+44 7990 007716 hello@markjamessalter.com

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

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    +44 7990 007716

    hello@markjamessalter.com