Open to opportunities

Akin Smith

@akinsmith

Business Development Manager driving B2B partner growth through regional activations and scalable go-to-market strategies.

Zimbabwe

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a B2B partnerships and business development role where I can drive regional activations, negotiate partner growth, manage MDF and enablement, and collaborate cross-functionally to exceed KPIs.

I’m a B2B partnerships and commercial growth professional with 6+ years’ experience driving regional activations, building high-value partner relationships, and delivering scalable communication strategies across global markets. I naturally work across diverse cultures and markets, and I’m experienced in negotiating partnerships, optimizing channel performance, and aligning messaging with marketing, product, and operations.

In my recent roles, I’ve developed and managed key partner relationships across corporate, commercial, and public sector markets, secured and managed Market Development Funds (MDF), and led partner campaign enablement to generate pipeline and sustain long-term account stability. I’ve also exceeded KPIs across product launches, managed end-to-end partner lifecycles, and used Salesforce CRM and partner activity insights to improve conversion and partner communications.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Business Development Manager

ArrowEcs

Apr 2025 - Jun 2026 (1 year 2 months)

Developed and managed B2B distributor/partner relationships across corporate, commercial, and public sector markets. Drove partner marketing, channel performance, and negotiated commercial partnerships across Sophos cybersecurity products.

Business Development Partner Relationship Management Channel Management Partner Enablement Co Marketing Pipeline Generation Negotiation Stakeholder Management Cybersecurity Sophos MDR Endpoint Protection Network Security Fortinet Cisco

Senior Business Dev & Partner Rep

Les Mills

Nov 2023 - Feb 2025 (1 year 3 months)

Drove introduction of new group fitness classes across partner sites and national accounts while achieving full KPI targets. Supported partner onboarding and adoption and represented Les Mills at industry events to expand market reach.

Business Development Partner Management Partner Onboarding Consultative Selling Pipeline Management Stakeholder Management Industry Events Salesforce CRM

Business Development Representative

Les Mills

Jun 2021 - Nov 2023 (2 years 5 months)

Prospected and engaged new partners, using partner activity data to track performance and improve partner communications and campaigns. Conducted site visits and business analysis to help partners optimize operations and improve class performance and member engagement.

Business Development Partner Communications Campaign Analysis Business Analysis Genre Timetable Analysis Stakeholder Management Salesforce CRM Pipeline Management

Contact Tracer

Serco / NHS Test and Trace

Nov 2020 - Jun 2021 (7 months)

Conducted outbound calls for COVID-19 contact tracing, gathering and recording sensitive personal data accurately. Maintained compliance with government scripts and data protection requirements within a digital case management system.

Contact Tracing Outbound Calling Data Privacy Compliance Case Management Systems Regulatory Compliance

Package Sales Executive

Secret Escapes

Dec 2019 - Nov 2020 (11 months)

Supported deal creation and managed the end-to-end booking process to ensure seamless communication and a strong customer experience. Conducted prospecting, delivered pitches and product presentations, and contributed over £100,000 in revenue.

Lead Generation Prospecting Customer Experience Consultative Selling Pitch Product Presentations Revenue Generation