In the dynamic world of B2B technology, execution is rapidly becoming the ultimate differentiator. As global enterprises grapple with scaling their digital commerce operations across increasingly complex environments, the focus has shifted from simply adopting new platforms to deriving measurable, predictable results. We’re joined by two of the newest leaders at commercetools, Chief Revenue Officer John Lentine and Vice President of Partners & Alliances Paul Applegate, who have been brought on to steer the company through its next phase of significant growth. This interview explores their strategies for building a robust revenue engine, the critical role of partnerships in operationalizing new technologies, and how they plan to translate sophisticated platform capabilities into tangible commercial success for their enterprise clients.
With execution now a key differentiator for global enterprises, how will you build a revenue engine that delivers predictable growth and translates complex platform capabilities into measurable commercial outcomes for clients?
The next phase of commerce is absolutely going to be defined by execution—it’s what separates ambition from real results. My core focus is on building a global revenue engine that is not only powerful but, more importantly, predictable and repeatable for our customers. This isn’t just about selling software; it’s about helping enterprises scale unified and agentic commerce in a way that is commercially sound. We achieve this by meticulously mapping our platform’s capabilities to clear business outcomes, whether that’s accelerating time to market, ensuring operational consistency across regions, or unlocking new revenue streams. It’s a very hands-on process of ensuring our sales, customer expansion, and go-to-market execution are all laser-focused on delivering that tangible value.
You’ve previously managed over $1 billion in annual recurring revenue in a highly technical software environment. What key lessons from that experience will you apply to scale commercetools’ enterprise adoption and expand its global go-to-market strategy?
Managing a portfolio of that size, especially in a deeply technical field like product design and manufacturing software, taught me the immense value of operational rigor and a deep understanding of the customer’s world. The most critical lesson is that in complex enterprise sales, you cannot just sell a product; you must sell a clear, achievable outcome. I plan to bring that same discipline here by scaling our go-to-market teams to not only be experts in our technology but also fluent in the specific industry challenges our clients face. We will focus on global account expansion by demonstrating how our platform solves concrete problems, making the adoption process a strategic investment rather than a technology expense. That’s how you build trust and long-term relationships at the enterprise level.
Partners are often described as a force multiplier for operationalizing new technologies like AI in commerce. How will you deepen strategic relationships to achieve this, and what kind of joint programs will you prioritize to accelerate customer value?
That’s a perfect way to put it—partners truly are a force multiplier, and that’s never been more true than now as enterprises work to operationalize AI across their commerce functions. My mission is to expand our global partner ecosystem by deepening the strategic relationships we already have and forging new alliances in priority markets. We will prioritize coordinated joint programs that are designed from the ground up to accelerate pipeline growth and new bookings, but most importantly, to drive immediate and long-term customer value. The goal is to create a seamless experience where our partners help customers move faster, cut through complexity, and realize the full value of unified commerce at scale, creating a win-win-win for the customer, the partner, and for us.
As enterprises scale unified digital commerce across increasingly complex environments, what are their biggest operational challenges, and how can stronger commercial leadership and partner alliances directly help a global brand overcome these hurdles?
The biggest operational challenge we see is fragmentation. A global brand is often juggling different markets, multiple channels, and evolving business models, which creates immense complexity and inconsistency. They struggle to maintain a unified customer experience and operate efficiently across all these moving parts. This is precisely where stronger commercial leadership and robust partner alliances make a direct impact. Strong leadership provides a clear, unified strategy for scaling revenue and accelerating time to market. At the same time, our growing global ecosystem of partners provides the specialized expertise and on-the-ground support needed to execute that strategy consistently across every region. Together, we provide the framework and the resources for a brand to overcome that fragmentation and operate as a truly unified global entity.
In building new alliances in priority markets, what criteria will you use to identify the right strategic partners, and what are the practical steps involved in ensuring these new relationships are aligned with both immediate customer needs and long-term ecosystem growth?
Our approach is rooted in a single, guiding principle: alignment with customer outcomes. When identifying new partners, we’re looking beyond just their technical capabilities; we’re assessing their commitment to delivering measurable results for clients and their vision for long-term ecosystem growth. The right partner understands that this isn’t about a single transaction but about building a sustainable advantage for our shared customers. The practical steps involve creating a structured framework for our joint programs that clearly defines goals, from pipeline generation to customer value realization. We ensure there’s operational rigor in how we collaborate, making sure our teams are coordinated and that our joint value proposition is clear, powerful, and directly addresses the immediate needs of enterprises looking to scale.
What is your forecast for the future of enterprise digital commerce?
My forecast is that the future will belong to the enterprises that master execution. For years, the conversation has been about features and possibilities. Now, it’s about delivery, reliability, and measurable outcomes. We’ll see a major shift where the ability to operate a unified, scalable, and commercially sound commerce platform across all channels and markets will become the primary competitive advantage. It won’t be enough to simply have advanced technology; the winners will be those who can translate that technology into predictable growth and a seamless, consistent customer experience on a global scale. The future is less about digital transformation as a project and more about commercial execution as a constant, core competency.