Human Resources Photo (2) Human Resources Photo (2)

Modern HR Leadership: Building Brands from Within

In 2025, HR leadership isn’t just about policies and payroll. It’s about people, perception, and positioning. 

Modern HR leaders are emerging as key architects of brand identity—from the inside out. They aren’t just supporting the brand. They are the brand. And for consumer-facing industries like CPG, beverage, and food, that shift is becoming a competitive advantage. 

This evolution is redefining what companies look for when hiring senior HR executives. It’s not enough to manage risk or oversee hiring. Today’s HR leadership must also inspire belief, drive cultural alignment, and amplify what the brand stands for. 

The New Face of HR Leadership 

The old image of HR as compliance gatekeeper is gone. 

Top organizations are now hiring for strategic HR leadership—people who don’t just fill roles, but help shape the company’s future through talent, culture, and internal brand equity. 

What does this look like in action? 

  • HR execs partnering with marketing to align employer brand and consumer brand
  • People leaders shaping messaging around purpose, values, and inclusion
  • Talent strategies that reflect what customers and candidates both expect from the brand

In other words, HR isn’t working in the background anymore. They’re front and center, helping define what the company means—internally and externally. 

Human Resources Photo (1)

HR as Brand Ambassador 

At its best, HR serves as the brand’s most powerful amplifier. 

A strong HR leader is also a brand ambassador—someone who communicates the mission and values of the business through the entire employee journey. 

From recruiting and onboarding to performance reviews and exit interviews, every HR touchpoint sends a signal. And those signals impact: 

  • Retention and morale 
  • Candidate perception 
  • Public reputation (especially in a review-heavy hiring landscape) 

HR is now shaping first impressions and lasting legacies. As one CPG executive told us recently, “We don’t just need someone who understands our values—we need someone who lives and breathes them.” 

Why Brand-Building HR Matters in Competitive Markets 

In a crowded market—especially in the CPG and beverage space—culture is a hiring weapon. 

It’s what sets growing companies apart from big-name competitors. But culture doesn’t live in mission statements. It lives in behaviors. And HR is often the keeper of those behaviors. 

This is where HR and company culture intersect. When HR leaders are aligned with the CEO, COO, and department heads, they can amplify tone, energy, and performance expectations across the org. 

But if HR is misaligned—if they don’t buy into the strategy or can’t operationalize the culture—things break down. That’s why cultural alignment is increasingly the #1 screening factor for HR leadership roles. 

Human Resources Photo

What Hiring Teams Are Now Looking For 

If you’re hiring HR leaders in 2025, the checklist has changed. 

Here’s what we’re hearing from top hiring teams across food, bev, and CPG: 

  • Strategic thinking: Can this person align talent and culture with business growth? 
  • Storytelling ability: Can they communicate the brand’s mission to both internal teams and external candidates? 
  • Executional strength: Do they know how to drive performance while protecting the brand’s tone and values? 
  • Cross-functional fluency: Can they work across ops, marketing, and finance to deliver on both people and performance goals? 

The best HR execs aren’t just “culture fits.” They’re culture multipliers. 

HR Leadership Trends 2025: What’s Ahead 

We’re seeing a few key HR leadership trends in 2025 that forward-thinking companies are already acting on: 

Dual Role Expectations

Today’s HR leaders are expected to bring both business acumen and emotional intelligence. That means understanding EBITDA and employee engagement. 

Influence on Revenue

With retention and employer brand tied directly to P&L, HR is now seen as a revenue influencer—not a cost center.

Collaborative Marketing

More HR leaders are working directly with marketing teams to align internal and external messaging, especially in high-growth brands where reputation drives recruiting.

Talent Storytelling

Recruiting success now hinges on whether HR leaders can tell a compelling story—one that aligns with what modern candidates care about: flexibility, mission, and growth. 

What This Means for Hiring in CPG and Beverage 

Whether you’re a founder scaling up or a legacy brand evolving your people strategy, HR is no longer a behind-the-scenes function. 

HR leadership is central to growth—and to brand. 

If you want to attract top sales talent, if you want to build a culture that retains ops leaders, if you want to avoid the churn that slows down innovation—start with your HR strategy. 

Because culture isn’t built in a vacuum. It’s built by people. And HR is where it starts. 

Final Thought: A New Kind of HR Leader 

The HR executive of the past managed risk. The HR executive of the future builds belief. 

It’s not a soft skill—it’s a strategic one. And if you get it right, your brand becomes stronger from the inside out. 

📌 Need help finding HR leaders who understand brand, growth, and alignment? 

Let’s talk: https://protisglobal.com/contact-us 

Our Impact

In 1995, our founders embarked on a journey that would disrupt the status quo of the executive recruiting industry. We have been transforming companies and lives ever since.

Frame 1000004239-May-16-2024-12-16-32-9170-PM

9,395

First Round Interviews

Frame 1000004239-May-16-2024-12-17-23-0672-PM

3,000+

Total Placements

Frame 1000004239-May-16-2024-12-18-06-3937-PM

47%

Diversity Placements

Frame 1000004239-May-16-2024-12-18-38-1485-PM

$700M

Economic Impact

zz-logo

Brent Albertson

CEO, Zing Zang LLC

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“ Our experience with Protis Global has been very positive. They have strong multi-industry CPG experience and understand our business model and standards. They know the difference between an “A-player” and a “B-player” in several functions, and the honesty around that standard helps us move faster. Mike and team set up a great process, especially in early canvassing and vetting that helps our leaders engage at the right time and make decisions fast. ”

mark-anthony-brewing-1-1

Colin Nolan

Executive Vice President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc.

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“Protis Global’s approach to talent acquisition is marked by diligence, transparency, and a genuine dedication to client satisfaction. Their strategic insights and personalized service have made a substantial impact on our organization, ensuring that we always have the best professionals driving our initiatives forward. The team at Protis Global demonstrates a keen ability to identify individuals who not only possess the requisite skills but also align seamlessly with our company culture.”

Glass_House_Brands_Inc__Glass_House_Brands_Reports_Record_Second

Hilal Tabsh

Chief Revenue Officer, Glass House Brands

Cannabis
Cannabis

“Over the last 10+ years my experience with Michael Bitar and the Protis Global team has been exceptional across multiple industries. Michael and his team work to get to the true needs of my hiring plan and partner with us throughout the process. They understand our business, company culture, what success looks like, and then propose candidates that will produce results while also fitting into our team dynamic. Overall it’s a great team and experience and I would recommend to anyone looking to hire top-notch quality candidates reach out to Protis Global and Michael Bitar.”

bespoke-logo

Peter Iglesias

Chief Executive Officer, Bespoken Spirits

Beer, Wine, & Spirits
Beer, Wine, & Spirits

“I highly recommend Protis Global as a top-notch recruiting agency. I have had the pleasure of working with them for the past 15 years, both as a candidate and employer in the Spirits and Wine industry. In my 25 years of experience, I have found Protis Global to be the most efficient and effective recruiting agency I have ever dealt with. Protis Global has consistently come through for me in the clutch, providing exceptional professionalism and execution in job searches and placements. Their dedication to finding the right fit for both candidates and employers sets them apart from other agencies. I have always been impressed by their ability to understand the needs of both parties and successfully connect them in a timely manner.”

Zevia new logo

Soley Van Lokeren

SVP, People

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“I have been in the field of human resources for over thirty years, in executive level roles both in-house and in outsourced positions. Michael Bitar is my favorite talent acquisition professional with which I have ever worked. He cares deeply about building a relationship with his clients, learning their business, culture, challenges, and truly understanding the needs of a role requisition. His approach is mirrored by the rest of the Protis team, who are courteous, thorough, and who make you feel like you are their only client. Protis successfully delivered hires for our Chief Commercial Officer role and for three key challenging roles (in both Marketing and Sales). They are simply – the best!”

vitamin_logo-4

Brian Kuz

Chief Sales Officer

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

“Protis is unique in their go-to-market strategy in that they not only find the right candidate for the role, but they find the right opportunity and company for the candidate. Protis Global looks for people who are ready to make a change...I will continue to recommend Protis Global as one of the best placement agencies in the World, as I have worked on every continent and have dealt with the big executive placement firms and the boutique ones. Protis shines above all, and as long as I am hiring, I will continue to go to Protis Global first, if not exclusively.”

poppi-testimonial

Chris Hall

CEO, poppi

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“Partnering with Protis Global has been a game-changer for poppi. They understood our vision and the unique challenges we faced as a rapidly growing brand. Their expertise in executive search helped us find the right leaders who not only fit our culture but also brought the skills and passion needed to drive accelerated growth. The Protis Global team actively took our feedback and adapted the search so that we could focus on what we do best – creating innovative, healthy beverages that our customers love. They’ve truly become an extension of our team, and we couldn’t imagine achieving our success without the team members they helped us to bring aboard.”

spindrift-logo

Chad Palma

President of Sales, Spindrift

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“Michael Bitar and the Protis team have been such a pleasure to work with over the years. Not only do they do amazing work with recruiting but we have also developed a partnership between our two companies. Michael and his team provide a crucial role in reviewing my hiring needs at the beginning of each year. Once the review is complete, Michael begins searching for quality candidates that fit the role and culture for Spindrift. He and his team do an outstanding job of finding the right candidates for the position in need. I highly recommend Michael and the Protis team for your hiring needs.”

mark-anthony-brewing-1-1

John Sacksteder

President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“From the start, the relationship with Protis Global was different than other recruiting firms.  The team had a deeper level of commitment and desire to learn about our business than I had experienced with other firms. Our company was experiencing a time of exponential growth and our staffing needs were complex. We needed very experienced people across every possible function in the Operation and Supply Chain Teams and we needed them in a hurry. The Protis Global Team mobilized quickly and established a methodology to identify strong candidates and work them through the interview process in a professional and timely manner. Their grit, determination, understanding our needs and culture, sense of urgency and drive to exceed our expectations set them apart from the pack.”

ijw-testimonial

Thomas Frisch

Chief People Officer at IJW Whiskey

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“The team worked quickly and efficiently to find a unique position.”

lallemand-testimonial

Kim Nguyen

VP of Supply Chain at Lallemand

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

Everyone involved was extremely helpful - Gary, Michael, Ben - thank you!! The team didn't only search for candidates based on the job description, but also the qualities that I look for in candidates. 

poppi-testimonial

Shashank Gaur

VP of Product Technology & Innovation

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The interview process was smooth and extremely professional. Ben and team represented me as much as they represented the company. 

arla-testimonial

Jeremy Schulman

Regional Business Manager - Foodservice

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

Consistent communication, updates, and detailed knowledge of the client. The whole experience was top notch!

coppali-testimonail

Blake T. Bermingham

Supply Chain Manager

Beer, Wine, & Spirits
Beer, Wine, & Spirits

Very simplistic process finding the right role for the right candidate...keep up the great work! 

arla-logo

Don Stohrer Jr.

CEO, Arla Foods USA

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

“We’ve been a Protis Global client for eight years, and during this time have always appreciated the thoroughness of the recruitment process, as the candidates brought to us have been well-vetted, not only from a competency perspective, but more importantly from a [cultural] fit dynamic. Mike and the team have always been highly engaged to ensure they bring us candidates that match our culture. That’s been critical to the success of the candidates that have landed here by way of our relationship with Protis.”

Need Top CPG Talent?

Whether you're hiring or job-seeking, we've got you covered.