Open To Work
Mel Sanford
Dallas
Summary
Strategic Chief Revenue Officer and private equity portfolio operator with P&L oversight across diverse sectors including SaaS, cybersecurity, and healthcare. Spearheaded initiatives that generated over $2.75 billion in enterprise value, including significant reductions in operating expenses and the establishment of a $100 million cybersecurity distribution channel. Managed $800 million in annual recurring revenue, integrating growth and risk strategies while developing AI-driven systems to enhance sales efficiency and compliance.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Revenue Officer & Operating Executive
PRIVATE EQUITY PORTFOLIO (CONFIDENTIAL SPONSOR)
Dallas
10.2023 - Current
- Led enterprise value creation across PE and Family Office-backed SaaS, cybersecurity, healthcare, financial services, defense, and advisory platforms, overseeing $800M+ in ARR while aligning growth, risk, and capital allocation decisions to drive strategic initiatives.
- Architect AI and agentic-driven operating systems that accelerate new revenue (shorter sales cycles, higher win rates, larger ACVs) while protecting existing revenue through improved forecast accuracy, lower churn, and tighter visibility across the customer lifecycle.
- Enhanced enterprise resilience through implementation of NIST/ISO cyber, Zero-Trust, and cloud frameworks across large portfolios, minimizing business interruptions and cyber risks while safeguarding revenue-generating digital assets.
- Partner with sponsors and boards to design and own the value-creation plan, translating investment theses into executable growth, margin, and risk programs with clear milestones, KPI governance, and course-correction mechanisms
Chief Revenue Officer, SVP of Sales
CADIEN/IR.INC
Dallas
09.2022 - 10.2023
- Established strategic partnerships with elite law firms, insurers, and technology providers, doubling pipeline velocity and positioning firm as trusted response partner during high-severity breach events.
- Built $5M qualified pipeline in 90 days through disciplined operating cadence and executive-level engagement across healthcare, financial services, and legal sectors.
- Designed and launched unified go-to-market operating model within 30 days, aligning sales, product, and marketing into single execution engine for cyber incident response firm.
Principal
DELL TECHNOLOGIES
Dallas
01.2022 - 09.2022
- Created a $100M+ global cybersecurity channel in under 6 months, closing enterprise agreements with AIG, Chubb, and Travelers.
- Established and scaled enterprise cybersecurity growth motion, overseeing go-to-market (GTM) strategy, cyber field engineers, partner ecosystem design, revenue acceleration, and margin performance in regulated industries.
- Increased recurring revenue by 35% by aligning partners, optimizing channel strategies, and executing initiatives across the US, EMEA, and APAC.
- Received 2x Dell Inspire Awards for contributions to innovation, growth acceleration, and creation of new channels.
Director and Chief of Staff
CAPGEMINI
Dallas
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Secured $100M in continuity contracts with Exxon, BP, and Shell by embedding AI-driven cloud and cybersecurity programs that strengthened regulatory compliance and enterprise resilience.
- Led digital transformation and GTM modernization initiatives for Fortune 100 clients in regulated industries, overseeing revenue expansion and governance during periods of disruption.
- Re-architected global GTM operations during COVID-19, achieving 40% YoY growth across fintech and industrial sectors.
- Generated $50M in incremental revenue by modernizing sales coverage, optimizing partner strategy, and tightening execution cadence across complex enterprise accounts.
Director of Telco Service Providers
SYMANTEC
Dallas
06.2018 - 06.2019
- Spearheaded growth of North America's service provider segment by overseeing channel strategy and enterprise pipeline management while commercializing cybersecurity and identity solutions to embed provider offerings and accelerate enterprise adoption.
- Retained $90M in recurring revenue through strategic renewals with Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and United Airlines.
- Led strategic planning initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Directed the implementation of advanced threat detection systems across multiple platforms.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop cybersecurity solutions and best practices.
Director of Business Development and Incident Response
KROLL
Chicago
01.2017 - 06.2018
- Closed incident response and proactive cyber contracts with Fortune 500 companies and private equity-backed organizations, generating $6.5M+ in incident response engagements during active breach and ransomware events.
- Established Kroll as a preferred global response partner for elite law firms including Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Baker & McKenzie, Venable, and Nixon Peabody, enhancing pipeline growth through ecosystem credibility and strategic partnerships.
- Led business development initiatives to identify new market opportunities and trends.
- Developed strategic partnerships to enhance client engagement and service offerings.
- Coordinated cross-functional teams to align goals and drive project success.
Director of Sales and Channel
APPLE, INC.
Chicago
12.2009 - 06.2016
- Transformed the iPhone from a consumer device into an enterprise platform, scaling revenue from $0 to $1.75B+, by changing buying behavior and establishing security and governance.
- Built global partner and channel ecosystems that enabled secure enterprise deployment at scale, earning top 1% Apple Stock Awards for performance and talent retention.
- Led enterprise adoption initiatives across Andreessen Horowitz-backed portfolios and Fortune 100 retailers, including Macy's, Chase, and Target, accelerating go-to-market execution and increasing transaction volume.
- Joined Apple's first enterprise carrier core team during launch of iPhone for Business, contributing to category creation, ecosystem design, and executive adoption across global enterprises.
Education
MBA - Business Administration
Auburn University, Harbert College of Business
Auburn, AL01.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Analytics
DePaul University
Chicago, IL01.2015
Skills
- Go-to-market strategy
- Customer acquisition strategy
- Revenue optimization
- P&L management
- EBITDA growth
- Enterprise value creation
- Portfolio operations
- Exit readiness
- Channel strategy
- Business strategy
- Strategic partnerships
- Capital risk alignment
- Execution governance
- Data-driven decision making
- Operating model design
- Cybersecurity strategies
Military Service
United States Navy, E-4, Completed one combat tour and four years of distinguished service in forward-deployed, zero-fail operational environments. Selected for high-trust assignments supporting senior U.S. government leadership, including the White House, members of Congress, and U.S. Supreme Court justices. This experience shaped a leadership approach centered on resilience under pressure, executional precision, and clear accountability.
Accomplishments
2x Dell Inspire Awards
Timeline
Chief Revenue Officer & Operating Executive
PRIVATE EQUITY PORTFOLIO (CONFIDENTIAL SPONSOR)
10.2023 - Current
Chief Revenue Officer, SVP of Sales
CADIEN/IR.INC
09.2022 - 10.2023
Principal
DELL TECHNOLOGIES
01.2022 - 09.2022
Director and Chief of Staff
CAPGEMINI
01.2020 - 01.2022
Director of Telco Service Providers
SYMANTEC
06.2018 - 06.2019
Director of Business Development and Incident Response
KROLL
01.2017 - 06.2018
Director of Sales and Channel
APPLE, INC.
12.2009 - 06.2016
MBA - Business Administration
Auburn University, Harbert College of Business
Bachelor of Arts - Analytics
DePaul University