Business Details
30 Years
experience
Executive Search for Creative Industry Leaders
The Mellor Partnership has been a trusted leader in executive search within the creative industries since 1996. Our deep expertise in marketing communications and professional services recruitment is built on two decades of cultivating long-term relationships with clients and candidates. We maintain a near 100% success rate in exclusive searches by combining market intelligence with targeted talent acquisition strategies. Our commitment to quality ensures only pre-vetted candidates are presented, saving clients time while providing candidates with confidence in opportunity alignment. With a proven track record of placing senior leaders across advertising, branding, and digital sectors, we pride ourselves on understanding both agency operations and client-side requirements. Our team's industry experience, including senior roles at Saatchi & Saatchi, informs our business-focused approach to CEO, CFO, and CMO appointments.We measure success through the 80%+ post-placement promotion rate of our candidates, reflecting our ability to identify talent that drives organisational growth. Our transparent process includes face-to-face interviews and comprehensive opportunity briefings, ensuring perfect alignment between candidates' aspirations and clients' strategic goals. As industry specialists, we maintain an extensive network across creative disciplines including PR, CRM, and experiential marketing. Our reputation for integrity and excellence has been built through consistent delivery of measurable results for both global corporations and boutique agencies.
Services
Executive Search
Creative Leadership Recruitment
Marketing Communications Hiring
Board-Level Appointments
Professional Services Recruitment
Advertising Industry Placements
Brand Strategy Recruitment
Digital Marketing Hiring
PR & Communications Recruitment
Agency Management Search
Details
- Year established: 1996
Highlights and features
- 25+ years' experience in creative industry recruitment
- 98% success rate in exclusive executive searches
- 80%+ candidate promotion rate post-placement
- Specialist knowledge of marketing communications sector
- Face-to-face candidate assessment process
What people say
80% promotion rate
100% success rate
Deep industry knowledge
Personalised approach
Strategic partnerships
Services
Executive Search
We specialise in identifying senior executives for creative industry organisations. Our process combines market intelligence with targeted outreach to locate leaders who can drive business transformation. With a 98% success rate in exclusive mandates, we focus on roles requiring strategic vision and industry expertise. Our approach ensures candidates possess both the technical capabilities and cultural fit required for long-term success.
Creative Leadership Recruitment
Our creative leadership recruitment focuses on placing visionary talent in advertising, branding, and design organisations. We understand the unique requirements of creative businesses seeking leaders who can balance artistic vision with commercial success. Our network spans disciplines including digital marketing, experiential campaigns, and brand strategy, ensuring access to the most innovative thinkers in the industry.
Marketing Communications Hiring
We connect organisations with marketing communications professionals who can deliver measurable business impact. Our expertise covers traditional and digital marketing roles, with particular strength in client-side appointments. We specialise in identifying candidates who can navigate the evolving media landscape while maintaining brand consistency and strategic focus.
People
Simon Mellor
Managing Partner
Founder with 18 years' experience at Saatchi & Saatchi, specialising in board-level appointments including CEO and CMO roles. Developed the firm's business-focused approach to executive search.
Jason Esfandiary
Partner
Specialist in advertising search with expertise in strategic marketing roles. Places candidates from junior to board levels across PR, branding, and content sectors since 1996.
Paul North
Partner
Former media headhunter with expertise in account management and business development roles. Builds deep relationships with clients in design and branding sectors.
Questions
What creative industry sectors do you specialise in?
We focus on advertising, branding, marketing communications, PR, digital marketing, and professional services sectors across both agency and client-side roles.
How do you ensure candidate quality?
We conduct face-to-face interviews and only present pre-vetted candidates we'd personally recommend, maintaining our 98% success rate in exclusive searches.
What leadership roles do you place?
We specialise in board-level appointments including CEO, CFO, and CMO roles, as well as senior creative and business development positions across the creative industries.
How successful are your placements?
Over 80% of our placed candidates receive promotions within their organisations, demonstrating our ability to identify high-potential talent.
How do you work with international clients?
We have a global network enabling placements across the UK and international markets, with particular expertise in European and US creative sectors.
