I’m a father, ex-basketball pro, and 6x hands-on CRO with 20+ years of experience and 4 exits, building and scaling B2B SaaS and AI-driven businesses across Europe, US and LatAm.

From Basketball to Boardrooms: A Journey of Grit and Growth

My journey started on the court, where I learned resilience, teamwork, and how to chase success after failure—what Kobe Bryant called, “Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.”

That same grit carried me into the corporate world, where I spent a decade in data-driven marketing and brand development at global giants like Kellogg’s, Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson. Those years shaped my strategic thinking, financial discipline, and customer obsession. They also gave me the business acumen to lead from the front when, in 2010, I transitioned into tech scaleups and high-growth SaaS companies.

Scaling Startups: 4 Exits, Global Impact

Since then, I’ve been a hands-on go-to-market leader and CRO, scaling B2B SaaS and recurring revenue businesses from early traction to tens of millions in ARR.

  • Led Woffu from zero to exit as CRO and 5% shareholder—overseeing GTM (Sales, CS, Marketing) and co-leading the PE-backed acquisition by Visma
  • At BAT (British American Tobacco), deployed my SaaS GTM framework to scale the GLO platform in its largest EU market, driving a 6% margin increase in a 9-digit business line
  • Drove SaaS transformation at Whisbi (from <5% to 100% SaaS in 3 years, acquired by Giosg)
  • Optimized post-PE GTM execution at Cloud Academy ($15M–$30M ARR), and aligned M&A-acquired teams at Lifull Connect (€50M+ ARR)
  • Helped BDEO and Frenetic build their GTM fundamentals and raise solid Series A rounds

My Sweet Spot: AI-Driven SaaS with Visionary Founders

I thrive in AI-powered B2B SaaS targeting mid-market and enterprise, typically between €500K and €20M ARR. My approach is strategic yet hands-on. I zoom in to execute and zoom out to lead with vision. I roll up my sleeves to build durable revenue engines and long-term value.

I speak three languages, have lived in four countries, and thrive in multicultural environments. Strong chemistry and shared ambition are what I look for in every team.

Today, I’m exploring the next opportunity to join a visionary founding team as a strategic and operational co-builder—not just an advisor or coach, but a true partner with skin in the game. I’m also doing selective advisory work with a handful of CEOs applying my GTM frameworks to sharpen strategy and accelerate growth.

If you want to connect or learn more, explore my experiences on LinkedIn or drop me a message.

Luigi Mallardo
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