Here’s something energy companies are starting to figure out: when you need marketing leadership that actually knows how to win customers, Atlanta might be your best bet. And no, that’s not where most people look first.
But think about it. Atlanta has spent decades—over a century, really—developing world-class consumer brand talent. And that expertise? It transfers to energy in ways that might surprise you.
“Energy companies are increasingly recognizing that the skills required to build consumer loyalty in the CPG space translate remarkably well to their own challenges,” says Jim Hickey, President and Managing Partner at Perpetual Talent Solutions, an Atlanta executive search firm. “The deregulation of energy markets and the rise of renewable options means these companies must now compete for customers the same way Coca-Cola competes for beverage consumers.”
That last part is key. Energy isn’t a monopoly game anymore. You have to earn customers now. And the people who’ve spent their careers doing exactly that? A lot of them are in Atlanta.
Why Atlanta Has What You Need
Atlanta ranks fourth among U.S. cities for Fortune 500 headquarters. That’s not nothing. The Coca-Cola Company alone employs more than 9,000 people in the Georgia region, most of them in metro Atlanta. And Coke has created what industry folks call a “halo effect”—drawing in marketing pros, brand strategists, and consumer insights experts from everywhere.
The metro area has over 6.1 million people and more than 150,000 businesses. Sixty-six colleges and universities keep the talent pipeline flowing. And Hartsfield-Jackson—the world’s busiest airport—makes Atlanta a natural base for professionals with global ambitions.
“What makes Atlanta special is the cross-pollination of talent between major consumer brands,” Hickey explains. “You have executives who have worked at Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, and Newell Brands, often within the same career. This creates professionals with remarkably diverse brand-building experience that energy companies desperately need.”
That cross-pollination part is huge. These aren’t one-trick ponies. They’ve learned to build brands across completely different product categories. That kind of versatility is exactly what you want when you’re trying to transform how customers think about energy.
The Talent War Is Real
Let’s be honest about what you’re up against. According to a ManpowerGroup survey, 71% of respondents in consumer goods and services report difficulty filling roles. And it’s going to get worse. A Korn Ferry report projects that by 2030, there’ll be a global shortage of more than 85 million workers—potentially $8.5 trillion in lost revenue.
For CPG companies, it’s not just about finding warm bodies. They need executives who can handle digital transformation, supply chain resilience, operational efficiency. Data scientists, IT specialists, digital marketers—these roles have become critical as the industry shifts toward e-commerce and AI-driven strategies. Statista projects the global retail AI market will hit $19.9 billion by 2027.
Here’s the thing: these are exactly the skills energy companies need too. The talent shortage in CPG is creating a competitive market, sure. But it’s also producing executives with battle-tested capabilities that translate directly to energy’s challenges.
Why CPG Skills Work in Energy
The U.S. CPG industry generated $2.1 trillion in sales in 2024. Employment growth is projected at 3.4% over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This massive sector has developed incredibly sophisticated approaches to consumer engagement—and energy companies can tap into all of it.
“The parallels between CPG marketing and energy marketing are striking,” Hickey notes. “Both industries deal with essential products that consumers often view as commodities. The companies that win are those that create emotional connections and brand loyalty despite this perception. Atlanta’s CPG executives have spent decades mastering exactly this challenge.”
Think about what these executives actually bring to the table: deep expertise in consumer insights and behavioral analytics. Brand positioning strategies that work. Digital marketing and e-commerce know-how. Experience with sustainability messaging and ESG communications. Retail channel management. Distribution optimization.
None of that is theoretical. These are skills developed over years of real-world brand building.
The Sustainability Angle
This is where it gets really interesting. Environmental considerations have become central to both CPG and energy. A Nielsen study found that 73% of global consumers would change their consumption habits to reduce environmental impact. That’s driven CPG companies to seek talent with expertise in sustainable packaging, renewable energy integration, ESG initiatives—sound familiar?
Energy companies pursuing clean energy transitions can benefit enormously from executives who’ve already navigated similar transformations. These professionals know how to communicate sustainability authentically. They understand how to build brand value around environmental responsibility without coming across as greenwashing.
That’s not easy to do. And it’s even harder to learn from scratch.
Making the Search Work
If you’re an energy company looking at Atlanta’s talent market, understanding the local landscape matters. The city’s business-friendly environment and lower cost of doing business compared to coastal cities have attracted a diverse range of companies and professionals. That’s good for you—it means deeper talent pools.
“Energy sector clients often come to us initially skeptical that CPG talent will translate to their industry,” Hickey observes. “But once they see the strategic thinking, consumer focus, and brand-building capabilities these executives bring, they become converts. We’ve placed numerous marketing and brand leaders from Atlanta’s CPG community into energy companies, and the results have been transformative.”
What should you look for specifically? Experience managing brand portfolios and product positioning. A track record of actually driving customer acquisition and retention—not just talking about it. Demonstrated ability to lead digital transformation. Understanding of regulatory environments and compliance communications. And success building high-performing marketing teams.
That last one matters more than people think. You’re not just hiring skills. You’re hiring someone who can build the capability inside your organization.
Where This Is All Heading
McKinsey’s 2024 CPG industry outlook makes a point worth noting: companies need to focus resources on growth opportunities while completely reinventing their brand building and marketing approaches. The media disruption facing CPG marketers has forced them to build new capabilities in insights and content creation—skills that are increasingly valuable across all consumer-facing industries.
The global CPG market is predicted to grow by nearly $1.5 trillion between 2024 and 2029, maintaining a compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. That growth will keep developing the executive talent pool that energy companies can access.
“The Coca-Cola effect is real,” Hickey concludes. “Atlanta has spent over a century developing some of the world’s most sophisticated consumer marketing talent. Energy companies that tap into this resource gain a significant competitive advantage in building customer relationships and brand loyalty. The question isn’t whether CPG skills transfer to energy—it’s how quickly energy companies can access this talent before their competitors do.”
That competitive dynamic is worth thinking about. The energy companies that move early on this will lock up the best talent. The ones that wait will be picking through whoever’s left.
Atlanta’s concentration of CPG and marketing expertise is a resource that’s hiding in plain sight. The city’s unique ecosystem, combined with its business-friendly environment and quality of life, makes it exactly the right place to find the marketing and brand leaders who’ll shape how energy companies connect with customers going forward.
The talent’s there. The question is whether you’ll go get it.
