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Based New York, NY - USA - New York Metropolitan Area
Executive Search Firm Filcro Media Staffing
Officer in Charge of Search Tony Filson reporting to the NSVPS and President
Client One of the World's leading media and broadcasting technology and media workflow solutions companies.
Search Regional Vice President Sales - U.S. and Canadian markets
Client Situation With the expansion of broadcast technological resources, intellectual property and integrated media workflow solutions, there was a need to expand and optimize the sales organization in selected areas of the United States and Canada.
 With a pending acquisition of a major competitor the President of the acquiring company was being proactive in securing additional business channels for monetization that would capitalize on the firm’s enhanced capacity to play an even greater role within unprecedented ownership of the full cycle of the media workflow process to include seamless broadcasting operations, production, post-production and content management modalities.
The executive this position reports into is a gifted National Senior Vice President of Sales and he was quick to note and articulate the areas of responsibly, experience and product knowledge that this media technology executive would require to be successful on tactical and strategic levels as an individual contributor and leader of a honed group of regional sales executives.
Business Sector Inclusions
- TV Production & Post Production
- Motion Picture Production & Post Production
- Broadcasting Production, Post & Technical Operations
- Digital Production Technologists and Solutions Providers
- Media Technology Providers and VAR’s
- Media Software Developers and VAR’s
- Content Management System Providers
- Media Workflow Solutions Competitors
- Developers of Advanced Media Technology and Research
Filcro Media Staffing is Retained
Filcro Media Staffing’s goals for this search were extensive. The firms recruitment efforts were targeted towards known entities and leaders in this space who were gainfully employed, happy and productive. The value prepositions of growth and financial success were real and transparent. Recruiting and attracting those offering everything the client was seeking required drawing from every major media technology center in the United States and Canada until the ideal executive was identified, recruited and attracted at an aggressive cadence.
The new RVP recruited would be responsible for the Eastern region territory and Canada and for developing and strengthening a set of accounts and vertical markets. Needed was a sophisticated manager to direct AE's, key relationships and ensure that the appropriate resources are available and focused to support the firm’s selling objectives and relationship goals.
The territories including: Canada, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, W. Virginia, and Washington D.C. were extensive in geographic reach and media market penetration as the most sought after in the industry. This new RVP would require extensive acumen in these key media technology markets.
The ability to develop and implement sales plans by Account Executive and/or accounts aligned with market segment, geographic territory, and business portfolio in support of company objectives was essential as no two accounts were exactly alike in spend or need. The new Regional Vice President would have to meet or exceed sales objectives of the assigned region / accounts by promoting and selling solutions through professional relationships that often take many years to develop.
Filcro Media Staffing having recruited media technology leadership in the past as CRO’s, CIO’s and CEO’s of the client’s targeted media communities in broadcasting and entertainment afforded the firm a distinct advantage during the recruitment phase of the search. As the new RVP would have to provide reporting and forecast using the SalesForce automation and other tools, the officer in charge of search knew that the environments being drawn from would offer this level of sales reporting accountability.
Coaching and developing a professional sales team as a group and as individuals was a key concern of the hiring manager and the SVP being a honed mentor was seeking an executive who could build continuity in a market that rewarded longevity and delivering on promises.
Implementing and championing the company's sales process to establish a culture of “solution selling” at all levels of the customer's decision-maker hierarchy would be essential. C level and line personnel were all involved in the decision process for workflow solutions and this RVP would need to be very hands-on and effective at all levels of client engagement.
With so much of the media technology industry depending of national and regional events and shows to sell and spotlight product lines and services it was essential that we identify an RVP who was a welcome guest with exceptional interpersonal skills and product knowledge who could engage customers on a human and technical level as a solution provider and not a pushy salesperson.
Travel would be extensive to meet customers and to coach Account Executives in the field, this executive required a proven record of managing resources and staff in an organized and knowledgeable manner.
The Filcro Media Staffing Recruitment Solution
Filcro Media Staffing proceeded to identify national and regional media technology sales executives with a minimum of 10 years of tactical and strategic leadership.
We sought demonstrated acumen that was articulated and admired by peers and contemporaries competing in the same space who had direct interaction with this executive and their sales organization as a whole.
Of interest was legacy vs. digital media and the ability to sell to and across an emerging multicast, multi-platform industry managing teams that efficiently conveyed a solution selling message that was consistently increasing revenue.
As public speaking and C Level interaction would be the norm we also sought a special set of skills that even some effective sales leaders lacked in the ability to convey messages to important and at times large audiences.
Looking at the markets to be served we also wanted an executive who could create markets vs. being reactive. With so much of the media workflow solutions business being generated by the capacity to create more efficient and productive process this executive would need to have access above and below line on the client side to covey opportunities that can facilitate advantages in very competitive broadcast, production and post environments.
The officer in charge at Filcro Media Staffing also wanted to understand the executives coaching, mentoring and team building capacity. With consolidation and acquisitions taking place it was important to not only know who this executive is intimately but also the people he has hired and developed as sales professionals over the years. With an immediate need for an addition to staff in one of the new RVP’s sales offices it was essential that this media technology sales executive was adapt at attracting sales executives who expressed success and continuity to create a stable and productive work environment.
Tony Filson as the officer in charge of search himself enjoys media technology and short of this executive reading white papers form Bell Labs every day there had to be an inherent curiosity and love for technology in this new RVP of sales. The client company known for being “The Cutting Edge” player in this space, the new RVP would have to be a bit of a Renaissance person with all things media. As complex and ever changing as broadcast and media technology can be, Tony Filson wanted an executive who can speak to any concern of a CIO, CTO, Producer, Director, Editor or Chief Engineer with aplomb.
The Talented New RVP of Media Technology Sales Recruited and Attracted
It was a personal and professional pleasure working with the Senior Vice President as the hiring manager and the President of Sales. Both are mature-minded, honed and polished executives and gentlemen who accomplished a great deal through this national executive search. Thank you. With over 25 years of media recruitment experience this was one of the most work intensive and rewarding searches conducted by the firm.
The new Regional Vice President of Sales attracted was from a direct and close global competitor of the client company.
With current North East U.S. and Canadian markets being areas of sales responsibility this media technology sales executive was well suited to optimize return from the most profitable territories in the media technology and media workflow solutions markets globally.
His broad media hardware, media software and media enterprise acumen was exceptional. With the capacity and experience providing media workflow solutions on a granular and enterprise level, this executive was an impressive contributor and leader.
Known for attracting and building individual sellers and selling teams this executive's reputation was impeccable. Media sales professionals wanted to work for him, enjoyed working for him and grew working for him. This was a man who attracted and developed media sales executives that everyone in the media technology industry wanted to hire based on his noted leadership and high hiring standards.
At public and industry events he was a consistent, noted and effective leader conveying his firm’s message to industry leaders and decision makers. His capacity to translate media business goals into hardware and workflow solutions was unprecedented. He brought a human element to the process and developed relationships that granted him access to the largest purchasers of media technology in the world.
This executive's career ecology was a very close match to the client company's corporate ecology. Ready for a substantial increase in autonomy, compensation and a larger corporate structure this was a perfect match for the company and the recruited executive. The hiring company's culture was also a match as the SVP praised and rewarded performance in the same manner this new RVP was noted for. Both the executive and the client company believed in positive reenforcement and working with professionals as individuals with specific needs and desires for motivation. This was a complex modality that was shared and successful and played a key role as a catalyst this new relationship.
Once this new RVP was hired there were changes to the proposed corporate acquisition and also new corporate leadership was introduced. Without hesitancy the new RVP made the transition and is today one the firm’s noted press announcements profiling their continued dominance in media technology and media work flow solutions.
This media technology sales executive search was conducted by Filcro Media Staffing
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Search EVP / Senior Vice President of Domestic and International Broadcast Technology Sales. The CEO wanted to identify an executive who could play dual roles as an EVP of strategic development and SVP of Sales as the sales organizations were built-out globally.
Based New York, NY - USA
Search Firm Filcro Media Staffing
Officer in Charge Tony Filson
Reporting to Executive search committee in New York, NY and client company CEO and President in San Diego, CA
Client
A world leader in the development and implementation of technical work-flow and technology solutions for the media industries focusing on copyright management, royalty distribution, E-Commerce, information, marketing and product distribution needs emerging from the confluence of the entertainment and media industries.
The firm holds a significant patent portfolio of proven watermarking technologies and applications which have emerged as the core media technology components for broadcast copyright protection architectures being developed for new digital media formats, CMS content management and broadcast distribution systems. Selected as the worldwide industry standard in copy protected Digital Audio and for the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), which has developed an architecture and specifications for playing, storing and distributing digital music and other media content, the was poised dominate audio, video and data watermarking.
The company offers media technology verification solutions spanning all media platforms, from broadcast and cable media to the Internet and a broad spectrum of physical formats from analog to digital consumer media disposables. Motion Picture Studios, TV Broadcasters, Digital and Mobile Media Companies would all benefits from the firms technology, integrated seamlessly, through IT work-flow solutions.
Client Situation
An executive search committee was formed consisting of representation from each primary constituency to identify an executive search firm to conduct the national search to identify and recruit a new EVP / Senior Vice President of Technology Sales. The CEO based in San Diego, CA met with Filcro Media Staffing in New York prior to retaining the firm and asked that Tony Filson conduct the search as Officer in Charge (OIC) and meet with the executive search committee.
Executive Search Committee Member Industry and Sector Inclusion:
- Television Broadcasting
- Radio Broadcasting
- Advertising
- Music Production & Distribution
- Network & Syndicated Programming
- The Marsh & McLennan Company
- JP Morgan Investment Banking
- Major Consumer Electronics Manufacturers - OEM’s
 The executive search committee and the investment banks with the CEO acting as point of contact, met with Tony Filson and retained Filcro Media Staffing.
Tony Filson functioned as Officer in Charge to recruit the new EVP/SVP of Global Sales
Filcro Media Staffing Once Retained
Filcro Media Staffing Officer in Charge of Search Tony Filson met with the CEO and commenced with the search by first reestablishing a consensus of the search committee based on Filcro Media Staffing’s experience with similar searches and desired skill sets. There were varied opinions with regard to tactical and strategic weighting and autonomy. It was important that these issues were addressed prior to commencement. It was the opinion of Filcro Media Staffing from the onset that a talented pool of appropriate executives could be drawn from New York City and that a corporate relocation could be avoided even though the primary technology sales centers for the industry were operating out of two California geographics.
Filcro Media Staffing was provided with organizational charts and overviews of operations and personnel in New York City, NY; San Diego, CA; Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL. The O&D Charting provided by human resources gave great insight into what strategic changes would be required to enhance the effectiveness of the current technology sales force. This new EVP/SVP would have to be a skilled change-agent with acumen and experience more aligned to the modality of a global Fortune 50 for the sales efficacy the board was seeking .
The executive search committee gave full autonomy to the CEO and Filcro Media Staffing during the initial phase of universe establishment and tiering. It was not until the final (4) four candidates were identified that the ESC as a whole, participated in the interviewing process. The established hierarchy of desired skill sets and industry experience only changed once, with the key factor being a balance of strategic and tactical acumen. The fact that Filcro Media Staffing’s OIC Tony Filson reported to a single CEO and not the entire ESC enabled the final group of 1st tier candidates to be established and identified very quickly. Even with the re-weighting, all four of the candidates provided were considered qualified to assume the role.
Filcro Media Staffing was fortunate to have such an active CEO participate during the search who was so articulate and enthusiastic about the opportunity. This new executive was to be identified as the CEO’s “ideal” also as part of the CEO’s succession plan.
Due to industry positioning / pending litigation / prior practices and “venture capital” financing issues the search required a very well rounded EVP/SVP who would play more of a strategic role then tactical as would be the norm in other similar sales environments. An executive had to be identified that could change the entire sales function from the ground up in a very brief period of time. With personnel changes, training and best practices all requiring immediate attention while increasing sales production. The board needed an executive with prior experience within marketing and sales development of core practices in related media environments that initiated systemic changes in targeted client relationships. This experience could come a compilation of industries provided the Motion Picture, Television, Broadband and Music industry sales channels could be monetized within the desired 1-3 & 5 year sales budgets proposed.
Challenges Facing the New EVP / SVP
- Change Management
- Best Practices
- Sales Services & Sales Operations
- Adaptation of Technology to Client Needs
- Sales Training
- Financial Management and Budget Controls
- Internal Marketing - Sales Relationship
- Board of Director Reporting in an Evolving and Changing Board
- Filcro Media Staffing’s Recruitment Solution
Filcro Media Staffing proceeded to Identify the "best in industry" EVP’s / SVP’s with a proven record of success in the creation of profitable revenue in the targeted media environments that this executive and his staff would be cultivating. Exposure to content providers, producers, media companies, advertising agencies and advertisers (GM, Coca Cola, P&G, McDonalds, Paramount), and other targeted customer groups that could utilize this media technology would be essential.
An executive capable of focusing on “broadcast data products” while also servicing and selling to broadcast advertising, broadcast networks, music and media content programming concerns was essential. As profit margins were higher for specific media platforms and delivery systems the new EVP / SVP should be someone to capitalize on these advantages.
The growth of licensing revenue from the company's rights management software was of particular concern to the OIC. This “shared” function could cause the new EVP / SVP if not completely capable of delegating with authority to lose autonomy in technology revenue generation. We needed an executive who had prior broad and diverse reporting responsibilities in the past with product development interaction, supply chain and global distribution.
With the management of the entire sales organization in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago consisting of VP’s, Directors, Managers, sales support and customer service all falling to this new executive we needed an executive who was very hands on who believed in an open door policy. Creating a new budget, sales quotas, sales objectives, sales incentive programs, development of transparent pricing and reporting on a weekly basis to the board of directors were essential and we wanted an executive who would have a brief learning curve consisting primarily of culture and current clients vs. tactical acumen.
The investment banking contingent from JP Morgan and Marsh & McLennan were insisting on an executive with strong financial controls experience. Not only would this executive be establishing incentives for the sales force, they would also be involved in attraction and retention which gave them control of stock options. Maintaining revenue projection estimates and translating that data into systemic programs for the sales teams again required a person who had built a sales organization from inception to sell to media companies like:
The firm’s department heads seemed at odds in the beginning to acquiesce control of their failing practices. The OIC also felt that an executive who was a strong external team builder who could gain consensus by empowering managers would be needed immediately.
From a strategic perspective this media executive would have to establish International joint ventures to expand globally into (3) three primary media markets. The OIC felt that prior experience in managing multiple domestic and international offices would be essential.
Successful New EVP - SVP Recruited
A Senior Vice President form one of the worlds largest advertising agencies was identified, recruited and attracted by Filcro Media Staffing. He was a global brand builder with proven successes in integrated brand communications and in managing people and practices all over the world.
He built successful brands for major marketers in multinational markets for (Procter & Gamble, Dell, Danone, Glaxo SmithKline, Merck, Mattel and Novartis). Leading brand businesses both globally from New York and on the ground in Asia, Europe and Latin America he managed (hiring, training and motivating) people with diverse backgrounds.
His success with initiating integrated brand communications for both traditional media and media technology companies was an ideal fit for the client company based on what they demanded from the Marketing / Sales balance of experience.
The New EVP / SVP Filcro Media Staffing recruited led the integrated brand communications of P&G Pringles internationally and managed five regional teams (Europe, Latin America, Northeast Asia, Greater China and Asia Pacific). Provided consulting support to the Oracle Group (Technology) on management of its global business. Led the Orientation account (Technology) and its marketing strategies and contributed significantly to making Pringles, P&G’s most integrated brand, (sales grew +20% annually to over $2 billion, one of the top five P&G brands). He also initiated holistic strategy tools for Pringles and implemented an array of services under its wing while he developed revenue models and contributed to winning some the largest technology and consumer product clients in the industry.
 He led the account and strategic planning groups, new business efforts and operations for 130+ person agency and led all services for P&G, Dell, Glaxo, SmithKline, Danone, Merck, Novartis and BAT, while increasing agency revenue +30% by winning new business from Glaxo SmithKline, Merck, BAT, Block Drug, Novartis and P&G. He also managed the development of Dell’s successful technology sales entry into Japan.
 This executive is doing exceptionally well and has accomplished everything the board has required. The fact that he speaks four (4) languages fluently has contributed to his international strategic penetration and his proven record of success continues today at a cadence beyond the board’s expectations.
This EVP / SVP scored exceptionally high on the firm’s Capacity Profile and the client company has obtained an unusually high potential executive who will serve the firm well as he takes on increased responsibilities and provides the CEO with his desired succession plan well into the future.
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