Chief Growth Officer Executive Search

While these roles overlap somewhat, the key difference lies in scope and focus. A Chief Marketing Officer typically leads brand strategy, marketing communications, customer engagement, and marketing operations with accountability for brand positioning and marketing performance. A Chief Growth Officer takes a broader cross-functional view, focusing specifically on revenue growth across the entire business by focusing on the entire customer lifecycle. CGOs typically have marketing, sales, product, and customer experience functions reporting to them, driving an integrated approach to scaling the business. They're primarily measured on commercial outcomes and revenue expansion rather than marketing metrics alone.

The ideal CGO candidate demonstrates exceptional commercial acumen and a proven track record of driving significant business growth / accelerating business growth. They must excel in fast-paced environments experiencing substantial change, possess strong cross-functional leadership capabilities, and show the ability to galvanise teams around growth objectives. Successful CGOs are typically hands-on leaders who can both set strategy and drive execution, with clear examples of having scaled businesses in the past. They're highly data-driven, comfortable leading across multiple functions, and able to identify and capitalise on growth opportunities that others might miss.

We provide candidates with comprehensive insights into the private equity operating model and the distinct expectations placed on growth leaders within portfolio companies. This includes setting realistic expectations about the pace of change, available resources and the intensity of performance measurement in these environments. We help candidates position their experience effectively, emphasising commercial achievements, revenue impact, and scale-up success that aligns with private equity requirements. Our preparation also focuses on helping candidates articulate how their growth strategies align with investor priorities, including EBITDA expansion and exit readiness, ensuring they can confidently discuss both operational and financial levers of growth.

Most CGOs come from either marketing, business development, or sales leadership backgrounds, having progressively taken on broader commercial responsibilities throughout their careers. Many have experience leading integrated go-to-market teams, holding P&L responsibility, or driving significant transformation initiatives. The common thread is demonstrated ability to drive measurable business growth and experience working across traditional functional boundaries. For marketing leaders, the path to CGO often comes through increasingly commercial marketing roles with direct revenue impact.

While compensation varies widely based on company size, industry, and location, CGO roles typically offer attractive packages reflecting their commercial impact. Base salaries are comparable to other C-suite positions, with substantial variable compensation linked to growth performance. Most CGO roles include significant short-term incentives (STI) and long-term incentives (LTI), often tied directly to revenue targets or business value creation. In private equity environments, CGOs may participate in equity or carried interest arrangements. While market conditions may impact available opportunities, we've found that compensation for top growth talent has remained competitive, with companies recognising the critical importance of exceptional growth leadership.