Selling Cadmatic’s engineering software globally is not about volume or quick wins. It’s about understanding customer industries, processes, and long-term value creation. To give an honest look into what this kind of global sales work involves, we sat down with Thomas Parbst, Chief Revenue Officer at Cadmatic. Thomas joined us in 2025 and leads global Sales, Business development, and Pre-sales. In this blog, Thomas shares his perspective on leading sales in a global, growing company. What sales at Cadmatic really looks like, what makes the work motivating and meaningful, and what kind of sales professionals tend to thrive in this environment?
Meet Thomas – and learn what drew him to Cadmatic
When Thomas Parbst first came into contact with Cadmatic, he hadn’t heard much about us yet. In fact, he was close to accepting a role in another company when his former colleague encouraged him to take a closer look. “I didn’t really know Cadmatic at first, but once I started meeting the people and learning about the business, I realized this was something quite unique”, Thomas says.
What stood out quickly was the nature of our engineering software and the way we work with customers. Our software is used in some of the world’s most demanding industrial environments, from large shipyards to complex plant and infrastructure projects.
“These are not theoretical use cases,” Thomas explains. “Our software is used in projects where mistakes are extremely expensive. That immediately tells you something about the responsibility and trust involved.”
Equally important was the company culture. Thomas noticed that many of our team members have built long careers here, including leaders who have been part of the company for decades, with the average employee tenure currently at around 10 years.
“You don’t see that kind of tenure by accident. It tells me that people are treated with respect and that the culture actually works in practice, not just on paper”, Thomas says.
For Thomas, his role as our CRO offered a rare combination: global reach, highly specialized engineering software, and a company size where individuals can still make a real impact.
“This felt like a place where you can shape things, not just manage them. That was a big reason why I decided to join”, he says.
What selling our software globally really means
For Thomas, one of the most important things to clarify is what sales at Cadmatic is, and what it is not. “This is not transactional sales. We’re not selling a standard product off the shelf. We’re working with customers on how they design, build, and operate complex projects”, he points out.
“This is not transactional sales. We’re not selling a standard product off the shelf. We’re working with customers on how they design, build, and operate complex projects.”
Selling engineering software at Cadmatic means understanding customer industries deeply, from shipbuilding to process and infrastructure projects, and being able to discuss how software supports real-world workflows, not just features or licenses.
“You need to understand the customer’s reality. What they are trying to achieve, where the risks are, and how our software can actually make a difference in their day-to-day work”, he explains.
Sales cycles are often long and involve multiple stakeholders, from engineers and project managers to decision-makers at the business level. That complexity is not a downside, but a core part of the role.
“If you enjoy solving complex problems and working closely with customers on meaningful challenges, this is where sales becomes interesting,” Thomas says.
Who thrives in sales at Cadmatic?
While the work itself is demanding, Thomas is clear that the role is a great fit for the right kind of sales professional. “There’s no single template for success, but there are some common traits I see in people who really thrive here”, Thomas says.
Based on his experience, sales professionals who succeed at Cadmatic often share the following characteristics:
Sales talents who thrive at Cadmatic typically:
- Enjoy complexity and problem-solving
- Are genuinely curious about engineering and industrial environments
- Take ownership of their work and customer relationships
- Are comfortable working independently and making decisions
- Think long-term and value trust-based customer relationships
Industry experience is often an advantage. Many successful sales professionals have backgrounds in marine or process industries, or a strong interest in learning how these environments operate. “You don’t need to know everything on day one, but you need to be willing to learn, ask questions, and go deeper than surface-level discussions.”
At the core of Cadmatic, in every function, is that we offer a high level of autonomy. In sales roles, it means there is no tightly scripted sales role or constant micromanagement.
“If you enjoy being trusted and taking responsibility, you’ll feel comfortable here. That freedom is something many people value highly, but it also means you need to be proactive and self-driven”, Thomas summarizes.
Building the future of global sales at Cadmatic
As Chief Revenue Officer, Thomas’s role is not just to manage current sales performance, but to build a sales organization that can grow sustainably across markets and industries. So what kind of sales organization are you building next, Thomas?
“We are in a growth phase, and that means we need to be very clear about how we sell, how we work together across regions, and how we make decisions”, he says.
“We are in a growth phase, and that means we need to be very clear about how we sell, how we work together across regions, and how we make decisions.”
Thomas highlights three clear priorities that guide how he is building Cadmatic’s global sales organization:
1. Profitable and sustainable growth.
Cadmatic is growing across multiple regions and industries, and sales play a key role in making sure that growth is both healthy and long-term. “We’re not chasing growth at any cost. We want to grow in a way that makes sense for the business and for our customers.”
2. Execution excellence.
With sales teams operating globally, consistency and transparency become increasingly important. Thomas focuses on improving how sales teams collaborate, forecast, and execute across regions. “It’s about creating clarity. Clear priorities, clear processes, and clear expectations help people succeed.”
This includes strengthening common ways of working, improving how sales data and pipelines are managed, and making sure teams support each other rather than operate in silos.
3. Predictability and visibility.
As the organization grows, having an even clearer and more realistic view of the sales pipeline becomes essential. “We need to know where we are heading. Better visibility helps us make better decisions, plan ahead, and support our teams more effectively”, he says.
At the same time, Thomas emphasizes that autonomy remains a core part of Cadmatic’s sales culture. “We don’t want a rigid, one-size-fits-all sales model. We want skilled professionals who can take responsibility, make decisions, and shape how they work, while still being part of a clear, shared direction.”
For future sales talents, this means joining an organization that is actively being built.
“If you join now, you’re not just stepping into an existing setup,” Thomas says. “You’re joining a team that is growing and developing. That’s a big opportunity for the right people.”
Why join Cadmatic now?
As said, we are continuing our global growth and operating in industries that are both stable and increasingly critical for global development, from shipbuilding to industrial digitalization. “These industries are not going away. The need for better tools, better data, and more efficient processes is only growing”, Thomas emphasizes.
“For sales professionals, this is an opportunity to work in a company that combines global reach with a relatively small and agile organization.”
“For sales professionals, this is an opportunity to work in a company that combines global reach with a relatively small and agile organization. Every person here can make an impact. At the same time, you get to work with a wide range of customers, industries, and markets”, Thomas says.
Thomas is open about the fact that a sales job at Cadmatic is demanding, but for the right people, it offers something rare. “We are building a high-performance sales team, and if you want responsibility, freedom, and the chance to build value for companies in Marine or P&I, this is a great place to be.”His advice to anyone considering a sales role at Cadmatic is simple: “Use your industry domain knowledge, take initiative, build long-term relationships, and find solutions to complex business challenges for customers. If that excites you, you’ll find a lot of opportunities here.”