Background

Hunter provides online data to create connections between professionals. It lists all the email addresses of a company publicly available on the web and enables its users to find the email addresses of anyone from the first name, last name, and company website.

Search Background

• Co-founders approached Oakstone to lead the search for an experienced CEO to drive expansion for the business (the business being a highly successful PLG-driven global company led by the two co-founders)

• Quickly established that the level of the role required a retrained agreement to be implemented (due to the complexity and seniority of the hire)

Requirements

• Due to the nature of the business, Hunter required a hands-on product and technically minded CEO who could bring not just commercial leadership but also a product roadmap.

• Start-Up/Scale-Up mentality

• Hands-on leader

• Culturally adaptable and able to maximise an already successful business

• Hunter.io’s workforce was primarily based in Europe. However, future plans involved growth in the US, and the founders wanted their new CEO to be based in the USA.

• Experience leading product and revenue for a PLG-driven business model

The Challenge

• Unknown brand in the US

• Rare breadth of skills-requirement (product + technical + commercial leadership don’t usually combine in one executive leader

• Global remit, with an ability to work across multiple timezones

• Fast-paced business, with a leader required to move at the same pace

The Result

• Over 200 profiles were targeted, with approx. 75 actively “engaged”, and a further 20 were introduced to Hunter.

• 14 progressed through 1st interview stage (considering the founders were hiring their direct replacement, they needed deep market coverage of different profile options)

• Successfully concluded the process with candidate start-date scheduled approx. 5 months after commencement of the search (hiring decision made after 3 months)