International business advisor
Sales director's results. Ambassador's relationships.
I help companies enter new international markets and grow their global sales — combining more than 25 years of B2B sales and business development experience with negotiation skills built at the level of top executives and governments.
25+
years in international business development and B2B sales
$400M–2B
in capital-intensive projects and negotiations
20+
people managed directly as a senior executive
8
countries where represented Estonia as ambassador or diplomat
Services
How I can help your company
Every company and its path to international markets is different — so every engagement starts with an initial consultation to map out your goals, current position, and the next steps that matter most.
01Export potential assessment
I review your products, services and business model, and assess their fit and competitiveness in target markets before you commit to major investment.
02Export and market-entry strategy
I build a complete market-entry plan — target markets, entry model, resource needs, timeline — that can also serve as the basis for a grant or investment case.
03Building partner and reseller networks
I identify and evaluate suitable partners, resellers and clients in new markets, and help build a reliable network you can count on.
04International negotiations and contracts
I lead or support negotiations for complex international deals, partnerships and contracts — from capital-intensive projects to long sales cycles.
05Sales to governments and large organizations
Doing business with governments and large institutions is very different from a typical market — I help shape the right strategy and relationship model for it.
06Fractional export director
A longer-term engagement where I take part-time responsibility for leading your company's international sales activity and team.
About
From sales rep to diplomat, and back
My career has moved from a sales representative's desk into an ambassador's office, and back into leading international business development. That combination gives clients something a typical export consultant can't offer alone: hands-on sales experience paired with personal access to governments, institutions and top executives.
During 23 years at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I represented Estonia's economic and political interests across several continents, built senior-level relationships with governments and institutions, and supported companies' export growth and international expansion. My later years at Levercode and Eesti Energia/Enefit added direct business development experience and the leadership of capital-intensive international projects.
A market's size and purchasing power are always limited — the question isn't whether to export, but when, how, and where. My mission is to help companies find the answers.
Career
2022–2026
Head of International Strategic Projects
Eesti Energia AS / Enefit
2019–2022
Head of International Strategic Relations
Levercode OÜ
1996–2019
Ambassador to India, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Myanmar; Undersecretary for Administration and Finance; Chargé d'affaires in Canada and Economic and Commercial Officer in the USA
Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1994–1996
Sales Manager, ~10-person sales team
Saku Brewery AS
1993–1994
Sales Representative & Loan Officer
Bank of Tallinn AS
Education
2001–2003
MA, International Commerce and Policy
George Mason University, USA
1996–1997
Diploma, International and EU Relations
Estonian School of Diplomacy
1991–1995
BA, Finance and Business Administration
University of Tartu
Track Record
Measurable impact, not just experience
$20M+
in annual contribution, helping turn a loss-making international business unit profitable
$13M
in financial liabilities avoided through a structured strategic exit
- Involved in international energy and infrastructure projects worth roughly $400 million to $2 billion
- Led a ~10-person sales team at Saku Brewery in the HoReCa segment
- Supported companies' export growth and international market entry across multiple continents
- Built business opportunities and strategic relationships across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and North America
- As Undersecretary, directly managed ~20 people and a budget of roughly €20 million
- Chaired Estonia's Strategic Goods Commission for six years, coordinating cooperation across six government agencies