Senior Sales Leader · Management & Senior Executive
Sales strategy and market entry in international B2B
In a permanent leadership position, I take responsibility for developing international markets: from assessing potential and defining the sales model to execution. I connect strategic decisions with the long-term development of teams, customers and partner networks.
Questions to settle before entering a market
- Which markets fit your product, price and competitive position?
- Direct sales, sales partners, distributor – or a combination?
- Which resources and how much local presence are needed?
- What do pilot phase, milestones and stop criteria look like?
- Which cultural and business specifics shape the market?
Approach
- Market assessment: potential, competition, routes to market and risks.
- Define sales model and partner structure, including partner selection criteria.
- Pilot phase with clear goals, KPIs and decision points.
- Scale up – or stop deliberately – based on real results.
In a long-term leadership role, I take responsibility for execution and the continuous development of markets and partner structures.
My international experience
I have held sales responsibility in three world regions: in Brazil working with local teams, customers and partners in Portuguese; in Asia with a focus on industry and automation; and in the USA in one of the most demanding competitive environments. For confidentiality reasons I do not name my former employers.
This experience helps most with one question: what can be transferred from one market to the next, and where must you deliberately act differently?
Case study: International investment projects as Project Director
For an international industrial group, I was responsible for sales and, as Project Director, supported several projects to design and establish pipe fabrication facilities within existing operations (brownfield projects).
A central challenge was the distribution of decision-making responsibility: local management, corporate technical decision-makers and the executives responsible for financing had to reach a joint project decision. Different languages, cultural expectations and decision-making processes increased the need for coordination.
I led stakeholder coordination across the projects, managed communication at operational, technical and management levels, and coordinated the suppliers involved. I brought together customer requirements, technical specifications and commercial considerations. Our company’s engineering team was responsible for technical design and implementation; the machine specifications formed the basis for supplier selection.
The projects were awarded. My role connected sales development through contract award with subsequent project support and coordination between the customer, engineering and suppliers.
International trade fairs and industry events
Business development: Building international networks and customer relationships
International trade fairs were important platforms for my business development activities, both as an exhibitor and as a visitor. My focus was on developing existing customer and partner relationships and making new contacts to open additional accounts and expand existing business relationships.
I held discussions with technical and commercial contacts from middle management to senior executives. I focused on understanding requirements, connecting technical capabilities with business value, and identifying opportunities for new projects, partnerships, upselling and cross-selling.
My trade fair experience includes events in Brazil, Singapore, Myanmar, Germany and the USA. It complements my international sales experience through direct exchanges with customers, suppliers and decision-makers in different markets and business cultures.
Selected events from my professional experience
- Rio Oil & Gas (now ROG.e) · Brazil – Oil and gas industry, now with a broader energy focus.
- FEIMAFE · Brazil – Machine tools, manufacturing technology and quality control.
- Sea Asia · Singapore – Maritime industry, shipping, and offshore products and services.
- SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN · Germany – Joining, cutting and surfacing technologies.
- Oil and gas industry event · Yangon, Myanmar – Direct exchanges with industry representatives and decision-makers to develop new business contacts and strengthen existing relationships.
- FABTECH · USA – Metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing, including tube and pipe processing.
Frequently asked questions
Direct sales or sales partners – which is better?
It depends on product, need for explanation, market and budget. A mix often works best: partners for fast access, direct sales for strategic customers.
How important is the local language?
In B2B sales it often decides trust and negotiation quality. I work in German, English and Portuguese.
What responsibility do you take for execution?
In a permanent leadership position, I take responsibility for execution with my team, from market entry strategy to the ongoing development of the business.
Let's talk
Tell me about the leadership position, its scope of responsibility and the long-term objectives. I usually reply within two working days.
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