Nico Sassolini

SCM GROUP ASIA SDN. BHD (www.scmgroup.com) is a 100% owned foreign enterprise in Malaysia. The company has about 30 people in administration, marketing, sales, and after-sales departments. Selling directly to the Malaysian market to the final customers and government organizations to promote and support the business of the local company

Key Achievements & Impact

• Recruited, built, and led a high-performing organization of approximately 30 skilled professionals across sales, marketing, administration, and after-sales, creating strong local capabilities and reducing dependency on headquarters.
• Led the full greenfield establishment and long-term development of the Malaysian subsidiary, transforming the business from an early-stage operation into a mature, profitable organization with annual turnover growing from approximately EUR 1 million to EUR 6 million.
• Personally identified, appointed, and developed the company’s exclusive dealer in Japan, successfully building the business from zero presence to approximately EUR 5 million in annual revenue, positioning Japan as a strategic growth market for the group.
• Built and structured a multi-agent sales network in South Korea, expanding sales from approximately EUR 1 million to EUR 8 million annually through disciplined channel management, localized commercial strategies, and close support of key accounts.
• Designed and executed market-specific go-to-market strategies across Malaysia, Japan, and Korea, balancing direct sales, dealer models, and agent structures to maximize market penetration and long-term sustainability.
• Held full P&L responsibility for the Asian operations, overseeing revenue growth, cost control, operational performance, and strategic investment decisions in line with group objectives.
• Strengthened customer relationships with major industrial and institutional clients, personally managing key accounts and strategic projects to secure repeat business and long-term partnerships.
• Implemented structured CRM, sales processes, and performance management frameworks, significantly improving sales visibility, forecasting accuracy, and dealer effectiveness across the region.

SCM GROUP ASIA PTE LTD (www.scmgroup.com) is located at 8 BOON LAY WAY N. 05-03-TRADEHUB 21, 609964 SINGAPORE, but to follow and develop the Malaysian market, SCM GROUP ASIA relocated me to Kuala Lumpur, where I opened a REP office.

Key Achievements & Impact

• Led the greenfield establishment of SCM Group’s representative office in Malaysia, overseeing legal registration, office setup, and operational launch to support the group’s expansion in Southeast Asia.
• Designed and implemented the initial market-entry and go-to-market strategy for Malaysia, structuring the commercial model, defining target customer segments, and establishing early sales pipelines.
• Built, organized, and managed a local dealer network, strengthening market coverage and accelerating penetration in a highly competitive industrial environment.
• Acted as the primary commercial and operational interface between headquarters and the local market, ensuring alignment on pricing, product positioning, service standards, and growth priorities.
• Personally developed relationships with key customers and strategic accounts, securing early reference projects that laid the foundation for sustained growth.
• Defined sales processes, service structures, and operational workflows that enabled the representative office to scale smoothly into a full subsidiary in subsequent years.
• Successfully transitioned the operation from an exploratory presence to a stable and scalable platform, directly contributing to the decision to establish a fully-fledged Malaysian subsidiary and appoint Nico as Managing Director.

SCM GROUP CHINA Trading Co., Ltd was a wholly owned foreign enterprise in the People's Republic of China in 2006 in Foshan, Guangdong province.

The HQ has been moved to Shenzhen, while the Beijing branch has enlarged the number of employees.

The company in China has about 50 people divided into administration, marketing, sousing, sales, and after-sales departments in both branches.

The sales network has significantly improved under my management, mainly through appropriate relationship-building with several critical dealers in key areas of China.

Key Achievements & Impact

• Led the greenfield establishment and expansion of SCM Group’s China operations, overseeing legal entity setup, office locations, organizational structure, and operational processes in one of the most complex and fast-growing markets globally.
• Scaled the China business from approximately EUR 1 million to EUR 16 million in annual turnover, delivering sustained multi-year growth through structured dealer development, key-account acquisition, and disciplined execution of the company’s market-entry strategy.
• Built, recruited, and managed a multidisciplinary organization of approximately 50 employees across sales, marketing, sourcing, administration, and after-sales functions, creating a strong and self-sufficient local leadership team.
• Opened and developed the Beijing branch, while supporting the expansion and relocation of headquarters from Foshan to Shenzhen, ensuring operational continuity and alignment with regional growth priorities.
• Designed and implemented a nationwide dealer and partner network, strengthening market coverage across key industrial regions and significantly improving brand visibility and competitive positioning versus both foreign and domestic competitors.
• Personally led major customer negotiations and strategic projects, securing high-value reference accounts that reinforced SCM Group’s reputation for quality and reliability in the Chinese market.
• Planned and executed large-scale exhibitions and marketing initiatives, using trade fairs and industry events as strategic growth levers to accelerate pipeline development and brand recognition.
• Successfully navigated complex Chinese regulatory, commercial, and cultural environments, acting as the primary interface between headquarters and local operations, and reducing execution risk during a critical growth phase.

The company SCM GROUP is the second largest global manufacturer of woodworking machines (to process Kitchen/Bathroom/Bedroom furniture in general and also Window/Door/ Flooring and other Building/Automotive/Aerospace components), employing over 3500 employees all over the world.

The company is enjoying the latest industrial process to manufacture machines that achieve and exceed customers' ever-increasing demands regarding quality at the best possible price.

While the total production is manufactured in Italy, the sales network is distributed over 100 countries through dealers and branches.

Key Achievements & Impact

• Played a key role in SCM Group’s early expansion across Greater China and Far East Asia, serving as a regional commercial lead responsible for developing market entry strategies and identifying high-potential distribution partners.
• Built the initial dealer network in China for entry-level machinery, conducting extensive on-the-ground market coverage across multiple provinces to identify, assess, and onboard reliable local partners.
• Personally selected, trained, and supported new and existing dealers and agents in China, Japan, and South Korea, laying the commercial and operational foundations for long-term regional growth.
• Acted as the primary interface between headquarters and local partners, ensuring alignment on pricing, product positioning, sales processes, and brand standards.
• Managed and supported key customer projects directly, strengthening early reference accounts and accelerating brand credibility in strategic Asian markets.