Sales Directors, VPs and Country Managers for technology vendors in DACH, the Nordics and Europe
The wrong sales leader costs more than a missed quarter. The team follows the leader, and so does the pipeline. I run confidential searches for Sales Directors, Heads of Sales, Regional VPs, VPs of Sales and Country Managers at cybersecurity, AI, software and infrastructure vendors, in DACH, the Nordics and the rest of Europe.
I have done the job myself. For five US tech vendors in their startup phase I was the first employee in Europe or DACH and built the go-to-market, and I led EMEA sales teams of up to 140 people. My first retained search as a headhunter was a Managing Director and a VP for a Japanese enterprise storage vendor in Germany.
Discuss your hiring needsLeading cybersecurity vendor.
Japanese enterprise storage vendor.
AI start-up. Senior Account Executives in the UK and France, the company's first people on the ground in Europe.
Nordic security services provider.
Application monitoring software vendor.
Education software vendor, based in Luxembourg.
Jan handled the whole engagement with discretion, and the outreach was tailored from the start. The hiring process was clearly communicated, with guidance at every step so I always felt informed and confident about what came next. I'd recommend him without hesitation.
Often the first senior hire in the region, responsible for revenue and for building the local team.
Leads a team of Account Executives and owns the number for a country or segment.
Leads several countries, Central Europe or all of EMEA, often from a base in DACH, and works closely with headquarters.
Leads the technical sales team.
A track record in a comparable sales motion
Deal size, sales cycle and growth stage close to yours. Success at a market leader does not always carry over to a scale-up, and the same is true the other way round.
Hiring and team building
Who they hired, who they let go, and how many of their people followed them to the next company.
Forecast and pipeline discipline
How they build a forecast, review pipeline with their team and defend the number in front of headquarters.
References from their teams
I speak with people who worked for them as well as with their former managers.
The first 90 days
How they would approach your market in the first 90 days, and whether that plan fits your stage.
Fit with your company and headquarters
Above all for US and other international vendors: how the candidate works with a remote headquarters and local customers at the same time.
Market entry in Germany, Austria, Switzerland or the Nordics.
First hires and leaders in the UK, France, Benelux or the Nordics, next to an existing DACH team.
The search runs discreetly while the current leader is still in place.
From a handful of sellers to an organisation with first-line managers.
Briefing
We define the role, the mandate from headquarters and what success looks like after twelve months.
Direct approach
I approach proven leaders confidentially, without naming your company until you agree.
Assessment
I interview every candidate myself and look at the track record behind the numbers before you see a name.
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a small number of leaders who fit. I prepare both sides for every interview, including meetings with headquarters.
Offer and start
I support the offer, the negotiation and the resignation up to the start date. Every placement carries a written 6-month replacement guarantee.