Business development expert Maxim Lukyanov shared his experience and noted that in each specific case, a unique strategy is needed.

Today, the work of any company is impossible without good IT and telecommunications equipment. Among the manufacturers of this equipment in the market, there is fierce competition. In order to capture a certain share in an industry that has been using equipment from leading global manufacturers for decades, a non-standard strategy and years of painstaking work will be required.

Maxim Lukyanov, who worked as the head of the sales department at Huawei Enterprise Russia, knows this well. He not only ensured that the Chinese equipment manufacturer was included in the list of certified suppliers for Gazprom but also increased the sales volume of this equipment in the oil and gas sector to $100 million over six years. Maxim Lukyanov shared how he managed to achieve such phenomenal results.

How did your career begin?

After college, I worked for three years in the Gazprom structure, where I was involved in organizing procurement in the telecommunications and communication sector. Therefore, when I started working directly in IT companies, I had a good understanding of Gazprom's business processes and how decision-making is done there. Then, I spent several years working in a small company called "Prime Group." That's where my career as a salesperson began, and I learned how business processes are built in an IT integrator.

When I joined "Open Technologies," which is among the top 100 IT companies in Russia (ranking between 20th and 26th at different times), I combined this knowledge. I was given the task of establishing relationships with leading players in the oil and gas and energy sectors, such as Gazprom, Rosneft, Rosseti, Inter RAO, and achieving the implementation of joint projects.

You literally went from being a sales manager to becoming the Director of the Sales Department in the oil and gas industry within a couple of years. How did  you achieve that?

I had an unofficial conversation with a company shareholder. He inquired why, despite my good understanding of Gazprom's business processes, there was no breakthrough in sales. I explained that in order to secure such a client, a comprehensive strategy was needed, and I presented a plan outlining how I envisioned this work, how much time it would take, and what investments would be required. I was given the authority to implement this strategy.

As a result, we obtained several critically important projects, such as the construction of data centers. By 2014, our turnover reached 2 billion rubles. Before my arrival, the company had no contracts with Gazprom.

How did you come to work at Huawei? Did the company notice your achievements and extend an invitation to join them?

It wasn't quite like that. During the preparation of a project for Gazprom in 2015, I had a meeting with the Sales Director of Huawei Enterprise in the oil and gas sector. We were in need of a manufacturer capable of replacing Cisco and HP equipment, as they had been attempting to enter Gazprom for several years. Throughout the project preparation, we maintained contact with the Huawei representative. At a certain point, he proposed, "Would you like to replicate your success? The company is in need of someone to develop the entire oil and gas sector."

After considering it, I agreed. There were no conflicts with "Open Technologies" since they were not equipment manufacturers but an IT integrator responsible for installation, assembly, and device operation setup. Therefore, I transitioned my projects to the new position.

Huawei is a global company renowned worldwide. Why was it challenging for them to secure a client like Gazprom?

There were several reasons. Firstly, there was a biased attitude towards Chinese equipment, to such an extent that it required significant effort and time to overcome. Gazprom is a large holding company with around 400 subsidiaries throughout the country. We had to practically approach each one and prove that we offered genuinely high-quality equipment capable of replacing American counterparts.

Secondly, the company's specialists were accustomed to working with Western equipment. They were trained to operate with it during university studies and professional development courses. Breaking through this "wall" of misunderstanding was exceedingly difficult.

How did you manage to convince your client? Did you employ any unconventional methods?

I believe that any strategy that enables a company to develop sales from scratch is unique. To develop such a strategy, it is necessary to study the client's needs and understand how both parties will benefit from project implementation.

In this case, I took an unconventional approach to project development. At "Open Technologies," I sought access to the company's executives, explaining who we were and what we were capable of. Afterwards, I was directed to the lower level to engage with the technical departments.

This time, I decided to take a "bottom-up" approach by first proving to the operating organizations and service teams that Huawei equipment was of high quality and would receive timely support from the manufacturer. We took several steps to achieve this.

Firstly, we reached an agreement with Huawei's management and started providing free training to Gazprom's specialists. In the first few years alone, we trained approximately 600 employees from different subsidiaries and divisions, some of whom received training at the manufacturer's campus in China. The specialists began to understand that the equipment was excellent and that transitioning to it was relatively easy. Furthermore, it offered unique features not found in Cisco and HP equipment.

Secondly, we began sending a significant amount of equipment for testing. While traditional vendors typically have a test equipment pool, if it is already in use by one customer and another wants to work with it, they have to wait. We allocated as much equipment as Gazprom needed, ensuring that the client did not have to wait for availability after it had been used by other companies.

Thirdly, we had a strong technical support team comprising professional programmers who assisted in integrating equipment from different manufacturers or proposed options for complete replacement.

All of these efforts allowed us to change the client's perception, gain a certain level of loyalty from Gazprom's employees, and secure their agreement to work with us.

Did you manage this project independently, or did you have a team to assist you in its implementation?

Initially, I personally established all contacts with the client. The idea was to build horizontal communication with independent divisions (such as the central office of Gazprom and Gazprom Neft) and delegate the task of vertical communication to a new manager. Once the business processes were set up, I started inviting specialists with the necessary skills for each role. Additionally, I involved experts from other departments to solve technical tasks. At its peak, I led a team of approximately 20 people.

What outcome did you ultimately achieve?

We succeeded in becoming a key provider of IT and telecommunications equipment for Gazprom and completed numerous high-value projects worth billions of rubles. 

Among these projects, one notable example is the Lakhta Center, Gazprom's prestigious headquarters in St. Petersburg, where Huawei equipment forms the backbone of the communication and a significant portion of the IT infrastructure. Additionally, we successfully deployed Huawei's network equipment in five to six business centers. However, the most compelling project for me personally was the comprehensive modernization of Gazprom's data transmission network. We replaced the outdated Cisco infrastructure, which had been in place for two decades, with Huawei's advanced solutions. This upgrade encompassed not only the main enterprise but also extended across Gazprom's subsidiary companies throughout Russia. It stands as our most intricate and impactful achievement, and I take great pride in its successful implementation.

Did the company recognize your accomplishments in any way?

During my six years at Huawei, I received annual awards from the company, such as "Top Salesperson," "Best Sales Team," and "Best Project." In 2021, I was promoted to lead the sales department for the Moscow City Government. However, my tenure in that position was relatively short. At that point, I was approaching my 40s and began contemplating how I wanted to dedicate the next 20-25 years of my career. During this period, a friend and I decided to pursue studies at the IMD Business School in Switzerland to earn an EMBA in Global Leadership. It was during that time, in 2021, that I came to the realization that I wanted to explore developing my own projects, leading me to make the decision to depart from Huawei.

What are you currently involved in?

Currently, I am engaged in three areas. Firstly, venture investments. Several years ago, my partner and I acted as business angels for a few startups, and at present, we provide business development consulting to support their growth. Secondly, I am involved in information security. My partner is currently developing a company in the field of automotive cybersecurity. With the integration of various information, smart, and autonomous solutions in modern vehicles, there is a significant security threat and a target for malicious actors. My focus is on business development during the presales stage, where I assist in building relationships with European automakers and defining tasks for the engineering team. In addition, together with my partner from the United States, who has over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, we have established a company called Nemax Capital, specializing in real estate and development. One of our ongoing projects is the construction of an affordable housing community in Florida, where families who cannot afford to purchase their own homes can rent under a state government program.

You have been involved in sales in the high-tech sector and sales strategy development for over 15 years. Please give advice to those who are currently introducing a high-tech product to new markets.

First and foremost, it is crucial to thoroughly research the market you are entering. Analyze how it is influenced by the political and economic situation, as well as the behavior of your competitors and partners. Study your customer. You must understand their needs, business processes, and decision-makers. Remember that your interaction should be mutually beneficial. Analyze the cultural nuances that can impact your collaboration. For example, imagine you approach a German company offering a product at a price that is 20 euros cheaper than what they pay their current supplier. Yet, you receive a rejection. Why? Because they have been doing business with the other German company for several decades, and maintaining good relationships and reputation is more important to them than saving a certain amount of money. Therefore, before taking any steps, it is wise to invest in in-depth research. Additionally, consider finding an expert who already operates in that market and has a network of contacts. This way, you can expedite your journey and create a more effective strategy for entering the new market.