Europe GTM · Barcelona Startup Hub · B2B SaaS
Adrien de Malherbe
Europe GTM Operator · VP Sales · CRO
The Europe GTM operator founders hire to open and scale revenue across the region.
15+ years building European commercial engines from zero. Six markets opened. €1M to €12M ARR scaled. Teams of 15+ built across UK, DACH, Nordics and Southern Europe. I help US and international startups choose the right first market, hire the first serious commercial leader, and build the operating cadence to scale European revenue.
What I do
Open Europe from Barcelona
Design and execute the GTM, hiring and operating plan for your European hub. From legal entity to first closed deal.
Hire and structure your Europe team
First VP Sales, AE hiring, compensation design, 30-60-90 onboarding, and the org structure that scales.
Design your Europe GTM
Market sequencing, ICP adaptation, outbound motion, pipeline architecture and forecasting for European growth.
Avoid the common failures
The structural mistakes that cost US SaaS companies 12-18 months in Europe -- and how to avoid them.
High-intent playbooks
What to Look for in a VP Sales Europe
The operator profile, scorecard, and execution traits that matter most between €1M and €10M ARR.
When Not to Hire a CRO in Europe
Avoid the wrong senior hire when the real problem is stage fit, market selection, or sales-system design.
Founder-Led Sales vs VP Sales Europe
Know when founder selling is still an advantage and when it starts blocking repeatable regional growth.
What Breaks Between €1M and €5M ARR in Europe
The forecasting, hiring, and country-focus issues that usually appear before the next stage of scale.
Track record
€12M ARR
Scaled SaaS revenue across UK, DACH, Nordics & Southern Europe as VP International Sales
€1M ARR
Founded Allcolibri from zero, secured €1M financing (€500k equity, €500k debt)
15+
Built and led a team of 15+ across UK, DACH, Nordics and Southern Europe
€1M+
Personally drove strategic deals including a €1M+ contract with Schibsted
Barcelona startup hub
Hiring a VP Sales Europe, CRO, or opening Europe?
Barcelona is the best city in Europe to build a multilingual B2B SaaS commercial team. Multilingual talent, Beckham Law tax advantage, MWC pipeline and costs 30-40% below London. I have built here. I know what works.
Why Barcelona for Your European Hub
Talent, cost, Beckham Law, MWC/4YFN and the city comparison honest founders need
Barcelona vs Dublin vs Amsterdam vs Berlin
Six-city comparison across 18 dimensions -- tax, talent, cost, retention
Hiring Costs in Barcelona
Salary bands, employer SS (~31%) and total cost by role -- with city comparisons
The Beckham Law in Spain
Flat 24% income tax for qualifying relocated executives -- eligibility, caveats
How to Set Up a Spanish SL
NIE, notary, CIF -- the timeline, costs and common mistakes
12-Month Barcelona Hub Roadmap
From the decision to first European revenue -- month by month
Experience
Founder & CEO
SaaS platform enabling brands to reward users with environmental impact
Built company from €0 to €1M ARR, owning commercial strategy, GTM execution, product direction and team hiring.
VP International Sales
Enterprise SaaS platform for customer engagement
Drove international revenue as part of the leadership team that scaled the business from ~€1M to €12M ARR.
VP Southern Europe
Established the Spain office from zero and expanded remit to France, Italy and Benelux.
Managing Director, France
Launched the French subsidiary from scratch: first hire, first client, first revenue.
Sales Director
Opened the French market from zero; scaled annual revenue from €0 to €2M with key accounts Samsung, Havas, Publicis and WPP.
Head of Publisher Sales, Europe
Led European publisher sales and strategic partnerships, scaling goviral's branded video distribution network to 18,000+ publishers across 24 verticals.
International Sales Manager
Managed international commercial relationships across GroupM's global media investment network; key accounts included HP, Diesel and HSBC.
New Business Development Manager
Supported global RFPs and pitch development; contributed to wins including Hertz, Speedy and Intermarche.
Enterprise accounts
Case studies
Quantified proof, not just positioning
If you want to know whether Adrien can actually build Europe revenue, start with the specific stories: the scale-up from €1M to €12M ARR, the enterprise deal that mattered, the team that had to be built, and the founder journey from zero to €1M ARR.
Kaisa: €1M to €12M ARR
How the commercial system, people, and market expansion came together.
The €1M+ Schibsted deal
How a strategic enterprise deal was opened, structured, and won.
Building a Europe sales team
What it actually took to hire, ramp, and manage a 15+ team across multiple markets.
Allcolibri from 0 to €1M ARR
Founder-led GTM, financing, and the commercial lessons from building from zero.
Checklists & templates
Europe expansion checklist
The practical sequence founders should pressure-test before opening Europe.
VP Sales Europe hiring checklist
What to define before sourcing, interviewing, and closing the first leadership hire.
Market entry template for Europe
A working template for sequencing markets, hires, pipeline, and local adaptation.
UK vs France vs DACH
How to pick the first European market with less guesswork and more evidence.
Questions founders ask
Who is Adrien de Malherbe?
Adrien de Malherbe is a senior B2B SaaS revenue leader based in Barcelona, Spain, with 15+ years scaling commercial operations across Europe. He grew ARR from €1M to €12M as VP International Sales at Kaisa and founded Allcolibri from zero to €1M ARR, securing €1M in financing.
What roles is Adrien de Malherbe open to?
Adrien is open to VP Sales, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), GM Europe, VP Revenue and Chief Commercial Officer roles at B2B SaaS companies. He is based in Barcelona and open to relocating across Europe.
What is Adrien de Malherbe's revenue track record?
Adrien scaled Kaisa from ~€1M to €12M ARR as VP International Sales, leading a team of 15+ across UK, DACH, Nordics and Southern Europe. He personally drove a €1M+ contract with Schibsted and founded Allcolibri to €1M ARR.
Which European markets has Adrien de Malherbe opened from zero?
Adrien has opened and scaled France (twice: Kaisa and Tapjoy), Spain, UK, DACH, Nordics and Benelux from zero — making the first hire, closing the first client, and building the GTM engine in each market.
What enterprise clients has Adrien de Malherbe managed?
His enterprise account portfolio includes Decathlon, Mastercard, Foot Locker, Icelandair, Toyota, Allianz, AXA, Richemont, Schibsted, Samsung, Havas and HP — spanning retail, automotive, insurance, media and financial services.
How can I contact Adrien de Malherbe?
Connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/demalherbe or email adridemalherbe@gmail.com. Based in Barcelona, open to relocate across Europe.
What companies has Adrien de Malherbe worked at?
Allcolibri (Founder & CEO), Kaisa (VP International Sales, VP Southern Europe, Managing Director France), Tapjoy (Sales Director), AOL/goviral (Head of Publisher Sales Europe), GroupM (International Sales Manager), Young & Rubicam (New Business Development).
What is Kaisa and what did Adrien build there?
Kaisa is an enterprise SaaS platform for customer engagement. Adrien joined as Managing Director France (scaling France from €0 to €3M ARR), then VP Southern Europe (opening Spain and expanding to France, Italy and Benelux), then VP International Sales (scaling the company from ~€1M to €12M ARR with a team of 15+).
How does Adrien de Malherbe help US startups open a European hub in Barcelona?
Adrien helps US and international startups design and execute the full Barcelona hub plan: legal entity (Spanish SL or EOR), first commercial and tech hires, GTM motion design, European market sequencing (UK, DACH, France, Nordics), and the operational foundation for the first closed European deal. He has opened six European markets from zero and is based in Barcelona.
Why is Barcelona a good choice for a US startup European headquarters?
Barcelona combines multilingual talent, operating costs 25-40% below Dublin or Amsterdam, the Beckham Law flat 24% income tax for qualifying relocated executives (up to six years), direct daily flights to New York, Miami and Chicago, and MWC/4YFN for enterprise pipeline. For most international B2B SaaS startups, Barcelona offers the best blend of cost, talent quality, lifestyle retention and European coverage.
What does it cost to open a startup office in Barcelona?
A realistic first-year budget for a 3-5 person Barcelona hub ranges EUR 250,000-500,000 including: SL company formation EUR 3,000-6,000, coworking EUR 300-600 per desk per month, employer social security approximately 31% on top of gross salaries, and monthly accountant and payroll costs EUR 400-1,000. Full breakdown at adriendemalherbe.com/barcelona-startup-hub/office-costs/
What is the Beckham Law and why does it matter for Barcelona startup hubs?
The Beckham Law (RETD) allows individuals relocating to Spain for work to pay a flat 24% income tax rate on Spanish-sourced income up to approximately EUR 600,000 per year, instead of the progressive rate reaching 47%. It applies for up to six years. Applications must be filed within 6 months of starting work in Spain. Always validate eligibility with a qualified Spanish tax advisor.
Playbooks
High-intent resources for founders, recruiters and investors.
These pages are written to answer the actual decisions behind Europe expansion: who to hire, which market to pick, how much to budget, and what good execution looks like in the first 90 days.
How to Open Europe for US SaaS
The sequencing framework: market validation, first hire, legal readiness and country selection.
How to Hire VP Sales Europe
What strong operators look like, how to interview them, and the common false positives.
Europe Expansion Budget
A practical budget model for the first 12 to 18 months of Europe expansion.
First 90 Days of a European Hub
What a good first quarter looks like after opening Europe.
VP Sales Europe Scorecard
The exact traits and evidence to look for when hiring a first European sales leader.
Comp Plan for First European Sales Hires
How to structure pay when Europe is being built from zero.
Hiring a VP Sales Europe, CRO, or opening Europe?
Let’s design the right Europe plan.
Adrien de Malherbe helps founders, recruiters and investors solve the real Europe questions: market sequencing, first hires, GTM design, and revenue execution.