For the client: How this leader works best. 30/60/90-day priorities. Quarterly check-ins.
For the candidate: Reference synthesis. 90-day roadmap. A strategic advisor outside company politics.
12-month guarantee. If it doesn't work, I replace the search.
Engagement
Retained search. Each milestone tied to a deliverable, not a calendar date.
Structure is simple: engagement, qualified slate, placement. 30-day refund if no material progress.
All costs included. No add-ons, no admin fees.
Fee based on role complexity and scope. Discussed upfront.
“Kristian saw something most people, including me, would have missed. I took the recommendation to meet with the candidate. Hands down the best hire I ever made.”