Interim Sales Director | Technical Sales, Export Growth & International Channel Development
This executive brings a strong blend of technical credibility, international commercial experience and practical sales leadership. Their career began in technical sales across optics, lasers, detectors and fibre optic systems before progressing into senior commercial leadership roles across environmental testing, thermal imaging, LiDAR systems and engineering instrumentation. This gives them a strong ability to understand complex products and sell effectively into technical, academic, industrial and OEM customer groups.
They have repeatedly built and revitalised sales teams, distributor networks and international partnerships, particularly in businesses where market reach, product positioning or commercial focus needed strengthening. Their experience includes opening overseas markets, creating marketing functions, leading technical product launches, hosting global partner conferences and supporting new product development roadmaps based on market insight.
Well suited to interim Sales Director, Commercial Director, CEO Designate or international growth leadership roles, they bring a hands-on and technically fluent approach to commercial transformation. Their ability to combine direct customer engagement, channel development and strategic market expansion makes them particularly valuable for engineering-led businesses seeking sharper sales execution, export growth or commercial leadership succession.
Grew revenue from £7.4m to £10.2m within three years post-pandemic despite market contraction, using a more data-driven approach to export market prioritisation and sales activity.
Expanded international market reach from approximately 30 core countries to 50 core countries, serving 70–80 countries annually through strengthened partner and distributor networks.
Initiated the first overseas office in Asia-Pacific, with the market forecast to deliver 100% growth over three years.
Delivered 81% revenue growth and 96% profit growth within two years in a LiDAR systems business, with responsibility for sales, delivery, technical support and R&D/engineering teams.
About the Candidate
This interim executive is a highly experienced commercial leader with a strong technical background and a proven track record of driving revenue growth across engineering, instrumentation and technology-led businesses. With experience operating at board level and leading global sales, marketing, technical support and production planning teams, they are particularly effective in businesses where complex products need to be translated into clear market opportunities. Their background spans direct sales, international channel development, distributor management, product launches and commercial strategy across multiple regions.
They are especially well suited to organisations requiring commercial acceleration, international market expansion or a reset of sales channels and partner networks. Their strengths include rebuilding sales teams, developing export markets, launching joint ventures, repositioning technical products, identifying new customer segments and creating data-led market development plans. While they do not have direct private equity operating experience, their profile is relevant to PE-backed technical and industrial businesses requiring stronger commercial execution, internationalisation and sales leadership.