The mobile specialist

Rowan Jameson
Managing Partner, Business Services at O2 (Telefónica UK)

“I came back from nine months travelling in Latin America and was approached by an old colleague who offered me the opportunity to work on one of the UK mobile operator accounts in a sales-support role. This was my first experience of sales and, right from the outset, I loved it. I enjoy the variety of activities and interfaces both internally and externally that sales offers to me.

“To somebody considering embarking on a career in sales I would say: “Consider what kind of salesperson you want to be, what are your values and how does that fit with the customers’ needs.

“The most important step in making the transition from a salesperson into a sales management or sales leadership role is to acknowledge and accept that the spotlight is with the salesperson, and your role as a sales leader is to make your sales team the best they can be so that they are well positioned to add value to their customers and secure business. When you are a salesperson your focus is your client and their market; as you move into a leadership role you need to think more broadly about the overall marketplace and what you need to drive your sales strategy for your vertical market.”