Smart Communications Chief Information Officer Case Study

Company Background

Search Background

Result

Continued Relationship

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Company Background

Smart Communications™ is the only provider of a customer conversation management platform. Built from the cloud up, we help enterprises deliver SMARTER conversations across the entire customer lifecycle – and at scale – and empower them to succeed in today’s digital-focused, customer-driven world while also simplifying processes and operating more efficiently.

• Founded in 1991 by Gary O’Brien

• HQ London, UK. Approx 400 employees

• Cloud-enabled customer communications management services (SaaS)

Search Background

• Looking for a shift from someone with an engineering background to someone who had more of an information background

• The founder was currently doing this role and they were looking for someone dedicated to it and who could modernise its functions.

• Looking for someone to bring current market trends and expertise from data, integration, and engineering, as well as scaling.

• Hiring Manager: Simon Tindall, CTO.

• Exclusive Retained Agreement

Results

• Sent over a shortlist of 7 profiles, interviewed 4 people and hired 1 successful candidate.

• The successful candidate had a background in directing and scaling cloud operations, data, integration, and infrastructure, previously working at Nokia, Natterbox and Servicenow.

• The total search process to signing took 6 weeks.

Continued Relationship

Oakstone continues to support Smart Communications' growth plans internationally:

• Chief Commercial Officer (UK, 2019)

• VP Customer Success (USA, 2019)

• Customer Success Manager (UK, 2019)

• Enterprise Account Director (USA, 2020)

• X4 Enterprise Account Executive (USA, 2020/1)

• VP Marketing, Healthcare (USA, 2021)

• Account Executive Smart IQ (USA, 2021)

• Head of Marketing Operations (UK, 2021)

• VP Industry Marketing, Insurance (USA, 2022)

• Chief Information Officer (UK, 2022)

More about Oakstone and Smart Communications

• How has Oakstone continued to support Smart Communications internationally?

  Oakstone has supported Smart Communications with multiple executive and GTM hires globally across customer success, marketing, enterprise sales, and C-level leadership, including the Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Information Officer roles.

• How can Oakstone help SaaS companies hiring CIO and technology executives?

  Oakstone International specialises in executive hiring across SaaS leadership functions, including CIOs who can modernise infrastructure, scale cloud operations, strengthen data strategy, and support international growth.