Sales & Country Director Italy

Our client, AQUALEX, is a fast-growing Belgian design and technology company specialized in high-quality drinking water solutions. The company develops and commercializes innovative drinking water systems and premium designer taps that provide filtered, cooled, sparkling, and hot water across office environments, hospitality, healthcare institutions, education, public spaces, and high-end residential settings. With a strong focus on sustainability, product innovation, and aesthetics, AQUALEX promotes the shift from bottled water to a more circular and environmentally responsible approach to hydration.

From its Belgian headquarters, AQUALEX supports a growing European footprint across multiple verticals. Continuous investment in design, R&D, product quality, and customer service has positioned the company as a rapidly growing player in a dynamic and fast-evolving market.

As AQUALEX is currently scaling internationally, Italy represents a key growth market with a strong hospitality culture, thriving design ecosystems, and a rising demand for sustainable drinking water solutions.

To establish and build a strong and sustainable commercial organization, build partnerships, and create visibility in this strategic region, AQUALEX is today looking to appoint an experienced and entrepreneurial:

Sales & Country Director Italy
Function
Reporting to the CEO in Belgium, you will take the lead in establishing and expanding AQUALEX' commercial footprint in Italy. As the first Sales Director in the country, you will drive the go-to-market setup, build commercial presence from the ground up, and lay the foundation for sustained long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing a go-to-market plan and a sales & marketing strategy for Italy.
• Detect and convert commercial opportunities and develop strategic partnerships within key target segments such as SME, Hospitality, Healthcare, Education, and Corporate Workplaces.
• Managing the full commercial cycle: prospecting, pitch, negotiation, tender submission, and closing.
• Representing AQUALEX at trade fairs, industry events, and strategic meetings across Italy.
• Preparing sales forecasts, budgets, reporting & performance dashboards to HQ.
• Developing brand visibility in the market, together with Marketing Belgium (campaigns, showroom collaborations, B2B activations).
• Recruiting, coaching, and leading a local commercial team to deliver growth targets.
• Ensuring operations are compliant with local regulations and market-specific standards.
• Acting as AQUALEX' ambassador in Italy, making strategic decisions that balance short-term traction with long-term value creation.

Profile

• Relevant and successful experience in a senior commercial leadership role (e.g., Country Manager, Sales Director, CEO, Business Owner).
• Demonstrated success in solution-selling premium, design, or smart and sustainable technology products, ideally across multiple verticals.
• Experience with SaaS/XaaS business models or hybrid product-service offerings.
• Track record in business growth, scaling sales, and partnership development.
• Skilled negotiator with high commercial maturity and deal-closing capability.
• Deeply attuned to the Italian business environment, with a solid understanding of regional market dynamics, cultural sensitivities, and decision-making processes across the country.
• Entrepreneurial, self-starting leader able to build from zero with limited structure.
• Hands-on yet strategic - comfortable operating both in the field and in boardroom contexts.
• Pragmatic, result-oriented, structured, and commercially creative.
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to recruit, inspire, coach, and develop teams, creating engagement, ownership, and performance in a growing organization.
• A high level of enthusiasm and positive energy, combined with the drive to take initiative and get things done.
• Fluent in Italian & English, written and spoken.
• Willing to travel regularly across Italy and to Belgium HQ.

Our Values
At AQUALEX, we call our people Amigeaus - a community united by shared values and behaviors that define who we are and how we work together. Being an Amigeau means combining a 'work hard, play hard' mentality with genuine team spirit and enjoyment in what we do. Amigeaus are adaptable and self-driven, comfortable with change, and eager to take ownership. They are approachable and open, communicating transparently and collaborating easily across teams. With enthusiasm and positive energy, they drive momentum and inspire others. Above all, Amigeaus are open-minded, curious, and motivated to turn new ideas into meaningful progress.

Our Offer

• A key leadership role shaping the future of AQUALEX in one of Europe's most strategic markets.
• The opportunity to build a country organization from foundation to expansion, with high ownership and influence on market direction.
• A strong product portfolio and brand with premium design, sustainability, and innovation as core differentiators.
• Competitive remuneration package including performance-based bonuses.
• Full support and training from HQ Belgium, combined with international exposure and knowledge sharing.
• A culture that values autonomy, initiative, and entrepreneurial growth with close collaboration across countries.

How to react?
Ready to win the Italian market and bring sustainable water design to life?

If you are interested, we invite you to apply online by registering your profile and informing us about your competencies for this position.

Your Consultant
Mr. Marc Van Beethoven