CRO at DataDome
Series B cybersecurity company, 150 people, first CRO, hired in Atlanta.
- 119 daysto a signed offer
- 70candidates met
- 3 yearsin seat, and counting
The brief. DataDome, a French cybersecurity company at Series B, was hiring its first Chief Revenue Officer. Nobody there had held that much commercial responsibility. Two things were non-negotiable: a background in cybersecurity, and a track record taking a company from $20M to $100M in ARR.
What made it hard. The search started in Manhattan. Leaders with both of those exist, but the ones in New York did not fit the budget.
How it got done. The must-haves stayed, and the map moved. The search widened beyond New York and met 70 candidates, and three months in, the right person was in Atlanta.
Where it landed. 119 days from kickoff to a signed offer, closed on a Sunday night in the summer. Three years later, DataDome's CRO is still there.
Incredible efficiency from defining the scope to the closing. Victor and his team helped us hire a few Rock stars.Benjamin Fabre, CEO at DataDome
General Manager at Praxedo
General Manager, Chicago, taking over a $3M US business.
- 87 daysto a signed offer
- 36candidates met
- July 2025in seat since
The brief. Praxedo had spent five years building its US business from zero to $3M, under another executive. The new General Manager would get the keys to all of it and had to take it to the next level. Chicago was fixed.
What made it hard. Three jobs in one: a player-coach who could take over a small team, structure it and still get their hands dirty; one person to own both sales and marketing; and a safe pair of hands for some very large clients through a handover from the previous manager.
How it got done. The search went to the network first and found someone already vetted. Instead of starting from zero, the process was fast-tracked.
Where it landed. 87 days from kickoff to a signed offer, after meeting 36 people. Praxedo's GM has been running the US business from Chicago since July 2025.
CRO at AdaCore
Chief Revenue Officer, first US CRO, embedded software.
- 92 daysto a signed offer
- 52candidates met
- June 2026in seat since
The brief. AdaCore was hiring a CRO in the US for the first time. A strategic role: someone from the embedded software industry, able to take over a fairly large team and turn it from relying on existing business to going after new accounts.
What made it hard. Knowledge and vision were only part of it. The role needed grit and hustle, and someone who could establish credibility fast in front of a senior team.
How it got done. After a lot of conversations, the profile became clear: a stretch CRO, someone already running a similar team and P&L inside a big company without the full title or responsibilities. AdaCore offered exactly that step up.
Where it landed. 92 days from kickoff to a signed offer, after meeting 52 people. AdaCore's first US CRO has been in seat since June 2026.
What the three have in common
None of these searches got easier by lowering the bar. Every non-negotiable stayed, and what could move did: the map for DataDome, the recruiter's own bench for Praxedo, the size of the step up for AdaCore.
More about the person behind them: Victor Vatus. The firm: Sell Me This Pen.