The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Head of E-commerce (Large Organisation)
5-8 years in role before DirectorSkills to master
- Full P&L ownership for a significant business unit, managing multi-functional e-commerce teams, developing and executing multi-year strategies, presenting to senior leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully grew e-commerce revenue and profitability by >20% YoY for 3+ consecutive years.
- Led a major e-commerce platform migration or significant digital transformation project.
- Built and retained a high-performing e-commerce leadership team.
- Consistently received positive feedback from C-suite on strategic contributions and financial performance.
- 2
VP of Digital Sales (Mid-Sized Company)
4-7 years in role before Director at larger companySkills to master
- Scaling digital sales operations, building out new channels, managing a diverse digital sales portfolio, strong commercial negotiation skills, investor relations experience.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully scaled a digital sales operation from £10M to £50M+ annual revenue.
- Expanded into new digital markets or launched significant new product lines online.
- Demonstrated ability to attract and develop senior digital sales talent.
- Proven track record of navigating competitive digital landscapes and achieving market share gains.
- 3
General Manager / Business Unit Head (Digital Focus)
6-10 years in role before Director (often internal move)Skills to master
- Holistic business unit management (P&L, operations, product, marketing), strategic planning across multiple functions, M&A integration, board-level reporting.
You're ready to move on when
- Full P&L accountability for a business unit with a strong digital component.
- Successfully integrated acquired digital businesses or launched new ventures.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams beyond just sales and marketing.
- Strong understanding of operational and technological drivers of digital business success.