Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - FMCG Challenger Brand

CEO | Purpose-led Challenger Brand | London (3 days a week) | £170k to £200k + bonus + equityWhy this one?Here’s a chance to join a challenger brand right at the point where it gets really interesting. It’s a £MM business with national retail listings, a loyal following and a genuinely distinctive personality, and the plan is to take it to £50m+ and a successful exit. You’ll work hand in hand with a founder who wants a proper partner, with equity so you share in the value you create. If you’ve done this journey before and fancy doing it again (armed with everything you learned first time round), read on.What you’ll be doingBuilding the roadmap to £50m+ revenue, working backwards from what an exit-ready business looks likeRunning grocery, Amazon, D2C, marketplaces and B2B as one connected omnichannel engineGrowing household penetration and taking the brand from niche favourite to mainstreamStepping into the big retailer negotiations where having the CEO in the room changes the outcomeBuilding a leadership team ahead of the curve, with the right people in the right seatsBringing EOS-style discipline (scorecards, quarterly priorities, clear owners) without the bureaucracyAllocating capital with a sharp eye on cash, margin and enterprise valueUsing AI and automation so revenue grows faster than headcountWhat you’ll bringYou’ve scaled a challenger consumer brand across omnichannel, ideally from somewhere around £10/20m to £40/50mYou’ve been materially involved in a successful exit. This one’s non-negotiableDeep experience across major grocery, Amazon/e-commerce and D2C, and how they work togetherStrong commercial and financial acumen: unit economics, gross margin, cash and working capitalYou’ve partnered with a founder before and know how to reduce founder dependency without losing what made the business specialEOS or a similar operating framework is a big plusHigh standards, low ego, and happy to challenge and be challengedYour title may have been CEO, MD, GM or CCO. What matters is that you owned the journey and the outcome.About the businessA founder-led, purpose-driven challenger in an everyday consumer category, with products in major UK retailers and a brand people actually remember. Sustainability sits at the heart of everything they do, and commercial excellence will drive the next chapter. Playful, ambitious and moving quickly.Andrew Baker of 1485 Ltd is the exclusive recruitment partner for this role. If you have the required experience and you're interested, but do not have an up to date CV, please message Andrew.All applicants receive a response.