Emerald, Director of Strategic Marketing

Assignment

Following the successful acquisition of Emerald by Cambridge Information Group, the business underwent a review of its marketing function. An outcome of this was a need for a new Director of Strategic Marketing to report into the Chief Officer, Publishing & Strategic Relationships of Emerald Publishing. The overall purpose of the role was to drive a community of practice of marketing through the organisation, feeding the marketing strategy through each key department whilst having line management responsibility for a core team. 

Solution

Inspired Search was exclusively retained to manage an executive search process to source candidates with demonstrable success in a breadth of marketing activity, core leadership skills and with an authentic values-led approach. The search encompassed profiles from other academic publishers, vendors to the academic publishing environment, universities and their presses as well as societies and institutes. The market map included over 200 names, with breadth and diversity being core requirements of the brief. Following confidential approaches to c. 50 of them, screening and subsequently interviewing relevant individuals, a shortlist of 5 was delivered in 6 weeks. All 5 were interviewed by Emerald with 2 progressing to the final round. 

Result

The preferred candidate was offered with a quick acceptance within 12 weeks and both client and candidate are happy with the hire. The candidate has hit the ground running, representing the business at a major industry event in their first weeks in post and both parties look forward to a strategic and successful future. 

Get in Touch

If you would like to learn more about our Executive Search division or are looking to appoint a senior level role and would like a confidential discussion then please do get in touch with our Search Director Abigail Barclay.