Media & Entertainment
Television Network , Radio Network, Music and Digital Entertainment

   Senior Vice President National Broadcasting and Media Sales,

New York, NY - USA based
Filcro Media Staffing OIC reporting to ESC, New York, NY and CEO San Diego, CA

Client: A world leader in the development and implementation of technical solutions focusing on the 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 technology component for broadcast copyright protection architectures being developed for new digital media formats and broadcast distribution systems. Selected as the worldwide industry standard in copy protected DVD Audio and for the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), which has developed an architecture and specifications for playing, storing and distributing digital music.

The company offers 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.

Search: Senior Vice President – Domestic and International Broadcast Sales

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 a new Senior Vice President of Sales. The CEO based in San Diego, CA met with Filcro Media Staffing in New York prior to retaining the firm.

Executive Search Committee Member Industry and Sector inclusion:

• Television Broadcasting
• Radio Broadcasting
• Advertising
• Music Production & Distribution
• Network & Syndicated Programming
• The Marsh & McLennan Investment Bank
• JP Morgan Investment Banking
• Major Consumer Electronics Manufacturers

The executive search committee (ESC) with the CEO acting as point of contact, identified Filcro Media Staffing (FMS) and Tony Filson (TF) functioning as Officer in Charge of Search to conduct a national search to identify the proper Senior Vice President.

Filcro Media Staffing was retained

FMS Officer in Charge of Search TF met with the CEO and commenced with the search by first reestablishing a consensus of the committee based on Filcro Media Staffing’s experience with similar searches and desired skill sets. It was the opinion of FMS from the onset that a proper pool of appropriate executives could be drawn from New York City.

FMS was provided with organizational charts and overviews of operations and personnel in New York City, New York; San Diego, California; Los Angeles, California and Chicago, Illinois. The O&D Charting provided by human resources provided great insight into what strategic changes would be required to enhance the effectiveness of the current sales force.

The executive search committee gave great autonomy to the CEO 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 to proceed with universe compilation and tiering only changed once, with the key factor being a balance of strategic and tactical acumen . The fact that FMS reported to a single CEO and not the entire ESC enabled the final group of 1st tier candidates to be identified very quickly.

FMS 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”.

Due to “industry positioning” / “pending litigation” / “prior practices” and “venture capital” financing issues the search required a very well rounded 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. We 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.

Some of the challenges facing the new Senior Vice President were:

• Change Management
• Best Practices
• Sales Services & EDI
• 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

Solution: FMS proceeded to Identify the "best in industry" 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, media companies, advertisers (GM, Coca Cola, P&G), ad agencies and other targeted customer groups 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 required.

The growth of licensing revenue from the company’s rights management software was of particular concern to us. This “shared” function could cause the new 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.

With the national design and 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 not 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.

The firm’s department heads seemed at odds in the beginning to acquiesce control of their failing practices. We also felt that we needed a person who was a strong external team builder who could gain consensus by empowering managers.

From a strategic perspective this person would have to establish International joint ventures to expand globally into (3) three primary media markets. We felt that prior experience in managing multiple domestic and international offices would be essential.

Successful candidate identified: A Senior Vice President form one of the worlds largest advertising agencies was identified. 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 all over the world (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 and technology companies was an ideal fit for the client company based on what they demanded from the Marketing/Sales balance of experience..

He 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 on management of its global business. Led the Orientation.com account 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 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. His proven record of success continues today.

This candidate scored exceptionally high on our Harvard Profile and the client company has obtained an unusually high potential executive who will serve the firm well as he takes on increased responsibilities.

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