About Hive
Leadership isn't found. It's designed.
Hive Talent Advisors was built on a belief: when a hire changes how a company operates, you don't start with resumes. You start with the system.
Kate Bannister · Founder
A talent advisor who's been on both sides of the table.
For more than two decades, Kate has worked at the intersection of design leadership and organizational decision-making — partnering with companies when what got them here won't get them there, and with leaders when the market isn't reflecting what they actually bring.
She brings a rare dual perspective: understanding what companies actually need from senior creative leadership, and knowing how exceptional leaders think, operate, and scale impact. That perspective shaped Hive's core belief — the best teams aren't hired, they're designed.
Kate founded Hive to be the partner she always wished existed. One that brings clarity, rigor, and care to leadership decisions that shape entire organizations — and to individual leaders navigating a market that doesn't always see them clearly.
She is known for seeing what others miss: when a role is mis-scoped, when a structure will fail, and when a leader is right or wrong for the moment.
"The best teams aren't hired — they're designed."
Kate Bannister, Founder of Hive Talent Advisors
Background

Twenty years inside the hiring room.

Early Career
Built the foundation at McKinsey, JPMorgan Chase, Publicis Sapient, and Navan

Twenty+ years working inside the organizations that hire, develop, and scale creative and product leadership. In the room where the decisions happened.

The Pattern
Watched the same failure repeat itself

Company after company rushing to fill VP-level roles before defining what success looked like. Great candidates failing not because they were wrong — but because the role was never built for the stage the company was actually in.

The Methodology
Developed Talent Architecture™

A proprietary framework that designs the leadership role, mandate, and success criteria before executive search begins. Built from two decades of watching what works — and what quietly doesn't.

2024
Founded Hive Talent Advisors

Launched after completing 50+ VP+ placements in Design, Product, and Brand. Built to serve companies at inflection points and leaders who need someone who knows how the game is actually played.

Now
Executive search and career advisory — two sides of the same table

Hive works with both companies making high-stakes leadership decisions and senior leaders navigating the market. McKinney, TX — working nationally.

The Hive Five

"The values that govern every engagement."

01
Clarity over comfort

We believe clarity creates better decisions — even when it's uncomfortable. Especially when the stakes are high.

02
Craft is non-negotiable

Creative leadership requires discernment, rigor, and taste. Not shortcuts, templates, or volume.

03
Long-term thinking wins

The best outcomes are designed for durability, not speed. What works today should still work tomorrow.

04
Integrity in partnership

Trust is built through honesty — about fit, feedback, pricing, and process. No posturing. No surprises.

05
People before placements

Leadership decisions affect humans, not just org charts. Care, respect, and responsibility are part of the work — on both sides of the table.

Why specialization matters
We know the difference between what looks impressive and what actually scales.
Most search firms treat creative leadership like any other executive hire. Post the role. Move fast. Fill the seat. That approach fails when the hire is expected to change how the organization operates.
VP-level creative, product, and brand leadership requires the ability to evaluate portfolios, understand craft and influence, and assess operating models. It's not on a LinkedIn profile. It's not visible in a standard interview.
Twenty years in creative leadership means we know the market, the talent, and the nuances others miss.
We specialize in
Design Leadership · Product Leadership · Brand & Marketing Leadership
We serve
PE-backed companies · Growth-stage organizations · Companies at inflection points
We place
VP · SVP · C-level · Senior Individual Contributors
We're based in
McKinney, TX (DFW) · Working nationally
Proprietary methodology
Talent Architecture™ — designing the role before the search
What people say
"She understood what we were building before we finished the sentence. Kate helped us find the right leader in half the time — and made the process feel grounded, rigorous, and calm."
Chief Design Officer
Global Consumer Brand
"Kate has an uncommon ability to see both the business need and the human being. She doesn't just find candidates — she architects the right match."
Operating Partner
Private Equity Firm
"We needed to fill a global design leadership role fast — Hive delivered. Within two weeks, we had a vetted shortlist, hired our ideal Experience Design Lead, and built a pipeline that will fuel our next phase of growth."
Chad Borlase
SVP Experience Design, leading data & tech consultancy
"Working with Hive shifted how we hire entirely. We went from 4 months of stalled searches to landing our ideal Marketing Lead in half the time — and we're still using their framework today."
Cheryl Allen
Operations Manager, Regional Logistics & Transportation Company
Start the conversation
Every great hire starts with a conversation.
Based in McKinney, TX. Working nationally. Whether you're a company or a leader — reach out and we'll figure out the right starting point together.
Work with Hive For Leaders →