Hamish Bruce

Forestry Technology & Business Area Manager

12+ years driving ARR growth, managing complex sales cycles, and delivering digital transformation across European forestry markets.

About

Experienced Business Area Manager and Forestry Logistics Specialist with over 12 years of immersive experience in the forestry software industry (SaaS). Possesses a proven track record of managing complex, multi-year sales cycles and generating significant Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) growth across the DACH region and Western Europe.

Bilingual in English and German, with deep expertise in bridging the gap between technical forestry requirements and high-level business strategy. Unique ability to translate complex software capabilities into tangible business value, leveraging extensive market knowledge to build lasting trust with government entities, private sector forestry companies, and the pulp & paper industry.

Passionate about driving efficiencies and digital transformation across the entire forestry business process. Dedicated to accelerating go-to-market strategies, account management, and sales cycles by integrating cutting-edge AI processes and workflows to catalyze organizational ARR growth.

Experience

  1. Jan 2019 -- Present

    Business Area Manager Trimble Inc. -- Germany

    • Strategic Sales Management: Lead complex, 7-figure sales cycles from prospecting to closing, with a strategic focus on generating sustainable Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR).
    • Global Account Management: Serve as strategic advisor for major global accounts, including state forestry departments and industrial leaders in pulp, paper, and sawmilling.
    • Market Expansion: Expanded business footprint beyond the DACH region into Western Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Spain), adapting strategies to local regulatory landscapes.
    • Legacy Portfolio Optimization: Took over legacy software operations and reduced costs to redirect resources toward strategic product development. This ensured the legacy business remained profitable while securing the capacity to drive traction for future growth strategies.
    • Consultative Selling: Build trust with stakeholders by positioning technology as a critical driver for operational efficiency, bridging the gap between technical needs and business goals.
    • Solution Delivery: Oversee high-level delivery of 'Connected Forest' solutions to ensure alignment with client logistics strategies and silviculture requirements.
    • Strategic Sales
    • ARR Growth
    • Global Account Management
    • Consultative Selling
    • Market Expansion
  2. Jun 2016 -- Dec 2018

    Forestry Logistics Specialist Trimble Inc. -- County Galway, Ireland

    • Logistics Optimization: Managed electronic docketing for ~500 daily truck movements, reducing data entry errors and ensuring supply chain integrity.
    • System Implementation: Led the end-to-end implementation of WSX software and Central Dispatch, digitizing manual transport operations.
    • Business Analysis: Developed Excel dashboards and KPI reports to provide management with actionable insights for resource allocation.
    • Cost Management: Created detailed pricing models to improve financial transparency between forest owners, harvesting crews, and haulage contractors.
    • Logistics Optimization
    • Software Implementation
    • KPI Reporting
    • Stakeholder Management
    • Cost Modeling
  3. Jan 2016 -- May 2016

    Implementation Manager Trimble Inc. -- New South Wales, Australia

    • Project Leadership: Led the Central Dispatch startup for Forestry NSW, managing the industry shift from 'harvest and haul' to optimized dispatching.
    • Change Management: Orchestrated communication strategies and training to mitigate resistance during critical operational transitions.
    • Software Liaison: Defined technical specifications for bespoke software solutions, translating operational needs for engineering teams.
    • Project Leadership
    • Change Management
    • Software Development Liaison
  4. Aug 2014 -- Jan 2016

    Operations Manager Trimble Inc. (Niagara Sawmill) -- Otago & Southland, NZ

    • Operational Startup: Managed the setup of logistics operations for Niagara Sawmill, establishing workflows for supply chain optimization.
    • Optimization & Safety: Identified opportunities to improve efficiency and safety compliance, reducing turnaround times.
    • Cultural Change: Facilitated culture change to align ground-level operations with strategic management goals.
    • Operational Startup
    • Supply Chain Optimization
    • Safety Compliance
    • Cultural Change
  5. Jul 2013 -- Aug 2014

    Transport Planner Trimble Inc. (Hancock Forest Management) -- Waikato, NZ

    • High-Volume Central Dispatch: Managed daily planning for a 2-million-tonne/year operation, requiring precision resource allocation.
    • Real-Time Coordination: Scheduled truck journeys every two minutes during 8-hour shifts, resolving bottlenecks in real-time.
    • High-Volume Dispatch
    • Real-Time Coordination
    • Resource Allocation

Skills

Sales & Business Development

  • Complex Sales Cycles (7-figures)
  • ARR Generation
  • Account Management

Forestry Software

  • Trimble Connected Forest
  • WSX
  • Logistics Optimization
  • Central Dispatch

Technical Implementation

  • ERP Integration
  • Supply Chain Optimization
  • Cost Modeling
  • KPI Reporting

Communication

  • Native English
  • Fluent German
  • Culturally aware across cultures

Emerging Technologies

  • Standard LLMs (ChatGPT, Gemini)
  • AI-assisted workflows
  • Web app deployment (Vercel)
  • AI code editors (Cursor)

Software Proficiency

  • Trimble Forestry Technologies (especially logistics)
  • Salesforce
  • SalesHero
  • Smartsheet
  • Monday.com

Data Analysis

  • Advanced Microsoft Excel (Dashboards, Financial Modeling)
  • CRM tools (Salesforce/Dynamics)

Business Suites

  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365 Suite

Soft Skills & Leadership

  • Trusted Advisor
  • Straightforward Leadership
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Team Management

Education

2006 -- 2012

Bachelor of Business Management (Finance)

University of Waikato, New Zealand

Interests

Active Sportsman

A passionate all-around sportsman, regularly playing squash, padel, and golf. I value the social aspect of sport and the camaraderie of being together with people.

Outdoor Enthusiast

Deeply connected to the New Zealand environment; I enjoy making the most of the outdoors whenever I am back home.

Personal Drivers

Motivated by a strong desire to provide for my family and a continuous commitment to developing myself as a professional, balancing career ambition with personal fulfillment.