What to Look for in a VP Sales Europe — Adrien de Malherbe

A great VP Sales Europe is not just a good sales leader who happens to live in Europe. The role only works when the person can build pipeline logic, localize the motion, hire carefully, and still stay close enough to deals to shape the first repeatable wins.

Most failed hires happen because the company buys seniority and polish instead of proven market-opening behavior.

Proof

€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

Quick answer

Who this is for

Founders, recruiters, and investors hiring the first serious European revenue leader.

When this matters

This matters when a founder, board, or recruiter is making an irreversible Europe GTM or revenue leadership decision.

Common mistake

Confusing a strong manager in a mature region with a true builder who can open Europe, hire intelligently, and close early lighthouse deals.

What I would do

Hire for pattern recognition in market opening, enterprise deal craft, and operating discipline. Do not hire for logo familiarity alone.

Proof

Adrien has scaled revenue from €1M to €12M ARR, built teams of 15+, and opened multiple European markets from zero.

Operator perspective

Who this is for

Founders, recruiters, and investors hiring the first serious European revenue leader.

Common mistake

Confusing a strong manager in a mature region with a true builder who can open Europe, hire intelligently, and close early lighthouse deals.

What I would do

Hire for pattern recognition in market opening, enterprise deal craft, and operating discipline. Do not hire for logo familiarity alone.

Must-have

The core traits that matter most

Has opened or materially scaled at least one European region or market from a relatively early stage.
Can operate at multiple altitudes: strategy, recruiting, outbound, late-stage deals, and forecasting.
Understands that Europe is multi-country and not a one-size-fits-all motion.
Can partner with a US founder instead of waiting for a fully mature machine.

Warning signs

What usually goes wrong

Only managed large teams, never built from ambiguity.
Has strong logos but no evidence of opening a new market.
Talks more about reporting than about first pipeline and first references.
Needs too much infrastructure before becoming useful.

Interview test

Questions that reveal whether the candidate is real

Ask what they would do in the first 30, 60, and 90 days with one AE, limited marketing support, and an impatient CEO. Ask which market they would choose first and why. Ask what they got wrong in their last market-opening role and what they changed.

Who should talk to Adrien now

Recruiters

Best fit for searches around VP Sales Europe, CRO Europe SaaS, GM Europe, and operator-led commercial buildout roles.

Founders

Best fit for US and European SaaS founders opening Europe, fixing a weak first-market motion, or hiring the first senior revenue leader.

Investors

Useful when a portfolio company needs a Europe GTM operator, a market-entry plan, or a senior commercial hire with real execution history.

The broader hiring playbook and role design.

VP Sales Europe Scorecard

A practical scorecard for candidate evaluation.

What a VP Sales Europe Should Do in the First 90 Days

Early execution expectations for the role.

Discuss a VP Sales Europe Search

Talk through the scorecard, compensation, and first-market expectations.

Choose the right path

For founders

Need help choosing a first market, first hire, or Europe GTM motion? Start with the Europe expansion guides and market-entry checklists.

For recruiters

Hiring for VP Sales Europe, CRO, or a GM Europe role? Review the scorecards, case studies, and revenue leadership pages first.

For investors

Supporting a portfolio company opening Europe? Use the market, hiring, and comp-plan resources to pressure-test the expansion plan.

Knowledge graph

This page is part of a connected knowledge base on Europe SaaS GTM strategy, built by Adrien de Malherbe — VP Sales, CRO and GM Europe.

Europe Expansion

Market Deep Dives

Revenue Leadership

Adrien de Malherbe

FAQ

Should a VP Sales Europe have managed a big team before?

Not necessarily. For an early European build, experience opening the motion matters more than having managed a large mature team.

Should the first VP Sales Europe live in the target market?

Usually yes, or at least in the city where talent, travel, and customer proximity make execution materially easier.

Work with Adrien

Hiring a VP Sales Europe right now?

This is exactly where early-stage European expansions often fail. The candidate profile, scope, and expectations all need to be designed together.

Talk about your Europe plan →Connect on LinkedIn