Calvin Sun
Singapore
Summary
A pragmatic leader with a wealth of experience in driving growth and improving operations. Adept at financial management and fostering strong stakeholder relationships. Known for implementing strategic business plans that yield significant results. A collaborative leader, dedicated to building and mentoring high-performing teams. Persistent in pursuing organizational growth, with a keen eye for strategic planning, problem-solving, and effective communication. Possesses a deep understanding of business principles, project management, and team leadership, coupled with an unwavering work ethic.
Proven track record of consistently meeting company goals and exceeding expectations. Highly skilled in navigating high-pressure environments and adapting to new challenges with agility. A problem-solver committed to enhancing customer satisfaction through innovative solutions. Enthusiastic and bold leader with extensive experience in start-up environments, driven by a passion for contributing to team success.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Asia Pacific Business
Akila Information Systems Pte Ltd
2023.08 - Current
- Oversee and manage Akila's operations and growth in the Asia Pacific region
- Lead P&L responsibilities, driving business growth through strategic planning and execution
- Develop and implement initiatives aligned with strategic objectives to expand the business
- Promote and cultivate business opportunities that align with growth strategies
- Ensure all business aspects operate profitably while consistently delivering high levels of customer satisfaction
- Manage and lead a high-performing team, providing guidance, mentorship, and motivation to drive individual and collective success.
Co-Founder, Vice President, Business Strategy and Development
Red Dot Analytics
2021.01 - 2023.07
- Spin-off from Nanyang Technological University’s incubation office, building the technical and commercial team
- Reports directly to the Board (Angel Investor and Chairman)
- Focusing on creating the business strategy, business model, fund raising, brand building, customer acquisition, development roadmap, hiring and coaching
- Drive adoption of AI technology to address the challenges around sustainability residency, and efficiency
- Develop a strong pipeline from Top Fortune 500 companies
- Develop the next generation AI-based Saas platform
- Nurture relationships with government agencies and strategic partners
- Achieve short-term revenue goals and long-term business objectives
- Hire, coach and lead a “Dream Team” focusing on customer satisfaction
- Achievement: more than $2mil orders in 1st year, 150% growth on 2nd year
- More than $1mil seed funds from 4 VC firms
- Multiple MOUs with regional Colo-provider, 3 teaming agreement with regional technology partners
- Multiple prominent accounts such as Equinix, GDS, BDX, Iron Mountain and more.
Regional Software Sales Leader, Digital Solution
Schneider Electric
2018.01 - 2020.12
- Served as a key member between Software Line of Business (LOB) and countries
- Define and drive strategy for overall Digital Solution portfolio in Greater China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau
- Collaboration with other business units (BU) to help customer resolve challenges around sustainability, resiliency, and efficiency
- Lead all aspects of sales, marketing, channels, services, support, and escalations
- Retaining existing customer and winning new business
- Build strong strategic alliances and channel partners to accelerate the growth
- Achievement: 250% sales revenue growth.
Regional Customer/Partners Success Leader, Digital Solution
Schneider Electric
2017.01 - 2017.12
- Develop and lead the customer/partner success functions, processes, and procedures to align with SE digital transformation strategy in APAC
- Define, develop, and deliver short, medium, and long-term plans to ensure successful customer onboarding, adoption, and expansion through the journey
- Initiate, define, align, and advocate new workflow within countries and other cross functional units, such as (regional service bureau, global field services, global service partners and beyond) to support the transformation
- Achievement: Acquired more than 30% growth in customers base, and 70% reduction in churn rate.
Regional Product Marketing and Strategy, Digital Solution
Schneider Electric
2015.01 - 2016.12
- Leading initiative for digital transformation across software and services portfolio in APAC
- Envision and communicate Schneider's cloud strategy, functionality, security, and competitiveness, both internally and externally
- Define go-to-market strategy based on segments, verticals, and scale
- Drive in-country roll out and digital services transformation and adoption
- Gather and analyze all sorts of information from end users' feedback and market research to formula the future iterations
- Achievement: more than 900 customers, 200,000 devices, 3,000,000 data points connected and growing within 2 years.
Regional Product Manager - Datacenter Management Software
Schneider Electric
2012.09 - 2014.12
- Voice of customers and in-country sales related support in APAC
- Conceptualized and deployed product strategies, feature, function, outcome to address customers' pain point
- Development and execution of product release lifecycle, playbook, competitive analysis, pricing strategies, training, marketing, and communications
- Speak on major events, media interviews, C-level roundtable, and end user workshops
- Collaborate and support regional sales team to accelerate software business
- Achievement: consistent high double digit YoY revenue growth from 2012-2014.
Regional Sales Manager - Asset Management Software
Emerson Network Power
2011.01 - 2012.07
- Growing sales revenue and funnels through developing of new accounts and partnership within Southeast Asia
- Identify, recruit, train new partners while building deeper, more strategic, and sustainable partnership with existing channels
- Develop and manage partners engagement, sales performance, service delivery and channel conflict
- Support in building business case, scoping requirements, preparing proposals, tender response, and escalations at all levels
- Achievement: developed strong presence in emerging countries such as Philippines and Thailand.
Regional Business Development (New Service Business)
Avocent Asia Pacific
2008.01 - 2010.12
- Develop and maintain the company 'new' services offering and portfolio
- Formulate partners programs, certification, incentives, service levels with countries
- Realignment and allocation of technical resources to support the new initiatives
- Work closely with global product and service management team to formulate global offering, pricing, support strategy and beyond
- Work closely with country managers to define go-to-market strategy, localized offer, channel program and support tier structure
- Achievement: supporting the growth of the company for about 10 years until the acquisition by Emerson Network Power for $1.2B in 2009.
Regional Technical Manager (Pre and Post Sales Support)
Avocent Asia Pacific
2005.01 - 2007.12
- Leading and coaching a team (20+ people) of pre- and post-sales engineers across the region to support in-country sales function across Asia Pacific
- Interview, hire, train, and lead by example for new hires to support regional sales business unit for local pre- and post-sales needs in-country
- Provides coaching and mentoring for the pre-sales team to perform consultative solution selling, build business case, address competition, ROI justifications
- Provides coaching and mentoring to the post sales team for day-to-day technical support issues, replicating customer environment for troubleshooting, escalating to R&D for fixes, product enhancements and beyond
- Monthly meeting with country managers to review pre- and post-sales support activities and challenges faced in the field
- Achievement: Reducing 50% of travel as countries became self-sufficient to support their business.
Senior Technical Engineer
Avocent Asia Pacific
2003.01 - 2004.12
- Supporting the business expansion into various countries in Asia Pacific
- Setting up regional offices IT infrastructure and customer demo centers as the business expands across the region
- Providing pre- and post-sales support needs throughout the region
- Provide sales and technical training to new hires and newly onboarded partners
- Achievement: 80% travelling to different countries, customers, partners, roadshows.
Internal MIS Cum Technical Support Engineer
Avocent Asia Pacific
2001.10 - 2002.12
- One of the first 5 headcount in Asia Pacific (Asia Startup Team)
- Setting up the IT infrastructure for Singapore office
- Providing technical support and escalation, new product testing and POC setup
- Developing support process and framework
- Conducting technical product training to channel partner.
System Engineer
Compaq Asia (now Hewlett-Packard)
2000.01 - 2001.09
- Residential services in a leading financial sector's datacenter
- Responsible for maintaining Compaq hardware and services in 3 major datacenters in Singapore.
Presales Engineer
Inovuus Technologies Ltd (Local Company)
1999.07 - 1999.12
- Local system integrator
- Pre-sales consultant focusing on system network, storages, and security software.
Education
Executive Master in Leadership, Strategy and Innovation -
Murdoch University
05.2023
Post Graduate Diploma - Strategic Business in IT
NCC Education
12.2008
Skills
- Leadership
- GTM Strategy
- Sales Acumen
- Finesse
- Product Strategy
- Channel Management
- Business Development
- Stakeholder Relations
Accomplishments
- Akila Information Systems Pte Ltd - secure a multi-site regional project through winning a opern sustainability digital challenge against top notch MNC players within the first 6 months.
- Red Dot Analytics – secure more than $2 mil sales orders, $1.5 mil of committed funding from 4 VCs, 2 major MOUs and 2 teaming agreements in less than 12 months.
- Schneider Electric – secure a largest software deal for the region, with YoY growth of 250% in 2020.
- Avocent Asia Pacific – startup team of 5 (in APJ) to more than 300 headcount, revenue growth from $800K to $42mil within 10 years, acquired by Emerson Network Power for $1.2B
Languages
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Mandarin
Advanced (C1)
Testimonials
- Avocent Asia Pacific, Mr Ryan Sia, VP of Sales, Asia Pacific
- Emerson Network Power, Mr Anand Sanghi, President, Asia
- Schneider Electric, Mr Chi Sen Gay, Head of Software Business, International
Strong Points
- Motivated by inspiring, high stakes challenges.
- Aggressive, motivated, ambitious & resulted oriented.
- Fast, Immersed, Humble, Active, and Bold.
- Hands-on Leader with an Entrepreneur Mindset.
- Strong problem-solving skills with in-depth technical background.
- Independent, proactive, creative and willingness to go the extra mile.
- Ability to juggle priorities, excel under extreme pressure and dateline.
- Possesses strong verbal, written communication, and business judgement skills.
- Experienced in regional, multi-language and cultural environment.
- Embrace challenges, commitment to excel & dare to disrupt.
Personal Information
- Nationality: Singaporean
- Marital Status: Married
Timeline
Head of Asia Pacific Business
Akila Information Systems Pte Ltd
2023.08 - Current
Co-Founder, Vice President, Business Strategy and Development
Red Dot Analytics
2021.01 - 2023.07
Regional Software Sales Leader, Digital Solution
Schneider Electric
2018.01 - 2020.12
Regional Customer/Partners Success Leader, Digital Solution
Schneider Electric
2017.01 - 2017.12
Regional Product Marketing and Strategy, Digital Solution
Schneider Electric
2015.01 - 2016.12
Regional Product Manager - Datacenter Management Software
Schneider Electric
2012.09 - 2014.12
Regional Sales Manager - Asset Management Software
Emerson Network Power
2011.01 - 2012.07
Regional Business Development (New Service Business)
Avocent Asia Pacific
2008.01 - 2010.12
Regional Technical Manager (Pre and Post Sales Support)
Avocent Asia Pacific
2005.01 - 2007.12
Senior Technical Engineer
Avocent Asia Pacific
2003.01 - 2004.12
Internal MIS Cum Technical Support Engineer
Avocent Asia Pacific
2001.10 - 2002.12
System Engineer
Compaq Asia (now Hewlett-Packard)
2000.01 - 2001.09
Presales Engineer
Inovuus Technologies Ltd (Local Company)
1999.07 - 1999.12
Executive Master in Leadership, Strategy and Innovation -
Murdoch University
Post Graduate Diploma - Strategic Business in IT
NCC Education
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