How Emburse Hired an SVP of International Sales to Accelerate Global Growth

Emburse SVP International Sales Case Study

As Emburse accelerated its international growth strategy, the business needed an experienced Senior Vice President of International Sales to lead expansion across EMEA and APAC. Oakstone International conducted a targeted executive search, mapping senior commercial leaders with proven experience scaling PE-backed SaaS businesses from $300M to $1B ARR. Following a highly focused search, 12 candidates were shortlisted, five progressed to interview, and the successful executive was appointed within 12 weeks.

About Emburse

SVP International Sales Search Background

Search Requirements

Oakstone’s Approach & Solution

Search Challenges

Search Results

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About Emburse

Emburse is a provider of expense management and accounts payable automation solutions. They humanise work by empowering business travellers, approvers, and finance professionals and eliminating manual, time-consuming tasks so they can focus on what matters most.

SVP International Sales Search Background

• Emburse, a PE-backed SaaS company, sought a Senior Vice President to drive international growth across EMEA and APAC while maintaining their traditional market position.

• Oakstone had previously assisted Emburse to hire sales professionals in EMEA.

• Emurse’s CEO had prior experience working with Oakstone International and trusted their ability to deliver on senior management hires.

• This role was exclusively worked on by Oakstone International.

Search Requirements

The ideal candidate needed:

• A strong background in private equity (PE) invested growth and international expansion.

• Experience leading international teams, particularly across EMEA and APAC.

• Proven success in scaling companies and driving revenue expansion from mid-market to large enterprise.

Oakstone's Approach & Solution

Given the urgency of the hire, we conducted targeted market mapping. We focused on:

• PE-backed companies that had successfully scaled from $300M to $1B.

• Candidates with direct experience in the same growth trajectory and revenue expansion model.

• A shortlist of 12 candidates was created, with five progressing to interviews.

Search Challenges

• The market was highly diluted, making it difficult to find high-caliber individuals open to the role.

• Positioning the scope of the opportunity, the company, the future plans and the leadership team to the right caliber of candidates.

Search Results

• The process was completed within 12 weeks.

• Ian McVey was ultimately selected for his extensive experience in PE-backed venture growth and international scaling, as well as direct fit to the initial brief.

• His cultural fit and leadership style aligned perfectly with Emburse's existing team and future ambitions.

• Why use executive search for international sales leadership roles?

  Executive search provides access to senior, passive candidates with proven international scaling experience. For global sales roles, search ensures rigorous assessment of leadership capability, cultural alignment, and execution track record.

• How does Oakstone approach SVP International Sales searches differently?

  Oakstone International conducts SVP International Sales searches by mapping leaders who have successfully navigated similar growth stages, geographies, and PE environments. The focus is on real execution experience, not theoretical global exposure.

I’m Hiring

Oakstone International are a specialised SaaS executive search and recruitment firm assisting companies globally. If you are looking for executive search assistance or would like to speak to a Divisional Director about future hiring assistance in EMEA, the US or APAC, contact Oakstone.

I’m Job Seeking

As a SaaS client-driven firm, we work exclusively for clients to find people with a specific set of skills and experience.

However, if you would like to submit your CV, it will be passed on to our divisional directors, and we will consider you for future roles that are appropriate to your background and goals.