How Oakstone Appointed a US-Based CRO to Drive Global Commercial Growth

Confidential Chief Revenue Officer Case Study

Oakstone International partnered with a UK-headquartered technology company specialising in high-performance computing (HPC) and data centre solutions to appoint a US-based Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Following new investment and a shift in commercial priorities, the business needed an experienced executive to rebuild its commercial function and accelerate North American expansion. Through targeted executive search, Oakstone identified and secured a senior sales leader with the technical knowledge, commercial expertise and ambition to support its next stage of growth.

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Search Background

Oakstone International was initially engaged to appoint a UK-based Managing Director for a technology business generating approximately $25–30 million in annual revenue. However, during the search, the company secured additional investment, creating an opportunity to accelerate its North American expansion.

Recognising the importance of stronger executive-level sales leadership, the business revised its requirements to appoint a US-based CRO who could oversee global sales, strengthen its North American presence and rebuild its commercial operation. Oakstone was selected as an exclusive search partners following an established relationship with the company's Executive Chairman, having previously delivered multiple C-level appointments across his portfolio of businesses.

Requirements

The company operated within a specialist area of high-performance computing and data centre technology, serving complex markets including financial services and defence. Although primarily a hardware and services business, it wanted to introduce the commercial sophistication typically associated with high-growth software and cloud organisations.

The successful candidate needed to demonstrate:

• Technical market knowledge: Experience within HPC, data centre technologies or related markets.

• Complex enterprise sales: Proven ability to manage executive-level relationships and contracts typically valued between $3 million and $7 million.

• Commercial transformation: Experience building and scaling sales operations within smaller, growing technology businesses.

• Leadership capability: The ability to develop an existing team of two to three people into a scalable commercial function.

• Long-term ambition: A genuine desire to take ownership of commercial strategy and drive substantial business growth.

Oakstone's Approach and Solution

Oakstone developed a targeted search strategy, identifying approximately 50–60 companies operating across HPC, data centre technologies and associated services. Particular attention was given to organisations serving financial services and defence, alongside those with sophisticated enterprise sales environments. From this research, Oakstone identified approximately 80–100 potential candidates and held detailed conversations with 30–40 executives to assess their experience, commercial achievements and motivations.

Rather than focusing solely on technical expertise, Oakstone prioritised leaders who could introduce a more structured approach to sales execution and demonstrate the ambition to scale a business. This resulted in an initial shortlist of six candidates presented to the CEO.

Challenges

The specialist nature of the technology significantly narrowed the available talent pool, particularly when combined with the requirement for software-grade commercial expertise and experience managing multimillion-dollar contracts. Another challenge was communicating the company's growth potential. Despite being established for several years, the business had not yet achieved the commercial scale its technology could potentially support.

Oakstone needed to demonstrate how new investment, combined with the opportunity to rebuild the sales function, created a compelling proposition for an ambitious executive. The search therefore focused on individuals motivated by the opportunity to make a measurable impact rather than simply inherit an established commercial operation.

Search Results

Oakstone successfully appointed a US-based CRO who combined relevant technical knowledge, enterprise sales experience and the ambition to lead a significant commercial transformation. The initial shortlist of six candidates was narrowed to four, then three strong contenders, before the company selected its preferred executive.

The successful candidate had previously helped scale an early-stage business that was sold before reaching its full potential. He was particularly attracted to the opportunity to take greater ownership of commercial strategy and build a business with longer-term growth ambitions. Oakstone delivered the shortlist approximately two months after the brief shifted to the US, with the appointment completed over the following three months.

The result was an experienced global sales leader capable of strengthening the company's commercial operation and supporting its ambitions for North American expansion.

Further Reading

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