SugarCRM SVP EMEA

Company Background

Search Background

Requirements

Our Approach and Solution

Challenges

Results

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Company Background

SugarCRM enables businesses to create extraordinary customer relationships with the most innovative and affordable CRM solution in the market. Recognised by leading market analysts as a “visionary” company, Sugar is deployed by over 1.5 M individuals in 120 countries and 26 languages.

SugarCRM is built for complex, relationship-driven industries such as manufacturing, wholesale, and distribution, looking to accelerate growth and make smarter decisions. The company is delivering a completely transformed, individualised CRM user experience that is immersive, engaging, and intuitive. Sugar fuses the straightforward simplicity, mobility, and social aspects of a consumer app with the business process optimisation of conventional CRM.

Search Background

• SugarCRM is a PE-backed company and was looking to scale the company quite aggressively over the next two to three years with a new CEO and leadership team in the US.

• Oakstone were approached by SugarCRM’s CRO, who reached out directly based on previous meetings and the knowledge that Oakstone were a trusted business that delivers on roles at this level.

• They were seeking an experienced sales leader who would become a second-line leader who would develop and expand the teams in the organisation.

Requirements

The company sought:

• An experienced second-line sales leader managing managers across EMEA.

• Proven ability in people development, especially as most first-line leaders were promoted internally.

• Strong structure, discipline, and data-driven leadership skills.

• Experience in PE-backed, mid-market-focused business application software (CRM, CX, ERP, sales enablement).

• Ideally, sector exposure to manufacturing, industrial, or distribution verticals.

Our Approach and Solution

• We created a targeted search profile focused on senior sales leaders with the right industry and go-to-market experience. Our search balanced candidates from reputable, established brands with those from smaller, growth-focused companies.

• We positioned SugarCRM’s stability, profitability, and growth ambitions to counteract misconceptions about its maturity and long market presence. Ten candidates were introduced, with two finalists meeting the global leadership team in London.

Challenges

• Perception issues: Many candidates assumed SugarCRM was stagnant due to its long history and absence of a recent major exit, so it required dissecting the opportunity with potential candidates about the growth, committed leadership and a new CEO.

Results

• Oakstone presented 10 candidates, and the CRO met with 8 for first-stage interviews. There were 4 stages of the recruitment process, where two candidates met the global leadership team in London.

• One candidate was appointed as the new SVP of EMEA.

• He demonstrated exceptional sales rigour, structure, and people leadership. His blend of data-driven management and talent development matched SugarCRM’s needs perfectly. For him, the role offered the ideal balance between established brand credibility and the ability to make a significant strategic impact.

• Total time from briefing to contract signed: 10 weeks.