Why it matters

Commercial transformation is rarely just a sales problem. In a large corporate environment, it also means navigating hierarchy, trust, incentives and politics while still moving revenue, people and customer focus in the right direction.

Starting point

David returned to Arvato in late 2016 into a technology-services business with a strong telco base. The sales department was underperforming, and the revenue stream was too dependent on one industry.

At the same time, the business was led through a high-internal-visibility context. The change had to work in practice without becoming an internal positioning exercise.

Mandate

David was brought in to restructure the sales department, create momentum in new accounts and support a broader shift in the revenue mix. The target was to develop a meaningful share of revenue outside the telco industry.

What changed

– Rebuilt the sales setup around clearer accountability, focus and customer development.
– Developed opportunities beyond the existing telco base.
– Helped translate strategic ambition into practical commercial execution.
– Acted as a pragmatic operating counterpart in a sensitive setting.

Value created

The business achieved the intended shift: a significant part of revenue came from outside the telco industry, reducing dependency and creating a broader commercial platform.

The case shows David’s ability to combine sales restructuring, account development and stakeholder management in a complex corporate environment where influence mattered as much as formal authority.