Restaurant Chief Growth Officer Executive Search
Helping Restaurant & Franchise Brands Hire Leaders Who Drive Sustainable Growth
Today's restaurant Chief Growth Officers do far more than oversee marketing. They unite operations, franchising, digital transformation, customer experience, brand strategy, and revenue growth into one enterprise-wide vision.
Whether your organization is preparing for rapid expansion, private equity investment, franchising, or a major transformation initiative, Wray Executive Search helps identify Chief Growth Officers who can scale organizations while preserving culture, operational excellence, and long-term profitability.
Unlike general executive search firms, our team focuses exclusively on restaurant, franchise, foodservice, retail, and hospitality leadership.
What Makes an Exceptional Restaurant Chief Growth Officer?
Wray Executive Search specializes in executive recruitment for the restaurant, franchise, hospitality, and food service industries. From emerging growth brands to nationally recognized organizations, we help companies identify executive leadership talent capable of scaling operations, strengthening culture, and driving long-term business performance.
The strongest Chief Growth Officers combine strategic thinking with operational execution. They understand how growth decisions impact every area of the business—not just marketing.
Successful candidates often demonstrate experience in:
Multi-unit restaurant leadership
Franchise systems
Consumer marketing
Digital transformation
Revenue optimization
Customer acquisition and retention
Unit economics
Operational scalability
Cross-functional leadership
Executive collaboration with CEOs, Boards, and Private Equity sponsors
At Wray Executive Search, we evaluate leaders on more than their résumé. We assess leadership style, cultural fit, strategic thinking, financial acumen, and the ability to build organizations capable of sustained growth.
Executive Search Industry Specialists
Wray Executive Search understands the unique leadership demands of the restaurant, franchise, hospitality, and food service industries. Our executive search consultants know how to position Brand President opportunities in ways that attract high-performing leaders, including passive candidates who are not actively pursuing new roles.
Decades of specialization have allowed us to build relationships with executive leaders across operations, finance, marketing, franchise development, HR, and the C-suite.
Executive search for restaurant brands seeking proven leaders across operations, finance, marketing, HR, and executive leadership.
Hospitality executive recruiters focused on hotel, resort, travel, entertainment, and guest experience leadership.
Franchise executive search solutions for franchisors, franchisees, and multi-unit growth organizations.
Food service executive recruiters supporting distribution, manufacturing, dining services, and operational leadership hiring.
Trust Earned Through Decades of Success
96%
Search Completion Rate
94%
Offer Acceptance Rate
50+
Years as Industry Specialists
Restaurant & Franchise Executive Search
92%
Placement Retention Rate
21 Days
Average to 1st Vetted Slate of Candidate
Wray Executive Search has partnered with some of the most recognized restaurant, franchise, hospitality, and food service organizations in the world.
The Wray Advantage
For more than 50 years, Wray Executive Search has helped restaurant, franchise, hospitality, and food service organizations identify executive leaders who drive growth and operational performance. As experienced restaurant executive search consultants, Wray combines deep industry specialization with a personalized, high-touch approach to executive recruitment.
Our national network gives clients access to proven leaders across operations, finance, marketing, HR, franchise development, and the C-suite — including passive candidates who are not actively seeking new opportunities. From succession planning and confidential leadership searches to growth-focused executive hiring, Wray helps companies build leadership teams aligned with their culture, strategy, and long-term goals.
Companies choose Wray because of our industry expertise, operational understanding, national reach, and decades-long reputation as trusted restaurant executive recruiters, franchise executive search firms, hospitality executive recruiters, and food service executive recruiting specialists.
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.
Why Restaurant Brands Are Hiring Chief Growth Officers
Restaurant leadership has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Many organizations no longer separate growth responsibilities across multiple executives. Instead, they seek leaders capable of connecting every function influencing enterprise growth.
Today's Chief Growth Officer often oversees:
Brand Strategy
Marketing
Digital & Loyalty
Customer Experience
Franchise Development
Revenue Strategy
Innovation
Strategic Partnerships
Multi-Unit Expansion
New Market Growth
Whether you're replacing an executive, creating the role for the first time, or benchmarking internal talent against the market, selecting the right Chief Growth Officer has become one of the most important executive hiring decisions a restaurant company can make.
What Makes an Exceptional Restaurant Chief Growth Officer?
The strongest Chief Growth Officers combine strategic thinking with operational execution. They understand how growth decisions impact every area of the business—not just marketing.
Successful candidates often demonstrate experience in:
Multi-unit restaurant leadership
Franchise systems
Consumer marketing
Digital transformation
Revenue optimization
Customer acquisition and retention
Unit economics
Operational scalability
Cross-functional leadership
Executive collaboration with CEOs, Boards, and Private Equity sponsors
At Wray Executive Search, we evaluate leaders on more than their résumé. We assess leadership style, cultural fit, strategic thinking, financial acumen, and the ability to build organizations capable of sustained growth.
Our Chief Growth Officer Executive Recruiters
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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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Jonathan Kelley
Vice President of Recruiting
Partner with Wray Search
Finding the right Chief Growth Officer requires more than reviewing résumés. It requires understanding your business, identifying leaders with proven results, and engaging executives who can shape the future of your organization.
If your organization is preparing for its next phase of growth, Wray Executive Search can help you identify transformational Chief Growth Officers with the leadership experience to make an immediate impact.
If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.
The Executive Connection: News & Insights
Chief Growth Officer Executive Search Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Chief Growth Officer do in a restaurant company?
A Chief Growth Officer develops and executes strategies that increase enterprise value by aligning marketing, operations, customer experience, franchising, digital transformation, and revenue growth.
When should a restaurant hire a Chief Growth Officer?
Organizations often hire a Chief Growth Officer during periods of rapid expansion, franchising, private equity investment, leadership restructuring, or digital transformation.
What experience should a Restaurant Chief Growth Officer have?
The strongest candidates typically possess executive leadership experience spanning marketing, operations, franchising, strategy, analytics, customer growth, and multi-unit management.
How long does a Chief Growth Officer search take?
While every engagement differs, executive searches typically range from several weeks to several months depending on organizational complexity, candidate availability, and relocation requirements.
Why use a restaurant executive search firm?
Industry-focused executive search firms maintain relationships with passive executive talent, understand restaurant leadership dynamics, and evaluate candidates beyond technical qualifications to ensure long-term success.