Filling the Critical Seat
Cella Solves High-Stakes CMO Search for Insurance Client
Bold business moves demand bold leadership. But what if, instead of a leader, there’s an empty seat?
You’ve got big plans: market expansion, ambitious revenue targets. But finding the chief marketing officer (CMO) to helm it can be an uphill climb.
Your internal HR team? Stretched thin. Online job boards? Resume-heavy and noisy. And the longer the seat stays vacant, the more momentum you risk losing.
That’s the “empty seat” problem. Solving it takes more than a job posting; it takes focus and precision. That’s why for teams new to this level of hire, it helps to have a partner who’s been there.
For an insurance company at this pivotal point, Cella by Randstad Digital (Cella) was that partner, delivering a CMO ready to accelerate their growth story.
Client Need
As an established insurance provider to a tailored scope of clients, our client had built a loyal base. But leadership envisioned expanding into untapped markets and segments like master-level providers. They were ready for a brand evolution.
What they lacked was a CMO who could bring it all to life. Hiring the right person, however, came with some significant challenges:
Specialized profile required
While insurance, financial services or psychology experience wasn’t essential, the client needed someone fluent in B2B and B2C strategy with multichannel digital marketing expertise. Someone who could lead a full rebrand, launch multi-channel demand generation, scale marketing operations and drive measurable growth.
Limited internal bandwidth
Their HR team was capable but stretched thin. Executive marketing recruitment wasn’t a core competency, and this hire demanded deep focus and speed.
Cultural fit was non-negotiable
The Assistant Vice President of Marketing was a long-tenured, design-first leader. The incoming CMO needed to bring strategic vision and emotional intelligence to collaborate effectively, enhance (not disrupt) the team dynamic and elevate the brand identity.
Lean, agile organization
The existing marketing team’s structure also included external agency support. Taking the team mix into consideration, the new leader needed to be strategic, hands-on with the internal team and adaptable.
Moreover, the CMO role had been open for nearly two months, and while a solid number of candidates had applied directly, not one struck the right balance between strategic chops, relevant industry insight and entrepreneurial spirit. All must-haves for this fast-moving team.
The CEO and Deputy Director of Strategic Planning were deeply involved and, frankly, stressed. They knew the generalist approach just wasn’t working.
Having previously partnered with Randstad for a successful CEO placement, they turned to Cella to help them get this critical CMO placement right.
So, Cella stepped in and stepped up.
Cella's Solution
Cella’s team applied its executive search expertise and proprietary process to this challenge.
We began by listening closely.
Through in-depth conversations with the CEO, Deputy Director of Strategic Planning and HR Director, we developed a 360° view of the role: the functional requirements, cultural dynamics and broader vision for growth.
Based on this, we co-created a clear position profile, capturing leadership expectations, cross-functional touchpoints and success parameters in the first 30/60/90 days.
We leveraged human expertise, not just formulas or sourcing mechanisms.
Checking qualification boxes wouldn’t cut it. This search called for human expertise: to catch the nuances of this niche industry, vet soft skills and find that elusive quality — fit, which no software or algorithm can do.
That’s why one of Cella’s seasoned lead recruiters helmed the search. They led weekly check-ins, shared potential candidates with the hiring team and provided real-time market insights to align client expectations, pivoting as needed based on client feedback.
Cultural fit was paramount.
We immersed ourselves in the client’s culture, learning about their dynamics in real time, and used that insight to assess candidates not just for what they’d done, but how they’d lead.
We led the interview process end to end.
Throughout the process, we engaged our network of senior marketing executives whose expertise aligned with the client’s preferences. Our team served as interview architects by providing tools for feedback and decision-making at both ends until the onboarding arrangements were complete.
We partnered with internal HR, never competing.
During this critical hiring window, we acted as an extension of the client’s internal HR team, amplifying their capabilities while respecting their internal processes.
“...very instrumental in filling a position we had open. In our weekly standup call [they] took charge explaining the candidates and their backgrounds. [They] also made sure that [they] heard our feedback and adjusted the search based on that feedback. [They] presented only highly qualified candidates to us. Extremely professional!”
- Director of HR
The Results
From kickoff to signed offer, we wrapped the search in just seven weeks, lightning-fast for a senior role that could typically remain open for six months or more.
The newly appointed CMO quickly demonstrated the strengths and qualities that made them an ideal fit, instilling confidence across the leadership team and earning the marketing team’s trust. Within weeks, they had built rapport with the team and eased any concerns about the transition.
With their leadership, the marketing function is already showing signs of greater efficiency, stronger cohesion and clearer strategic direction.
Cella is committed to both our clients’ and candidates’ long-term success. As with this placement, we continue to connect with our placed executives and clients beyond the hire to provide any support and insight they request. Our partnerships go beyond inquiries and offer letters; they are relationships that grow over time and have lasting impact.
At the end of the process, our candidate shared:
“They took the time to understand my background, leadership style, and long-term goals, leading to a seamless placement in a role that not only matched my skills but also inspired my growth.”
