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How to Hire a Chief Commercial Officer in the UK (2026)

Board-level commercial leadership. What a CCO owns and how to run the hire.
By Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director of Coburg Banks
Mark has spent over 30 years in recruitment, placing sales people from SDR up to Sales Director for SMEs across the UK.
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A CCO owns the commercial engine at board level. Revenue, pricing, go-to-market, often marketing and customer success too. It's a hire that shapes the next few years of the business, so it deserves a proper process.

⚡ In short

A UK CCO commands around £110k-£180k base plus bonus and equity. These searches run 10-16 weeks. Coburg Banks supports board-level commercial hires with no fee until placement and a 12-week guarantee.

£110k-£180k

Typical base salary

10-16 weeks

Time to hire

48 hrs

To first shortlist

12 wks

Replacement guarantee

What to look for in a Chief Commercial Officer

1

Board credibility

They'll sit with your investors and non-execs. Look for someone who's operated at that altitude and can hold the room.

2

Go-to-market breadth

Sales, marketing and customer success under one strategy. Ask how they've aligned those functions before, not just led one.

3

Scale that matches yours

A CCO who scaled a £50m business may struggle in a £5m one, and the reverse. Match the stage, not just the seniority.

How to run the hire

1. Agree the board mandate.
A CCO shapes years of the business, so get your board and investors aligned on the remit and success measures before you start.

2. Match the stage.
Someone who scaled a £50m business may struggle at £5m and vice versa, so target people who've operated at your size and trajectory.

3. Source through executive networks.
These hires come from trusted introductions and headhunting, not adverts.

4. Make them present.
A commercial plan for your business, delivered to the leadership team, is non-negotiable at this level.

5. Reference deeply.
Speak to former chairs, investors and peers about judgement and impact, not just delivery.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire a CCO?

At executive level, fees generally run 25-30% of first-year salary, and searches are often retained given the seniority and the discretion required.

We agree the structure and fee upfront, and we'll advise honestly on whether retained or contingency suits your specific brief.

How long does it take to hire a CCO?

Expect 10-16 weeks for a board-level, cross-functional role.

Getting the board aligned on the mandate before you start is the single biggest thing you can do to keep it on track. The candidates exist, but matching stage, sector and chemistry takes time.

What's the difference between a CCO and a Sales Director?

A CCO is a board-level role spanning the whole commercial function - revenue, pricing, go-to-market and often marketing and customer success.

A Sales Director leads sales specifically. They're truly different jobs needing different calibre of candidate, which is why the search and the package sit at different levels.

Do you advise on executive packages and equity?

Yes. We help structure competitive packages at executive level, including bonus and equity, and we manage the negotiation for you.

Getting the package right matters as much as finding the person - the best CCOs have options, so the offer has to be credible and well-judged.

What does a Chief Commercial Officer do?

A CCO owns the entire commercial engine at board level - typically revenue, pricing, go-to-market, and often marketing and customer success under one strategy.

They sit on the leadership team, answer to the CEO and board, and are accountable for the growth plan over years rather than quarters.

What should I ask a CCO at interview?

Consider:

How did you build the commercial model at your last company, and what changed?
Tell me about a strategic bet that didn't pay off.
How do you operate with a board and investors? and What's your first-100-days plan for us? You're assessing strategic judgement and board credibility.

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