An analysis of the Swiss market revealed clear growth potential in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. This was exactly where a new sales role was to be built. The task was demanding: the new Account Manager was expected to acquire new customers in the global and enterprise segment, develop existing customer potential through up- and cross-selling, and work closely with partners, pre-sales teams and internal experts.
However, the challenge was not only sales-related. The existing team lacked both the right profile and a robust regional network. To build this market, the client needed a personality who had been rooted in the region for years, understood local cultural nuances and had direct access to relevant decision-makers.
The initial situation was shaped by:
- clear growth potential in the French-speaking part of Switzerland
- limited direct access to senior sales professionals in this region
- the need to strengthen sales presence in the global and enterprise segment
- high requirements regarding SAP, ERP and enterprise software understanding
- the need for a person who works independently and builds new customer relationships
- the requirement to confidently combine direct customer work, partner coordination and the management of internal resources
The Search Was Not for a Salesperson, But for a Regionally Anchored Market Opener
The role required seniority, network strength and the ability to position complex software solutions through their added value.
The target profile was deliberately ambitious. The client was looking for an experienced sales professional with several years of successful B2B sales experience in Switzerland. Experience in selling software solutions and services to new enterprise customers was particularly important, as was a strong understanding of ERP customers, ideally with proximity to the SAP ecosystem.
But professional experience alone was not enough. The role required someone who could lead complex sales processes from A to Z, coordinate internal and external resources, and convincingly position sophisticated software and consulting services based on their value.
Regional anchoring was equally decisive. The new Account Manager had to have a strong customer network in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, speak French at native or C2 level and appear credible in the local market. The combination of professional depth, sales seniority, regional proximity and personal trustworthiness made the profile especially demanding.
The target profile included:
- successful B2B sales experience in Switzerland
- experience with enterprise software, ERP, CRM and complex sales cycles
- understanding of SAP-related transformation projects and partner ecosystems
- proven strength in acquiring new enterprise customers
- confident presence with decision-makers in the enterprise segment
- established network in the French-speaking part of Switzerland
- ability to independently build a sales pipeline
- high customer orientation, reliability and trustworthiness
- very strong French skills and confident English skills
The Real Lever: Visibility in the Right Network
What mattered was not greater reach, but access to the right personalities.
The role had previously been handled with internal resources. Over several months, however, it became clear that the required level of quality could not be sufficiently reached through the existing channels. The relevant group of people was hardly visible to internal structures, as the right personalities are usually firmly established in the market and not actively oriented towards change.
For the client, a different form of access was therefore decisive. What was needed was a partner with local anchoring, market knowledge and trust in the target market. Especially in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, this played a central role: language, cultural understanding and personal credibility were decisive in opening relevant conversations.
The direct approach also had to position the role precisely. The client offered strong arguments: an established software and solution portfolio, reference customers from various industries, a direct and indirect business model, flat hierarchies and access to pre-sales and expert teams. For the right sales personality, this meant the opportunity to build something independently in a demanding market while relying on a solid organisation in the background.
The role was positioned through the following benefits:
- access to demanding SAP transformation projects
- established direct and indirect business model
- strong software and solution portfolio
- collaboration with global partners and leading consulting firms
- independent working style with direct access to sales management
- development of a sales pipeline in the enterprise segment
- good reference opportunities through the existing customer base
- realistic targets and attractive earning potential
Broad Market Coverage Became a Focused Selection
The process combined regional search, personal pre-qualification and clear assessments of each individual.
To reach the demanding profile, the relevant market was systematically covered. The focus was on sales communities, SAP-related ecosystems, enterprise software providers as well as consulting firms and integrators with comparable target customers. More than 100 potential candidates were identified and contacted by phone. A large proportion were pre-qualified in detailed initial conversations.
From this broad market view, a preselection of around 15 profiles was created and discussed with the client in a structured way. This was not only about CVs or career steps, but about a solid assessment: professional strength, regional fit, personal impression, possible risks and actual motivation.
This assessment was particularly valuable for the client. Especially in a sales role with a regional build-up character, what matters is not only what a profile formally brings, but how a person comes across in conversation, whether they can build trust and whether they truly understand the market.
The selection process included:
- systematic identification of relevant sales professionals in the target market
- more than 100 potential candidates contacted by phone
- detailed initial conversations for pre-qualification
- preselection of around 15 profiles
- structured discussion of profiles with assessment of strengths, risks and fit
- fully coordinated interview phase with bundled interview days
- direct debriefings after the interviews to secure impressions
- development of a realistic business case for the second round
- 5 candidates in the final interview round
Process Quality Became Especially Visible When Priorities Changed
Because different profile types were considered early on, the process remained stable even when adjustments were made.
During the ongoing process, the client made strategic adjustments and internal restructuring. As a result, priorities within the target profile shifted. While the initial focus had been more on a younger hunter personality, seniority and an established network in the region became increasingly important as the process progressed.
For many search processes, such a shift would have caused delays. In this mandate, however, the process remained stable because profiles with different focal points had been considered from the beginning. The selection covered both more dynamic sales profiles and more senior personalities with established networks.
This enabled the client to make a well-founded decision not despite the changed priorities, but precisely because of them. The process management ensured that no information gaps arose, appointments were coordinated reliably and the decision-making basis remained up to date at all times.
Stabilising factors in the process:
- early consideration of different profile variants
- clear transparency regarding the status of the process
- ongoing alignment on changing priorities
- immediate clarification of open points in joint discussions
- structured organisation of appointments, interviews and follow-ups
- relief for the client despite a full day-to-day workload
- reliable support through to final contract signing
The Result: An Account Manager with Regional Access and Visible Impact
The appointment closed exactly the gap the client had identified in the market.
The choice fell on a senior sales professional with an established network in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. This closed precisely the gap that had been identified at the beginning: regional anchoring, direct access to decision-makers, many years of experience in enterprise software sales and the ability to activate market potential immediately.
It was also noteworthy that the selected professional was willing to accept the role despite established seniority and a stable starting position. The clear positioning of the opportunity and the conversations with the leadership team made a significant contribution to this.
The new Account Manager has already started and has shown visible results in the region from the beginning. The appointment therefore confirms that even a hard-to-reach profile can be won for a new role through precise positioning and a professionally managed process.
Concrete client benefits:
- successful appointment of a demanding Account Manager role in the enterprise software environment
- access to a senior sales professional with a regional network
- strengthening of market coverage in the French-speaking part of Switzerland
- potential to build a new sales pipeline in the global and enterprise segment
- appointment of a personality with SAP-related understanding and enterprise sales experience
- relief for the client through clear, efficient process management
- well-founded decision-making through personal assessments and structured debriefings
- visible results already after starting the role
Key KPIs:
- 4 weeks from mandate start to shortlist presentation
- 5 candidates in the final interview round
- Under 4 months mandate duration
What This Mandate Shows
Regional market access is not created by presence alone, but by trust, language and precise approach.
- In specialised sales roles, local anchoring is often just as decisive as professional experience.
- Senior sales professionals with strong networks are reached primarily through direct, credible approach.
- A demanding Account Manager profile must combine professional depth, market knowledge and personal impact.
- Process quality becomes especially visible when priorities change during the mandate.
- A strong preselection is not based only on CVs, but on sound assessment, conversational impression and risk evaluation.
- For building new market segments, the right personality is often the decisive access point to the customer.
