Retail Executive Search Firm Trusted by Leading Brands for Over 50 Years
For decades, Wray Executive Search has partnered with retail organizations navigating growth, complexity, and constant market change. As one of the most experienced retail executive search firms, we help multi-location and national retailers hire senior leaders who strengthen execution, protect margins, and ensure brand consistency across channels.
Retail is a results-driven business. Leadership decisions directly affect store performance, customer experience, inventory discipline, and enterprise value. As trusted retail executive recruiters, Wray helps organizations make leadership hires that reduce risk today and position the business for long-term success.
Trusted Experts in Retail Executive Search
Retail organizations operate in an environment defined by rapid consumer shifts, margin pressure, labor challenges, and omnichannel complexity. Executive leadership plays a decisive role in how effectively strategy translates into execution across stores, digital platforms, and supply chains.
For decades, Wray Executive Search has served as a trusted partner to retailers seeking leaders who understand the realities of operating at scale. As one of the leading retail executive search firms, we work closely with boards, CEOs, and executive teams to identify leaders who can balance growth initiatives with operational discipline and brand integrity.
Retail Executive Recruiters for Leadership Roles That Matter
From concept to corner office, Wray Executive Search supports retail organizations in identifying leaders who shape strategy, culture, and performance. We specialize in placing executives who bring both functional expertise and enterprise-level leadership.
Our retail executive recruiters for the retail industry regularly place leaders in roles including:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Development Officer
Heads of Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, and Technology
Each candidate is rigorously evaluated for experience, leadership judgment, cultural alignment, and readiness to deliver results from day one
The Wray Advantage
Wray Executive Search brings unmatched depth to retail executive search
6 Points of Distinction
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Our Leadership
Our leading consultants bring substantial senior-level experience.
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Wide Scope
Wray Executive Search offers a wide scope of industry knowledge and experience. We provide a wide array of services and have an extensive network in these arenas.
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Impactful Expertise
The cross-functional, wide-reaching expertise our company provides can have a deep impact on your business. We serve client needs internationally, nationally, regionally and locally.
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Unique Guarantees
We offer a full one-year replacement guarantee ensuring that our candidates will bring value long term. If, for some reason, the hired candidate does not work out, we will find a replacement.
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Diverse Consultants
Our consultants bring varied experience from all segments of the industry. We offer broad-based, cross-functional expertise to enhance our partnership.
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Competitive, Comprehensive Rates
There are no surprises when it comes to our fees. We maintain highly competitive performance-based rates founded upon our robust executive search record.
Our Team
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Kevin Stockslager
Managing Partner
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Ray Kelley
Managing Partner
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Rebecca Patt
SVP & Partner
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Bob Gershberg
Executive Advisor
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Joe Radice
Advisor
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Monica da la Nuez
Vice President
What Sets Retail Executive Search Firms Apart
Retail leadership demands a rare combination of strategic vision and operational execution. Executives must translate strategy into consistent performance across stores, regions, and channels—often under tight timelines and margin pressure.
As experienced executive retail recruiters, Wray Executive Search evaluates candidates through a retail-specific lens. We assess leaders on their ability to:
Drive consistent execution across multi-location environments
Balance merchandising, operations, and customer experience
Lead through seasonal volatility and shifting consumer demand
Align omnichannel strategy with in-store performance
This depth of evaluation is what separates true retail executive search firms from transactional recruiting. Our role is not simply to fill positions, but to help organizations avoid costly leadership misalignment and secure executives who deliver sustained results.
Retail Executive Search for Every Stage of Growth
Retail organizations face different leadership challenges depending on where they are in the business lifecycle. The leader who stabilizes operations may not be the same leader who drives expansion or prepares the organization for transition.
As trusted retail executive search firms, Wray Executive Search partners with organizations seeking outcomes such as:
Professionalizing leadership in founder-led or regional retailers
Building scalable infrastructure for multi-location growth
Improving execution and margin discipline in mature brands
Preparing leadership teams for private equity investment or exit
By aligning leadership capability with business objectives, we help retail organizations move forward with confidence and clarity.
A Proven, Disciplined Approach to Retail Executive Search
Our approach to retail executive search is intentionally rigorous, discreet, and relationship-driven.
Every engagement begins with a deep discovery process to understand your organization’s goals, leadership gaps, and cultural dynamics. We assess not only what the role requires today, but what it will demand as the business evolves.
From there, we leverage our national network and long-standing industry relationships to identify and engage executives who are not actively seeking new roles—but who consistently deliver results in complex retail environments.
Throughout the search, clients benefit from clear communication, honest market insight, and guidance shaped by decades of retail-specific experience. The outcome is leadership placements that create lasting value well beyond the initial hire.
Succession Planning & Leadership Continuity in Retail
Leadership transitions in retail can quickly disrupt execution, morale, and customer experience. Succession planning is no longer optional—it is essential to maintaining performance and stability.
As experienced retail executive recruiters, Wray Executive Search helps organizations proactively prepare for leadership change. We support clients in:
Assessing internal leadership readiness
Benchmarking internal talent against external leaders
Planning orderly transitions that protect performance and brand consistency
When executive search is approached strategically, it becomes a tool for strengthening leadership pipelines and safeguarding long-term enterprise value.
Retail News & Insights
Build a Retail Leadership Team That Delivers Results
Retail success depends on leadership that can execute at scale, adapt quickly, and maintain brand integrity across every channel. With decades of experience and a deep understanding of retail complexity, Wray Executive Search helps organizations make leadership decisions with confidence.
If you are seeking retail executive search firms focused on outcomes, not just placements, we are ready to help.
If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.