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OMHU Appoints Chief Operating Officer to Support International Growth

COO Executive Search for a Scaling International Consumer Brand

Nigel Wright Group supported OMHU with the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer to strengthen operational leadership during a period of international expansion across Europe and future US growth plans.

The assignment focused on identifying an experienced operational leader capable of building a scalable operating model across supply chain, sourcing, warehousing, fulfilment and customer service functions within a fast-growing founder-led business.

Building an Operational Platform for Scalable Expansion

As OMHU entered a new phase of international growth, the business faced increasing operational complexity across multiple markets. Rising order volumes, expanding customer expectations and the need to support long-term European and US growth created demand for a more structured and scalable operating environment.

To support this next stage of development, OMHU partnered with Nigel Wright Group to appoint a Chief Operating Officer reporting directly to the CEO.

The business required a senior operational leader with experience scaling international D2C and consumer-focused organisations. The successful candidate also needed the ability to operate effectively within a founder-led environment while balancing strategic leadership with hands-on operational delivery.

The Challenge

OMHU’s rapid growth across international markets placed new demands on the company’s operational infrastructure. Expansion across Europe, combined with future US growth ambitions, required greater operational consistency, visibility and scalability.

The company therefore sought a Chief Operating Officer capable of professionalising end-to-end operations across:

The search required access to both local Danish talent and international operational leaders with experience managing complex multi-market consumer businesses.

OMHU also needed a recruitment partner capable of managing a structured international executive search process without slowing momentum across the wider organisation.

The Solution

Nigel Wright worked closely with OMHU’s leadership team to define a detailed success profile for the COO position, aligning expectations across key stakeholders from the outset.

A structured executive search process was developed covering:

The assignment was delivered as an international executive search project spanning Denmark alongside selected European and international markets aligned to OMHU’s operational footprint and future expansion strategy.

Leveraging Nigel Wright’s consumer sector and D2C executive search expertise, the process combined:

This approach generated a broad and highly relevant candidate pool featuring both Danish and international operational leaders experienced in scaling consumer businesses across multiple regions.

All shortlisted candidates completed a structured competency-based assessment process focused on:

Throughout the process, Nigel Wright managed the assignment end-to-end, ensuring OMHU maintained pace, consistency and access to a high-quality shortlist while minimising disruption to the wider business.

Key Outcomes

The Outcome

Nigel Wright successfully supported OMHU in appointing a new Chief Operating Officer at a pivotal stage in the company’s international growth journey.

The appointment strengthens OMHU’s leadership capability and creates a clearer operational platform to support future expansion across Europe and into the US market.

The new COO will play a central role in:

By securing an experienced operational leader with relevant international consumer and D2C experience, OMHU is now well positioned to continue scaling its business while maintaining the agility and customer focus that underpin its brand.

The project also demonstrates Nigel Wright Group’s experience delivering senior international executive search assignments for fast-growing consumer and ecommerce businesses operating across multiple markets.

Testimonial from the CEO & Partner

"Working with Jacob, Iben, and the team at Nigel Wright Group on our COO search was a genuinely good experience. They took the time to understand our company and the role, and it showed. Both in the quality of candidates they brought forward and in how well they had positioned the opportunity to attract the right people. We ended up with a very strong field and hired our COO through the process. We have continued the collaboration since." Simon Salomonsson, CEO & Partner

Why Fast-Growing Companies Hire a COO

Fast-growing businesses often appoint a Chief Operating Officer when operational complexity begins to increase across multiple functions, markets or customer channels.

A COO is typically responsible for improving operational efficiency, strengthening accountability, aligning cross-functional teams and creating scalable systems capable of supporting long-term growth.

For international consumer and D2C businesses, COO appointments are particularly important during periods of rapid expansion where supply chain performance, fulfilment capability and customer experience directly influence growth outcomes.

Nigel Wright regularly supports businesses with operational leadership recruitment across consumer, ecommerce and international growth environments.

What Does a COO Do in a Consumer or D2C Business?

In consumer and D2C organisations, a Chief Operating Officer is responsible for overseeing the operational infrastructure required to support growth and customer delivery.

This can include:

As businesses expand internationally, the COO often becomes central to building scalable operational systems while ensuring customer experience and execution quality remain consistent across markets.

How Executive Search Firms Recruit Operational Leaders

Executive search firms identify operational leaders through a combination of market mapping, direct search, industry networks and structured candidate assessment.

For COO recruitment assignments, the process often includes evaluating:

Nigel Wright delivers international executive search projects across consumer, D2C and operational leadership functions, helping businesses secure leaders capable of supporting long-term growth strategies.

What Experience Should a COO Have in an International Consumer Business?

A COO operating within an international consumer or ecommerce business typically requires experience managing complex operational environments across multiple regions.

This often includes expertise in:

Experience within founder-led or high-growth environments is also valuable, particularly where businesses require operational structure without losing agility or entrepreneurial culture.

Why Operational Leadership Matters During International Expansion

International growth creates operational complexity across supply chain management, fulfilment, sourcing, customer service and internal collaboration.

Without strong operational leadership, rapid growth can place pressure on customer experience, profitability and organisational alignment.

Experienced operational leaders help businesses create scalable processes, improve accountability and strengthen communication across teams and regions.

For many consumer and D2C businesses, appointing a COO becomes a critical step in building the operational foundation required for sustainable international growth.