Business Development Associate, APAC

The role

We are looking to hire a Business Development Associate to join our Sales team in Hong Kong or Singapore.

Working at WGSN

Together, we create tomorrow 

A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We're a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow. 

WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory. If you are an expert in your field, we want to hear from you. 

Role overview 

This exciting role reports into the Head of New Business for APAC. You will be responsible for driving net customer growth and generating new business in the Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia territory with the support of the Head of New Business and the Marketing team. 

Working collaboratively with the Business Development Managers, you will be expected to set up meetings for Business Development managers, a conversion of both outreaching to Key Pursuit Account and inbound warm leads into business opportunities.

If you have a demonstrable track record of sales success and you’re passionate about our key verticals (Fashion, Consumer Tech, Interiors, Beauty, Food and Drink) this is a great role for you. This role gives you the opportunity to work with the world's most creative people, whilst developing the skills to develop your career in Business Development at WGSN, selling a market-leading product.

The team

You will be a key member of our supportive New Business team with diverse backgrounds in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Australia. You will work closely with the Head of Business Development, Business Development Managers/Associates, marketing and global creative teams to sell and deliver the world's leading consumer insight and trend forecasting suite of products. 

You will be part of the Direct Sales team based in Hong Kong. You will also have exposure to our other amazing teams such as Account Management, Client Success,  Content and Marketing. Teamwork and collaboration will allow you to learn and settle comfortably into the role.

Key accountabilities

• Effectively manage our inbound lead queue, being the first point of contact for prospective clients and feeling confident to reach out by phone and multiple touch points to nurture lead to opportunity

• Research and identify potential clients for WGSN; develop and execute strategies for outbound prospecting via email, cold calling, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Salesloft

• Generate demo meetings and discovery meetings to drive pipeline of potential new customers for WGSN

• Use lead generation tools to routinely extract contacts and a targeted list of prospects across Fashion, Beauty, Interiors and Food & Drink and Consumer Tech 

• Ensuring that once meetings are booked, relevant research and information is translated to the Business Development Managers so that they are set up for success in their meetings

• Learn and maintain extensive knowledge of market/industry trends, developments, WGSN customers, competitors, and products; building expertise towards being able to tell the WGSN story while pitching WGSN value

• Working closely with the marketing team on lead generation and new business activities, including but not limited to events, email campaigns, social media

• Reporting to the Head of New Business

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other activities you are required to deliver.

Skills, experience & qualifications required

• Fluency in English is essential; other languages such as Mandarin, Indonesian Bahasa, Vietnamese, Thai would be an advantage

• Sales experience preferred 

• Collaborative mentality and a team player

• Results-driven, resilient and a competitive nature

• Excellent writing, communication, and listening skills

• Great time management skills

• Proven ability to make strong connections and overcome rejection to achieve results.  We provide you with training, do not fear. 

• Knowledge of our core industries: Fashion, Beauty, Interiors, Food and Drink, Consumer Tech

• Previous experience with sales enablement tools such as SalesLoft, Salesforce would be an advantage