ST JOHN COUTTS
Commercial growth across markets, cultures and borders
Commercial leadership for businesses at moments of growth, change and international expansion
St John Coutts provides senior commercial leadership, strategic advisory and board-level support to technology and transformation businesses across the UK, Europe and Saudi Arabia.
We work with companies that need experienced commercial capability without immediately making a permanent senior hire. That may mean accelerating enterprise growth, strengthening a sales organisation, entering a new market or helping an executive team navigate a period of change.
Our work typically spans fractional and interim CRO leadership, market-entry strategy, commercial transformation and selected advisory and board assignments.
Commercial growth across markets, cultures and borders
Areas of Focus
Fractional & Interim Commercial Leadership
Experienced CRO and commercial leadership for businesses that need to strengthen sales performance, improve commercial discipline or build a more scalable revenue engine.
International Growth & Market Entry
Support for European and US companies entering Saudi Arabia and for Saudi businesses looking to establish and grow in the UK and Europe.
Board & Strategic Advisory
Commercial, transformation and international growth experience brought to boards, founders and executive teams through NED and advisory roles.
Commercial growth across markets, cultures and borders
Fractional & Interim Leadership
Senior commercial leadership without the need for a permanent hire
There are times when a business needs experienced commercial leadership quickly but is not yet ready to appoint a permanent CRO or Commercial Director.
St John Coutts works with founders, CEOs, investors and executive teams on a fractional or interim basis to provide that capability.
Typical assignments include:
- Building or restructuring enterprise sales functions
- Reviewing sales strategy, pipeline and go-to-market approach
- Improving commercial discipline and forecasting
- Developing senior sales and account management capability
- Supporting major deals and strategic accounts
- Clarifying market positioning and proposition
- Establishing commercial operating models for growth
- Providing leadership through periods of transition or change
Assignments can range from a short commercial review through to an ongoing fractional leadership role.
The focus is always practical. The objective is not simply to provide advice, but to help the business make better decisions and execute them.
Commercial growth across markets, cultures and borders
International Growth
Helping businesses expand between Saudi Arabia, the UK and Europe
Entering a new market is rarely just a question of finding customers.
Successful expansion requires an understanding of how decisions are made, how relationships are built, how the proposition needs to change and what commercial capability is required on the ground.
St John Coutts works across both sides of this equation.
For European and US companies entering Saudi Arabia
We help businesses assess the real opportunity, understand the market and build an effective commercial approach before committing significant resources.
Support can include:
- Market-entry assessment
- Commercial strategy
- Senior stakeholder mapping
- Partner and channel strategy
- Positioning and proposition development
- Initial market engagement
- Commercial leadership during the first phase of entry
- Establishing and developing local sales capability
For Saudi companies entering the UK and Europe
We help Saudi businesses understand how to establish credibility, adapt their proposition and build commercial momentum in a new market.
Support can include:
- UK and European market assessment
- Proposition and positioning
- Target-customer strategy
- Strategic introductions
- Building the first commercial plan
- Partner development
- Recruitment of initial commercial capability
- Fractional leadership during establishment
The value lies in understanding both environments and being able to translate between them commercially and culturally.
Commercial growth across markets, cultures and borders
Board & Advisory
Commercial and international perspective at board level
St John Coutts provides selected NED and strategic advisory support to businesses where commercial growth, transformation or international expansion are important priorities.
Typical areas of contribution include:
- Revenue growth and commercial strategy
- Enterprise sales
- Go-to-market strategy
- International expansion
- Saudi and GCC market entry
- UK and European market entry
- Commercial transformation
- Leadership development
- Strategic partnerships
- Scaling founder-led businesses
The role is to bring an independent commercial perspective, challenge assumptions and help boards and leadership teams make clearer decisions.
Leadership
St John Coutts is led by experienced commercial leadership with a strong track record across Europe and the Middle East
Mark Horne Managing Partner & Commercial Lead
Mark Horne is an international commercial leader with more than 30 years' experience building and scaling sales organisations, developing enterprise revenue and leading growth across the UK, Europe, the US and the Middle East.
He has held senior commercial leadership roles with large international businesses as well as private-equity and venture-backed technology companies.
Over recent years, much of his work has focused on Europe and Saudi Arabia, helping organisations develop commercial capability, enter new markets and build senior relationships across government, financial services, technology and transformation.
His experience combines:
- Enterprise sales leadership
- Commercial strategy and execution
- Building and scaling sales functions
- International market entry
- Executive and board engagement
- Transformation and technology
- Saudi Arabia and GCC market experience
Start a Conversation
St John Coutts works with a small number of businesses at any one time.
If you are considering a fractional or interim commercial leadership appointment, international expansion or board-level support, please get in touch.
Contact
Telephone: +44 7867 937000
E-mail: mark.horne@stjcoutts.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/msjhorne/