The posting
Position Summary
We are seeking an accomplished SaaS and security sales leader with the skills, intellect, professional experience, and drive to lead the F5 Distributed Cloud (XC) overlay sales organization across APCJ. Distributed Cloud, XC, is F5's SaaS-delivered platform for securing, connecting, and delivering applications and APIs across on-premises data centers, public clouds, and the edge through a single control plane. The portfolio spans web application and API protection (WAAP), API security, bot defense, DDoS mitigation, hybrid multi-cloud, and application delivery, sold on subscription and consumption models to Enterprise and Service Provider customers.
The XC portfolio has moved beyond incubation. The mandate now is scale: driving a repeatable, high-velocity SaaS motion through the core account teams rather than around them, building credibility with CISOs, cloud architects, and platform engineering leaders, and extending F5's deep install base with XC services that add new value on top of what customers already run on prem. This is an additive motion — XC modernizes and complements the core business rather than replacing it — and the leader must be able to tell that story convincingly to customers, partners, and to the field. The right candidate has personally sold security SaaS, understands ARR and consumption mechanics, and can help a field with deep infrastructure roots sell a cloud service alongside the core portfolio.
Based in Hong Kong or Singapore, the role reports jointly to the Vice President, XC Sales and the Senior Vice President, APCJ, and is accountable for aligning worldwide XC direction with regional priorities. Success is measured as much by the capability built in the broader APCJ field organization as by the overlay team's own number.
Primary Responsibilities
Strategy and Planning
- Define the XC go-to-market strategy for APCJ with input from a cross-functional team, both in-region and worldwide. The strategy must align to worldwide XC direction while reflecting the field realities of APCJ countries, with clear goals by region and an explicit view of the gaps to close in FY27 and beyond.
- Own the XC SaaS commercial motion for APCJ — new ARR, consumption growth and expansion within existing customers, renewal health, and XC attach into the installed base as a complementary layer that grows total F5 wallet share.
- Develop sales strategies and forecast sales volumes for each theatre, and own the accuracy and integrity of the XC ARR and bookings forecast in regional and worldwide reviews.
- Assist in setting the annual XC revenue target for APCJ, and carry accountability for attaining it.
- Introduce new XC products and capabilities as they are released, positioning them alongside the core portfolio so that every launch adds to the F5 footprint without disrupting core sales momentum.
Overlay Leadership and Field Alignment
- Lead, coach, and develop the APCJ XC overlay specialist team, setting a clear operating standard for deal quality, security and cloud technical depth, and customer engagement.
- Establish and enforce rules of engagement between the overlay team and the core account teams, so the model creates leverage and a seamless F5 identity with customers rather than friction or duplicated coverage.
- As part of a management matrix with the regional RVPs, strategically recruit, retain, and develop a world-class team with genuine security and SaaS pedigree.
- Drive widespread XC enablement across the APCJ sales organization — teaching a field with deep infrastructure roots to qualify, position, run proofs of value for, and land a SaaS security service alongside the core portfolio — so specialist capacity is reserved for complex and strategic pursuits.
- Implement standard account and territory planning programs that make the XC strategy real for reps in the field, including install-base expansion plays that layer XC services onto existing F5 deployments and whitespace targeting for application security and hybrid multi-cloud.
Customer and Partner Engagement
- Initiate and lead the technical and commercial executive discussions — with CISOs, CIOs, cloud architecture, and platform engineering leaders — that lead to strategic partnerships across the Enterprise, Service Provider, and partner community.
- Build and execute the hyperscaler co-sell and cloud marketplace motion for XC in APCJ across AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, and align with the security and cloud-native channel partners who influence these buyers.
- Develop and cultivate relationships with key strategic customers, channel partners, and industry leaders, monitoring all metrics and ensuring the team meets both sales and strategic goals.
- Engage personally in key customer and channel opportunities, assisting with the sales cycle in support of the company's sales strategy.
Cross-Functional and Operating Rigor
- Partner closely with Product Marketing to ensure clear product positioning and a compelling value proposition for the Distributed Cloud offering — including how XC complements existing F5 deployments — and serve as a credible field voice back into Product on roadmap, pricing, packaging, and competitive dynamics in the region.
- Uphold F5's Business Code of Ethics and promptly report violations of the Code or other company policies.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- An impressive record of achievement selling SaaS-delivered security and cloud solutions to Enterprise and Service Provider customers — including large, complex, and enterprise license agreement (ELA) deals — across multiple market channels.
- Deep application security domain credibility — WAF/WAAP, API security, bot defense, DDoS — with established CISO-level relationships across APCJ markets.
- Fluency in SaaS sales fundamentals: ARR and net revenue retention, land-and-expand, subscription and consumption-based pricing, proof-of-value and trial-led selling, and renewal and expansion management.
- Understanding of hybrid multi-cloud deployment models — running services consistently across on-premises, public cloud, and edge environments from a common control plane — and the ability to position that value to both security and infrastructure buyers.
- Experience with hyperscaler ecosystems, including cloud marketplace transactions, co-sell programs, and joint account planning with AWS, Microsoft, or Google.
- Demonstrated success in an overlay, specialist, or new-business-unit capacity, with the influencing skills to drive results through teams that do not report directly to you.
- Experience adding a SaaS line to an established hardware or software business — growing the new offering while protecting and complementing the core — and successfully positioning a new or emerging product across multiple markets.
- A proven background in a sales management role with a respected security, cloud, or SaaS company.
- Proven success working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, and the ability to work effectively with internationally diverse teams across multiple cultures, languages, and time zones.
- A history of repeatedly achieving and exceeding quota, with excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
- A reputation for integrity, honesty, candor, fairness, and discretion, and a history of the highest standards of professionalism and ethical behavior toward customers and employees.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
- 10+ years selling complex strategic solutions in APCJ, with the majority of that time in security and/or cloud SaaS.
- Direct selling experience in at least two of the following: application security (WAAP/WAF, API security, bot defense, DDoS), hybrid multi-cloud across on-premises, public clouds, and edge, application delivery, or cloud-native and Kubernetes platforms.
- 8+ years of sales experience managing a remote, field-based direct and channel sales organization, including a security, SaaS, or specialist overlay team.
- Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales goals and consistently beating assigned targets and deadlines, with ARR and net-retention results you can speak to in detail.
- Comfortable selling to and presenting at CISO, CIO, and cloud-architecture leadership level, and equally fluent with platform engineering, DevSecOps, and SecOps practitioners.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen to customer needs, comprehend complex matters, articulate issues clearly and concisely, and present findings and recommendations in both oral and written form to all levels of the organization.
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically and analytically, execute against those goals, and lead in a constantly evolving environment while managing multiple priorities and ambiguity.
- Working knowledge of the XC technology domain — hybrid multi-cloud across on-premises, public clouds, and edge; Kubernetes and containers; application delivery; WAAP; API security; bot defense; DDoS; CDN and edge; and SaaS consumption models — sufficient to converse fluently with both technical and business audiences.
- Experience developing relationships with hyperscalers, suppliers, and co-marketing partners is highly desirable.
Work Environment
- Based in Hong Kong or Singapore with responsibility for all APCJ markets. Duties require the ability to travel by automobile or airplane, with approximately 50% of time spent traveling within APCJ and to worldwide meetings, and regular collaboration across APCJ and worldwide time zones.
The Job Description is intended to be a general representation of the responsibilities and requirements of the job. However, the description may not be all-inclusive, and responsibilities and requirements are subject to change.
