The Client
Christy, a 174-year-old British luxury bath and bedding linen company, has transitioned from a traditional textile brand into an aspirational lifestyle brand. This shift gained momentum in 2006 when India’s leading linen manufacturer, Welspun, acquired Christy, initiating a strategic turnaround to counteract declining profits and market share.
In 2023, Vanshika Goenka was appointed CEO, bringing a fresh vision to the heritage brand, known for its iconic partnership as Wimbledon’s official championship towel supplier. Focused on engaging a younger audience, Vanshika has prioritised enhancing the customer experience with intuitive technology, fostering high-performance teams rooted in Christy’s legacy, and embedding authenticity throughout the organisation. To support this transformation, she partnered with Page Executive to restructure her leadership team, aligning it with her strategic goals for Christy’s future.
The Brief
To support Christy’s goal of building a future-ready leadership team, Christy entrusted Page Executive with the critical task of hiring its first Board Advisor and replacing the outgoing Global Director of Sourcing.
With an understanding of Christy’s ambitious growth plans, we recommended a search for a Product Director instead of a Global Director of Sourcing. This role would drive not only sourcing but also oversee the entire buying and merchandising process.
For the Board Advisor role, we identified the need for a leader with experience in global expansion to collaborate with the CEO, enhancing Christy’s leadership in both UK and international markets.
Additionally, we were asked to recruit a Wholesale and Retail Director for the UK headquarters, as well as a Sales VP based in the USA – Christy’s first full-time hire in the US. This VP role was positioned as a critical element in the brand’s short- and long-term growth strategy.
Search Methodology
The Product Director role presented a limited talent pool, as there are few companies operating in the premium bed and bath space. Despite its global responsibilities, the role was based in Stockport, UK, with a requirement for on-site work. Equipped with a compelling candidate pack to showcase Christy’s growth vision, our research team conducted a comprehensive search, leveraging our database, LinkedIn, and an extensive network to pinpoint talent within the premium textile industry across the UK and Europe.
For the Board Advisor role, we needed a candidate with a global footprint in retail and fashion, a rare combination of experience. We reached out to seasoned leaders, Non-Executive Directors, and Board Advisors within our network whose leadership styles, international expertise, and pragmatic approach aligned with Christy’s needs.
For the Wholesale Director, we sought a candidate with a robust personal network, motivational skills for a small team, and a personality fit for a “200-year-old startup.” Our search included both fashion and homeware industries, focusing on assessing candidates' technical expertise and personal attributes.
Page Executive's Solution
After identifying the shortlist for the Product Director role, we coordinated interviews with Welspun’s CEO based in Dubai and the HR Director based in Mumbai. Candidates were evaluated on their technical competencies as well as their leadership and entrepreneurial experience. An offer was extended to the successful applicant, whose entrepreneurial approach distinguished their candidacy. The Product Director was hired within one month of the initial brief, leading to the streamlining and expansion of Christy’s product range into new and exciting categories.
Two finalists for the Board Advisor role were interviewed by the Welspun CEO. We were able to utilise our ENABL network (a unique offering supporting black and Asian people with their NED career’s). Within a week, the successful candidate was appointed as the new Board Advisor, collaborating with the CEO one to two days a week on growth strategy and launching multiple critical projects.
Our client struggled to choose between the 3 final candidates selected for the Wholesale and Retail Director role. Psychometric testing supported the final decision, and we were able to successfully support that candidate through a complicated offer process.
Our work with Christy highlights the precision and depth of our research capabilities, the strength of our network, and our expertise in advising on board and executive-level placements. This success reinforces our track record in placing leadership talent adept at guiding clients through periods of growth and transformation.
We have now been entrusted with two additional roles.
