GlobalData
Redesigning the Go-to-Market Model Within a Complex Enterprise Environment.
GlobalData is an established market intelligence provider delivering data and analytics across more than 20 of the world’s largest industries, including technology, industrials, retail, financial services and consumer markets.
With proven product-market fit and strong recurring revenue, the business entered a new phase of growth following significant private equity investment exceeding £400 million.
This capital injection accelerated both acquisition activity and commercial expansion, creating the need for a more sophisticated and vertically aligned go-to-market model.
Unlike early-stage scale-ups, GlobalData was a mature enterprise with:
- A substantial internal talent team
- Established recruitment suppliers
- Multiple global commercial divisions
- Layered leadership structures
Success required navigating complexity, not building from scratch.
The Challenge
GlobalData came to Engage with big growth plans. They wanted to capture market share and maximise revenue across newly acquired and existing product lines. To do so, the business needed to evolve its commercial structure.
Historically, the sales organisation operated across two primary functions, new business development (net new logos) and traditional account management (retention and incremental growth). However, this model left revenue on the table within large, multi-product enterprise accounts. The solution was the introduction of a third, hybrid layer:
Strategic Account Management, a function designed to identify high-value enterprise accounts, drive cross-sell and upsell across newly acquired products, operate with both hunter and farmer capability and unlock accelerated revenue growth within existing client portfolios.
Implementing this model required hiring senior commercial talent capable of operating within a complex enterprise environment while reshaping established processes. At the same time, expansion in the US presented further white-space growth opportunities.
GlobalData needed a search partner that could help them restructure their go-to-market capabilities.
The Solution
Engage partnered with GlobalData, working alongside a sizeable internal talent function and multiple external agencies. With a highly competitive supplier environment, success depended on credibility, insight and consistent delivery.
Building the Strategic Account Layer
Engage supported the creation and scaling of the newly formed Strategic Account Management function, including:
- Commercial Director for the Strategic Accounts Technology division
- Strategic Account Managers in the UK and US
- Senior new business hires across automotive, professional services and financial services
- Additional US-based strategic and growth roles
These hires were not traditional account managers. They required individuals with an extensive skillset - enterprise-level relationship management, cross-vertical commercial acumen, the ability to navigate complex procurement structures and experience selling multi-product intelligence solutions. Candidates needed to understand both data-led subscription models and large-scale enterprise stakeholder management.
As a result, Engage used multiple search methodologies to ensure they only presented top-tier candidates to GlobalData. Leveraging their already well-established networks, Engage also conducted research to collect market intelligence on candidates, competitors and benchmarked skillsets from transferable positions to find unique candidates that weren’t ‘readily available’.
Over time, this approach shifted the relationship dynamic. From being one of many agencies in a crowded supplier ecosystem, Engage became one of a reduced, trusted PSL partners.
The Outcome
GlobalData successfully implemented a more vertically aligned go-to-market structure, including a dedicated Strategic Account Management layer designed to unlock enterprise revenue growth.
Today, Engage remains part of a streamlined PSL structure, reflecting earned trust within a sophisticated enterprise setting.
