Practice Lead · Commerce & Industry
Max Horton
Exec Search | Placing exceptional leaders across the CPG, Industrial & Life-Sciences sectors
- Focus
- Reward · Talent Ops · People
- Level
- VP to C-Suite
- Based
- New York, NY
- Experience
- 10 years
Commerce & Industry
Talent for the world's most exacting firms.
Boutique search and staffing firm
Over 21 years placing senior reward, talent and people-ops leaders across commerce and industry. New York and every market that matters.
01
21+
Years in commerce & industry
Est. 2005 - New York
02
1,400+
Senior placements made
Across 80+ global firms
03
$160k–$400k
Typical total package range
VP to C-Suite level
04
72%
Repeat client rate
Long-term partnerships
§ 01 / We understand commerce & industry
A practice built around commerce & industry — not bolted on.
What we solve
The specialised demands of a fast-moving, global, commercially driven industry.
Recruiting top people and talent leaders within the Consumer Products, Retail, and Hospitality sectors presents unique challenges.
This industry is currently grappling with significant disruptions, including rapid digital transformation, labor shortages, and the need for innovative strategies to enhance customer experience. Many companies are struggling with high turnover rates, especially in the retail and hospitality sectors, where the workforce is often transient. Additionally, the shift towards e-commerce and omnichannel strategies requires people professionals who can navigate complex changes in workforce management and employee engagement.
Attracting the right talent often means enticing passive candidates who are already settled in stable roles. These individuals are drawn more to positions that offer opportunities for driving innovation and transformation rather than maintaining the status quo.
Partnering with a recruitment firm that understands these industry-specific challenges can provide a crucial edge in securing the best talent.
CPGRetail & E-commerceManufacturingLife SciencesIndustrialFMCGTechnologyProfessional Services
§ 02 / Who we work with
Trusted by the firms that set the standard
8 of 80+ shown
§ 03 / Recent assignments
The searches we deliver
| Head of People | CPG | $625,000 |
| CHRO | Hospitality | $500,000 |
| Head of Total Rewards | Manufacturing | $375,000 |
| Chief Talent Officer | CPG | $325,000 + Equity |
| Head of Talent Acquisition | Manufacturing | $300,000 |
| Chief People Officer | Hospitality | $275,000 |
| Director of ER | Travel | $275,000 |
| People Director | Retail | $275,000 |
| L&D Director | Retail | $250,000 |
| People Operations Manager | Travel | $175,000 |
| People Generalist | CPG | $99,000 |
§ 04 / Our Consultants
Speak with someone who knows the room.
Client Testimonial
HC
Head of Human Capital
$14B AUM multi-strategy hedge fund
New York · 2025
“Oakleaf didn't give us a longlist — they gave us the right three. They understood the culture before we'd finished describing it, and the shortlist reflected it. Our VP Business Partner was hired inside six weeks.”
Ready to start a search?
We respond to every brief within one business day. Share the role, the culture, and the timeline — we’ll come back with a shortlist strategy and who we’d put on it.