Welcome to my Personal Website
All views and opinions expressed here are my own and do not represent any organisation I work with or have worked for.
This site is a home for my thinking, experience and perspective built over more than 25 years in high-value technology sales, leadership, partnerships and people development
Here you will find:
-
A library of my blogs — primarily written on LinkedIn, covering sales leadership, partner ecosystems, high-tech go-to-market strategy and commercial growth
-
Insights from my work developing young sales professionals through mytraining and mentoring program at maximiseyoursales.com
-
Practical thinking on building and scaling partner channels in high-tech markets
-
Reflections from my life as a Samaritans volunteer, listening, learning and serving people at their most difficult moments
-
A little about me, my career, my values, and why people enjoy working with me
What I do
I design and execute partner-led growth strategies that create predictable revenue, accelerate enterprise adoption and extend global reach through:
-
Global Systems Integrators
-
Hyperscalers
-
MSPs
-
VARs
-
ISVs
-
Distributors
Sales Leader | Mentor | Coach | Alliances Executive | Father | Samaritan
Over the last 25 years I have built, scaled and rebuilt sales teams and partner ecosystems across global markets — consistently delivering predictable revenue growth in complex, high-value B2B and enterprise environments.
I specialise in:
-
Building high-performing sales and partner organisations
-
Transforming underperforming teams into revenue engines
-
Creating partner-led growth strategies that scale globally
-
Developing sales leaders and future commercial talent
-
Embedding strong forecasting discipline, execution cadence and accountability

A Life of Service
Alongside my commercial career, I am proud to volunteer as a Samaritans listener.
Several nights each month, I sit in a small call centre with a headset on, speaking with people at their lowest point. That experience keeps me grounded, grateful and deeply human in how I lead.
It has shaped me as a leader, a coach and a person.
Career Chronology
Maximise Your Sales
In 2024, I took time from full time employment to provide end of life care for Parent . Now seeking permanent role.
during this time I launched maximiseyoursales.com, a B2B consulting venture focused on sales leadership
Sales Director - Fractional
In 2024, I took time from full time employment to provide end of life care for Parent . Now seeking permanent role.
during this time I launched maximiseyoursales.com, a B2B consulting venture focused on sales leadership
Also provide expert advice to investors regarding Cloud Computing, Hyperscalers (Azure, AWS, GCP), Open-Source Software, Containers as a Service, SAAS, EPM Platforms, ERP Ecosystems and Alliance Strategies.
Built LinkedIn content strategy, averaging 10K+ weekly post views and 400+ profile visits, driving qualified client lead
Canonical
2020 to 2023
Sales Director - Global Accounts & Alliances
Canonical Develops Open-Source internet & Security Software
Player Coach RolePersonally
- Managed Global Relationship with Infosys, HCL, Atos and Asia Resellers.
- leader team of Senior Alliance Managers in UK, USA, France and India.
- Recruited, mentored internal sales team in UK and USA
Global responsibility New Client acquisition, System Integrator and Channel Partner Growth.
Lead agreement with Infosys, establishing Canonical as Partner of choice for all Private / Hybrid Cloud requirements. Winning as a result:
- $4M software and services for Daimler Groupo
- $1.5M over three years for LivePerson
- $500K / Year Internal Use
- $200K / Year to Support Bangalore Lab for POCs
Tier Two Telco Successes: Won $3 million of business working with local SIs in regional telcos
- MTS (Russia) and Telekom Malaysia with pre built 5G Solutions leveraging Hyperscalers and local clouds Beating Red Hat and Accenture
Barco
2019 – 2020
Global VP, Education Sector
Barco developed a SAAS Virtual and Hybrid Learning Solution
Global P & L responsibility for software division of €B audio visual manufacturer, Including:
– Sales & Marketing
– Incentive Programs
– Engineering
– Product Roadmap
Early successes with Cambridge University, Harvard Business School, ESSEC Business School, KU Leuven University generating c.$€1.5M revenue.
I accepted an offer to join Canonical because Barco disinvested in this product completely due to hitherto unanticipated and overwhelming global competition from Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
SUSE
2016 – 2020
Global VP Alliances & Education Sector
SUSE develops Open Source Linux and Cloud Infrastructure Solutions.
Global P & L responsibility for $200M division of open source software division
Global leader of 75 Partner Managers
Completely restructured US Alliances Team due to performance issues
Direct management of Global Systems Integrator team of 16 sales and pre-sales based in Bangalore, increasing sales from $10M to $35M over three years
Designed and implemented new Partner Program and Partner Planning Methodology simultaneously to ensure investments and activities were targeted at Strategic and Profitable Markets and Products
Refocused Channel Sales Team to leverage unique partnership with SAP increasing revenue from $10M in 2015 to $35M in 2018.
Restructured Partner Program to focused on high profit software, increasing revenue from $80M in 2015 to $175M in 2018.
Implemented new Partner Program & Planning Methodology simultaneously to maximize impact.
Increased Customer Training & Educational Institutional Revenue by $5M by introducing new royalty-based program.
VISTEX
2012 – 2016
EMEA & APAC Sales Director
Vistex is an SAP ISV with a SaaS CRM / PRM platform to manage Partnership Programs.
Led sales and marketing in EMEA and APAC in high-tech and telco markets, manging a team of Five Internal Business Development Managers in UK, France and Singapore. Using personal insight and expertise in building Channels to win new clients, I focussed on vendors with complex channels requiring sophisticated programs to manage that required complex calculations and rapid payments in multiple currencies.
Ordnance Survey
2007 – 2012
Head of Commercial Markets
Ordnance Survey is the national mapping agenvy for the UK
Complete Commercial Responsibility for I was responsible for all business to busioness and business to consumer markets outside public sector
Grew market by an 30% year on year for five years, compared to all previous growth levels of sub 5%
Exceeded targets eacg complete year and achieved 190% of revenue target in 2011
Designed new strategy that focused on markets where accuracy provided competitive advantage, focussing on Navigation, Property, Insurance, Retail and Leisure Sectors.
Transformed inactive channel into a thriving community of Partners, Resellers and Alliance Built and increased Annually Recurring Revenue 400% to £100M by 2012
Message Labs
2003 – 2007
Director of IT and Telco Sales
Message Labs was the world’s first provider of Cloud based Security Software
Responsible for Partner sales into all sectors and direct sales into IT and Telco sectors with two distinct teams of field and internal sales, each with eight people
Sun Microsystems (Sun-Netscape Alliance)
1998 – 2003
EMEA Channel Sales Director – iPlanet Software
Sun Microsystems was an early provider of internet middleware software
Responsible for leading new System Integrator, Reseller and Distributor partnerships throughout EMEA, growing revenue from $3M in 1998 to $35M in 2002
Get In Touch
Ready to Chat?
+44 7990 007716
hello@markjamessalter.com