Case Studies

Hallmark Cards Australia

Case Study: Building an Integrated Leadership Team to Support Commercial Performance and Cultural Alignment

Hallmark Cards Australia is part of the global Hallmark organisation, a family-owned business with more than a century of heritage in helping people connect through meaningful moments.

In Australia, Hallmark has operated for more than 70 years, providing Galvin-Rowley Executiveeting cards, gift wrap, stationery and related products through retail and wholesale channels. Headquartered in Scoresby, Victoria, the business operates within the consumer goods and paper product wholesaling sector, supplying products across birthdays, celebrations and seasonal occasions.

As part of a globally recognised brand, Hallmark Australia combines creative design, emotional connection and retail execution. At the same time, the business operates in a changing retail environment shaped by evolving consumer behaviour, pressure on traditional channels and the need for Galvin-Rowley Executiveater operational efficiency.

Galvin-Rowley Executive was engaged as a strategic search partner to support multiple critical leadership appointments and help build an aligned executive team for the next phase of the business.

Hallmark Cards Australia

Case Study: Building an Integrated Leadership Team to Support Commercial Performance and Cultural Alignment

The Challenge

Hallmark Cards Australia was undergoing a period of change across its market, operating model and internal capability requirements.

Consumer behaviour was shifting towards digital and experiential gifting. Traditional retail and wholesale channels were under increasing pressure. The business also needed to strengthen supply chain efficiency, cost control and organisational capability while maintaining the brand integrity and emotional connection that define Hallmark.

To support this evolution, Hallmark required a cohesive leadership team that could bring together commercial performance, operational discipline, people leadership and financial governance.

The engagement required Galvin-Rowley Executive to identify leaders who could operate in a lean, mid-sized organisation while also understanding the expectations of a global brand. Candidates needed to balance creativity and commerciality, lead through change and connect effectively across sales, supply chain, finance, people and culture.

Our Solution

Galvin-Rowley Executive delivered a structured executive search program across five key leadership functions.

The process began with holistic talent mapping across consumer goods, FMCG, retail, wholesale distribution and brand-led organisations. This allowed Galvin-Rowley Executive to identify leaders with relevant experience in omnichannel environments, margin-driven product businesses and markets undergoing disruption.

Galvin-Rowley Executive worked closely with stakeholders to define a clear leadership architecture aligned to Hallmark Australia’s strategic priorities. Each role was considered not only as an individual appointment, but as part of a connected executive team.

The search focused on leaders with the capability to strengthen commercial execution, improve operational performance and support cultural alignment. Particular attention was given to candidates with experience in complex supply chains, SKU-intensive businesses, retail partnerships and lean organisational structures.

Galvin-Rowley Executive also partnered closely with local leadership, board stakeholders, regional and global counterparts, and internal HR and talent teams. This helped ensure alignment on expectations, role priorities and candidate suitability throughout the process.

The Impact

Galvin-Rowley Executive successfully supported Hallmark Cards Australia in building a cross-functional executive leadership team across managing director, sales, people and culture, supply chain and finance.

The appointments strengthened leadership capability across the business and supported a more integrated approach to commercial performance, operational execution and organisational culture.

The engagement helped Hallmark Australia improve alignment across key functions, including sales channel effectiveness, retail partnerships, supply chain efficiency, financial discipline and people strategy.

Collectively, the leadership team positioned Hallmark Australia to navigate ongoing retail and consumer shifts while continuing to deliver on its core purpose of helping people connect and celebrate meaningful moments.

Key Placements

Galvin-Rowley Executive supported five critical executive appointments.

Managing Director: leading overall business performance, cultural leadership and alignment with global strategy
Sales Director: strengthening retail partnerships, channel strategy and revenue growth
Chief People Officer: building organisational capability, engagement and a high-performance culture
Supply Chain Director: improving operational efficiency, inventory management and supplier relationships
Finance Director: strengthening financial governance, cost control and commercial decision support

Together, these appointments formed an integrated leadership team across the core functions required to support Hallmark Australia’s commercial and organisational priorities.

Hallmark Cards Australia’s engagement with Galvin-Rowley Executive demonstrates the value of a structured, advisory-led approach to executive search.

By aligning talent strategy with business priorities, Galvin-Rowley Executive supported Hallmark in strengthening its leadership foundation across commercial, operational, financial and cultural capability. The result was not a series of isolated appointments, but an integrated executive team designed to support long-term performance and organisational alignment.

What Our Clients Say

Jennifer’s management of the candidate side of searches is exemplary. Too often, candidates are left wondering where we are in the process, what’s next, and, without good advice, going into interviews. Jennifer and her team are the opposite of this. I felt informed about the process and given background on the hiring company and its executives, enabling me to move confidently into interviews. Jennifers always delivered on the promised timing of updates. Her attention to detail on the client side of the recruitment is precise and focused. It has been a pleasure to work with Jennifer, and I can highly recommend her services.

Allison Smith

Board Chair, Dandenong Market

I first met Jennifer as a candidate. Having touched most of the major search firms as a candidate for executive roles and experienced first-hand their generally low level of candidate care, I have had no hesitation in recommending Jennifer to colleagues who are searching for a new job, or in using her myself as a preferred provider when in need of HR staff.

Mike Johnson

Former HR Director, SKILLED Group

Jen has really invested in understanding our culture and what attributes to look for to ensure a seamless team-fit. In addition, her definition of quality and high-calibre is the same as ours.
That makes life so much easier, and means we are consistently forced to make tough choices at the end of a relatively short recruitment period.
What else could we ask? Highly professional, and a calmly positive influence on us all.

Russell Parker

CEO, Kikki.K
Former CEO, Hallmark International

Galvin-Rowley Executive is a boutique executive placement agency that delivers above and beyond service with integrity to its clients.
The Director, Jennifer Galvin-Rowley, takes the time to understand her clients’ needs and then searches through her amazing network of contacts to find the right people for the right jobs.
Whilst I was CEO of BeyondBlue, Jennifer and her team were a delight to work with and I wouldn’t go anywhere else if I was looking for a key executive.

Dawn O’Neil, AM

Former CEO, BeyondBlue

For nine months we’d searched in vain for a HSE Manager. This was a difficult project: candidates were scarce, our standards were high, and the role was in the country.
When Jen was referred to us, she stood above the other recruiters for three reasons: she dealt in specialist OH&S Managers; she knew how to fill rural roles; and she didn’t advertise—she searched.
Jen approached the task with imagination. Her ideas were unusual, yet so logical. She handled candidates with promptness and respect, and we swiftly found and hired a great fit. I therefore suggest you let Jen recruit your next manager.

Jim Cooper

Former CEO, Port of Portland
Former Managing Director and CEO, Terragen Holdings Limited
Chair Audit & Risk Management Committee and Non-Executive Director, Dandenong Market
CEO, Continence Health Australia