Suraj Kakar

CEO

Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany11 yrs 3 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchAI ML Practitioner

Key Highlights

Led a team to achieve over 50,000 ticket sales.
Developed a successful ELTIF distributor strategy.
Expert in generative AI for sales enablement.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Fintech expert with a strong focus on sales enablement and generative AI.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Private MarketsSalesNetworkingManagementSaasGenerative AiStrategic ConsultingSales EnablementSales DevelopmentFinancial Services

Other Skills

Private equityInvestmentmanagementPrivate WealthAsset-ManagementInfrastructureELTIFFundraisingEvent ManagementAnalyticsSoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSoftware as a Service (SaaS)MenschenführungVertriebReal Estate Private Equity

About

I build the bridges that move capital. As Executive Director at portagon I help asset managers bring ELTIFs and Private Markets products to banks, wealth platforms, and IFAs in Germany. I lead a team of five across sales, accounts, and analytics. We design distributor journeys, remove onboarding friction, and turn interest into allocations. I also host a monthly ELTIF breakfast that convenes decision makers and accelerates adoption. What I work on: ELTIF distribution strategy. Bank and wealth partnerships. Fund onboarding and operations. Sales enablement. Practical AI in sales. If you own distribution for an ELTIF or a private markets strategy and want faster access to DACH networks, let’s connect.

Experience

Portagon

2 roles

Executive Director | ELTIF Distribution and Private Wealth Partnerships in DACH

Promoted

Feb 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 2 mos

Lead a 5-person team covering sales, account management, and analytics for asset-manager and distributor growth.
Built repeatable ELTIF distributor motion across private banks, wealth managers, and platforms resulting in >100 distributors and >50.000 tickets in 3 years.
Launched and scaled the monthly “ELTIF Breakfast” to >70 attendees per session to align market participants and unblock operations.
Drove pipeline governance and partner activation to reduce time from first meeting to first allocation by 45 percent.

Private MarketsPrivate equityInvestmentmanagementSalesPrivate WealthAsset-Management+4

Head Of Sales

Jul 2022 – Jan 2024 · 1 yr 6 mos

Owned DACH new-logo motion for private markets distribution
Standardized due diligence and onboarding steps for banks and IFAs
Hired and ramped a sales team to full productivity

SoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSoftware as a Service (SaaS)MenschenführungVertriebReal Estate Private Equity+21

Bundesverband der vertriebsmanager e.v.

Mitglied

Jan 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 3 mos · Frankfurt/Rhein-Main

Business angels deutschland e.v. (band)

Mitglied

Dec 2023 – Present · 2 yrs 4 mos · Frankfurt/Rhein-Main

Pavilion

Member

Apr 2022 – Present · 4 yrs

Leanix

2 roles

Head of Sales and Business Development Representatives EMEA (interim)

Jun 2021 – Sep 2021 · 3 mos · Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland

Design and execute a Sales Development plan to grow our SaaS footprint in EMEA
Achieving individual & team metrics through inbound prospecting efforts
Ensuring quality of sales opportunities as you contribute to a forecasted pipeline
Built, manage and coach a team of Sales Development Representatives in EMEA to get new business opportunities
Actively engaging in internal training programs to become an expert in LeanIX’ product offering and competitive landscape
Ensure that the sales development team is following the prospecting process applying the methodology with a high level of activity and the right messaging
Identify the best practices from the top performing SDRs and integrate them in the system so that they are applied by the whole business development team
Keep the prospecting playbook up to date with the latest system improvements and the knowledge gathered from the market
Coach SDRs individually on methodology (MEDDICC), time management, messaging and conversion
Manage individual and team goals and establish work dynamics (e.g. gamification, power hours)
Explore new hypothesis for business development (different target markets, buyer personas, channels, messaging, team dynamics), test them empirically with the SDR team and make data-driven decisions

SoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSaaS-VertriebAnalytische FähigkeitenTechnologievertriebHunter+2

Revenue Enablement Trainer

Mar 2021 – Jun 2022 · 1 yr 3 mos · Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland

Enable, train and coach our (new) team members regarding processes, sales methodologies (MEDDICC) and instruments to be prepared for a SaaS environment
Control and continuous optimization of all relevant sales processes and workflows to increase the efficiency of our sales and service teams
Administration, analysis and optimization of our CRM systems and other tools
Plan and coordinate sales training by identifying learning objectives, designing exercises, and running blended training programs
Work closely with internal groups (sales leadership, marketing, product management, sales operations, training & education) to accomplish Sales Enablement objectives

SoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSaaS-VertriebAnalytische FähigkeitenTechnologievertriebSales Enablement+1

Ebury

Key Account Director

Jan 2020 – Jun 2020 · 5 mos · Düsseldorf und Umgebung, Deutschland

SoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSaaS-VertriebFinanzdienstleistungenTechnologievertriebHunter+2

Visable

2 roles

Regional Sales Manager/Google Expert

May 2019 – Dec 2019 · 7 mos

SoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSaaS-VertriebTechnologievertriebHunterSales+1

Regional Sales Manager / Google AdWords KMU Premium Partner

Jan 2017 – Dec 2019 · 2 yrs 11 mos

Online Marketing, B2B-Business, Nummer 1 B2B Marktplatz, Google AdWords

SoftwarevertriebPräsentationenSaaS-VertriebTechnologievertriebHunterSales+1

Suraj kakar

Advisor für Generative KI, Enablement & Trusted AI in Organisationen

Jan 2018 – Present · 8 yrs 3 mos · Remote

Ich unterstütze Führungskräfte und Organisationen dabei, generative KI von ersten Use-Cases zu einer strategisch verankerten, skalierbaren Fähigkeit zu entwickeln.
Schwerpunkte meiner Arbeit:
Entwicklung von KI-Strategien entlang der Wertschöpfungskette
Enablement von Management, Fachbereichen und Vertrieb zur produktiven Nutzung generativer KI
Übersetzung von Technologie in messbaren Business Impact (Effizienz, Innovation, Wachstum)
Aufbau von Governance-, Daten- und Entscheidungsstrukturen für verantwortungsvolle KI-Nutzung (Trusted AI)
Befähigung von Organisationen, KI eigenständig weiterzuentwickeln, statt von externen Tools abhängig zu bleiben
Meine Trainings und Programme richten sich gezielt an Entscheider- und Umsetzungsebenen und verbinden Strategie, Praxis und Organisation.
I work with executives and leadership teams to turn generative AI from isolated experiments into a scalable, organization-wide capability.
Core focus areas:
Designing Generative AI strategies aligned with business models and value chains
Enabling leadership, sales and functional teams to apply GenAI productively and responsibly
Translating AI initiatives into measurable business outcomes such as efficiency, innovation and growth
Establishing governance, data and decision frameworks for Trusted AI adoption
Building internal capabilities so organizations can operate and evolve AI independently
My work combines strategic framing, hands-on enablement and organizational execution.