Why Revenue Leaders are not Teachers and how AI is reimagining the sales profession

Introduction: Redefining Sales Leadership in the AI Era

What does it take to lead a high-performing commercial organisation in 2025?

For Raouf Mhenni, Chief Commercial Officer at Sopra Banking Software (SBS), the answer is a fusion of resilience, human connection, and bold adoption of new technologies. In a powerful episode of the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast, Raouf shares what he’s learned from a 20+ year career spanning sales, product, and marketing leadership across global markets.

This conversation is a masterclass in building resilient teams, driving growth through culture, and navigating the rise of AI in sales — without losing the human soul of the profession.

From Pre-Sales to the C-Suite: A Journey Fueled by Curiosity and Customer Focus

Raouf's sales career started in pre-sales, but it didn’t take long to discover where his real strengths and passion lay. After smashing quota in his first year, he never looked back.

His journey took him across industries and continents, giving him a uniquely broad perspective. Today, as CCO of Sopra Banking Software, Raouf leads a commercial function delivering core banking and digital banking solutions across Europe and North America — with a focus on accelerating revenue, building GTM strategies, and empowering people.

Building Resilient Sales Teams: The New Rules

Raouf shares a grounded but progressive view on what it takes to build successful sales teams today.

1. Hiring Has Changed

Old models of hiring based on network or rolodex no longer cut it. Buyers are increasingly faceless, and procurement processes have become depersonalised. Raouf now prioritises referrals and culture fit — people who are referred tend to onboard faster, perform better, and stay longer.

"The best hires come from people you trust, not job boards."

2. Onboarding Needs to Be Human

Forget passive e-learning. Raouf believes in onboarding that creates psychological safety and connection — meeting R&D teams, talking to product managers, and understanding the ‘why’ behind the product.

"Make them feel safe. Sales is tough — but if they know they’re not alone, they thrive."

3. Engagement Goes Beyond Money

Commission is no longer the only motivator. Raouf points to three deeper drivers:

• Learning: Salespeople must understand client problems and business impact.
• Joy: Fun, collaboration, and meaningful work matter.
• Career Growth: Sales isn’t a dead-end — it’s a launchpad to the C-suite.

“Salespeople can become CEOs. They’re not just quota machines.”

The Role of Leadership: Not Teachers, But Enablers

One of the episode’s core insights is Raouf's assertion that revenue leaders should not see themselves as teachers.

Instead, great leaders:

• Step in during tough moments to reassure and support
• Foster peer-led enablement, like win-loss reviews without management in the room
• Create space for future leaders to emerge from within the team

“If you're letting your people down when things are tough, you’re failing as a leader.”

He also challenges the outdated view that salespeople are inherently competitive and selfish:

“Sales teams have solidarity — if you create the environment for it, they lift each other.”

AI & Sales: Urgency, Upskilling, and the Human Edge

AI isn’t coming — it’s here. Raouf's honest admission?

“AI makes me nervous.”

But rather than resist, he’s leaning in — enrolling in AI courses, launching internal capability programs, and challenging his teams to adapt.

Key areas where Raouf sees AI reshaping sales:

• Time-to-Market: From product positioning to proposal drafts, AI slashes hours to minutes.
• Discovery & Qualification: Generative tools can analyse reports, record meetings, and identify patterns faster than humans.
• Prioritisation: Machine learning can assess prospect likelihoods, reducing wasted sales cycles.

“It’s not about whether you use AI — it’s how fast you adopt it.”

But Raouf's warning is clear: don’t lose the human side.

“We work to live — not live to work. AI can help, but joy, conversation, and connection must remain.”

Final Thoughts: Sales Needs Heart, Not Just Data

In a world of AI, metrics, and automation, Raouf Mennie’s philosophy is refreshingly human:

• Support people when they’re down
• Make sales a fulfilling career path
• Use AI to accelerate — not replace — human insight
• Remember that empathy, humour, and stories are still the most powerful sales tools

“Keep the human at the centre. That’s what makes the job — and the journey — worth it.”

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