This month’s recruitment
Q&A is directed at a man who will see plenty of new
responsibilities in 2009: Guy Smith, the new chief sales officer at
Smartfundit.com.
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How long have you
been in your current role, and what responsibilities does it
entail?
GS: Just eight
weeks. As global CSO, I am responsible for all sales revenue for
the organisation. Currently we operate throughout the UK, although
we will be launching in the US during Q2, and further expansion is
planned for Europe towards the end of the 2009 financial year.
What course has
your career taken to lead you to your current
role?
GS: Having
completed a four-year apprenticeship in mechanical/electrical
engineering, I began my sales career in London in 1986. Working in
the Middle East from 1989 to 1991, I returned to the UK to take up
an account management role with Microgen.
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By GlobalDataLeaving in 1996 from the post of sales manager
for the northern UK region, I joined ECS United Kingdom as an
account manager. This was my first step in to the world of
technology finance.
I progressed through the positions of UK sales
manager, UK sales and marketing director, through to director of
European key accounts, based in Paris, from 2002 until I moved on
from ECS in 2004.
In September 2004 I joined Cisco as regional
sales manager for the UKI region, reporting to the European
director. Promoted to European general manager in 2006, I was
responsible for the UKI, Nordic, Benelux and Iberia regions until
January 2009, when I became CSO for Smartfundit.com.
What skills are
most useful to you in your job in your current position, and where
did you pick them up?
GS: A key balance
of tactical engagement and strategic thinking. Smartfundit.com is
engaged in an exciting and challenging economic climate, although
the demand for technology finance has never been higher. With
20-plus years in sales, and 12-plus years in technology finance, I
have picked up a wide set of skills to assist smartfundit.com in
realising its ambitions.
How do you hope to
develop your experience and abilities in your current
role?
GS: The expansion
of our marketplace into the US is a key area for my personal
development. Expanding the global sales team to accommodate the
needs of the US, as well as the scope within EMEA, is a very
exciting challenge.
