The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Director, Global Accounts / Regional VP of Sales (L6)
5-7 years in roleSkills to master
- Driving multi-region P&L, building and leading multi-layered teams, board-level reporting, strategic partner development, M&A integration.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently exceeding £10M+ P&L targets for multiple years.
- Successfully led a major market entry or turnaround initiative.
- Developed and promoted multiple leaders within your organisation.
- Recognised as a strategic thought leader within the company and industry.
- 2
VP of Sales / Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at a smaller, high-growth international company
3-5 years in roleSkills to master
- Full revenue ownership, scaling a business from early to mid-stage, building entire sales functions from scratch, investor relations.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully scaled a company's revenue significantly (e.g., 5x) in an international context.
- Proven ability to attract and retain top talent in competitive markets.
- Strong network within the international tech/SaaS ecosystem.
- Experience navigating the complexities of a fast-growing, less structured environment.