Sales Manager APAC, Bioprocess Ingredients

Vallée Executive Search; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Vallée Executive Search is assisting a biotech business unit of a global Food & Pharma leader to hire an APAC Sales Manager. The role focuses on driving fermentation nutrients business across Asia Pacific, engaging with food ingredients, probiotics, culture media, and labs to grow strategic accounts.

The successful candidate will blend consultative sales with technical know-how, manage distributors, travel extensively, and partner with R&D and production teams to deliver value-driven solutions.

Qualifications

• Degree in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Food Science or a related field.
• 8+ years of B2B sales or business development experience across multiple APAC markets.
• Experience selling technical ingredients or solutions to fermentation/biotech customers.
• Strong knowledge of fermentation processes and ability to discuss technical topics with R&D and production teams.
• Proven track record in new business development, key account management and distributor management.
• Excellent English communication; Mandarin or other Asian languages a plus.
• Willingness to travel extensively across APAC.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute APAC sales strategy to hit volume, revenue, and margin targets.
• Identify and win new customers across fermentation-based producers in food ingredients, nutrition, probiotics and culture media, and laboratories.
• Manage and grow key accounts with R&D, production and procurement decision-makers.
• Lead technical-commercial discussions and position nutrient solutions with support from application and technical service teams.
• Coordinate product trials and qualifications at customer sites, and follow up on results through to commercial conversion.
• Manage and develop distributors and channel partners across the region.
• Monitor market trends, competition and new biotech opportunities, and share insights with marketing and global teams.
• Prepare forecasts, pricing proposals and regular sales reporting for the APAC General Manager.

Skills

B2B sales

APAC markets

Technical ingredients sales

Key account management

Distributor management

Communication

Willingness to travel

Education

Degree in Microbiology/Biotechnology/related field

Job description

Our client is the dedicated biotech business unit of a global leader in Food & Pharma specialty ingredients. The business unit develops high-performance nutrients and application expertise that help industrial companies improve the growth and productivity of microorganisms in their fermentation processes.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Sales Manager APAC will drive business development for fermentation nutrients across the region. They will target companies that rely on microbial fermentation, from food and nutrition ingredient producers to probiotic and culture manufacturers, as well as culture media producers and laboratories. This is a consultative, technical sales role, combining strategic account management, new business development and close collaboration with technical and application teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute the sales strategy for APAC to achieve volume, revenue and margin targets.
• Identify and win new customers among fermentation-based producers in food ingredients, nutrition, probiotics and food cultures, as well as culture media manufacturers and laboratories.
• Manage and grow key accounts, building strong relationships with R&D, production and procurement decision-makers.
• Lead technical-commercial discussions, understand customers’ fermentation challenges and position the right nutrient solutions, with support from application and technical service teams.
• Coordinate product trials and qualifications at customer sites, and follow up on results through to commercial conversion.
• Manage and develop distributors and channel partners where relevant across the region.
• Monitor market trends, competition and new biotech opportunities, and share insights with marketing and global teams.
• Prepare forecasts, pricing proposals and regular sales reporting for the APAC General Manager.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Degree in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Food Science or a related field.
• 8+ years of B2B sales or business development experience, including several years covering multiple APAC markets.
• Proven experience selling technical ingredients or solutions to fermentation, biotech, food ingredient, nutrition or life science customers (e.g. yeast extracts, peptones, culture media, enzymes, probiotics or similar).
• Good understanding of fermentation processes and the ability to discuss technical topics with R&D and production teams.
• Strong track record in new business development, key account management and distributor management.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills in English; Mandarin or other Asian languages are a plus.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Asia Pacific.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.