Thomas Le Cun

I spent twelve years between large groups and VC-backed scale-ups, in Europe and in the US. Four years as Head of Partnerships Europe at Spendesk, where I watched partnerships shift from a nice-to-have into a structured growth lever.

Northbound is the natural follow-up: the same standards, in advisory mode, for companies looking to make the same leap.

Northbound was founded in 2024 out of a conviction built over twelve years. Partnerships hold a particular place in B2B SaaS companies: everyone believes in them, but few know exactly how to structure them into a real growth lever.

At Spendesk, I built the partnerships function for all of Europe — from the first deal to a structured program with dozens of active partners. I saw what it took: a clear strategy on which partner types to target, the right person to own the motion long-term, and an activation system that makes the program repeatable.

Those three building blocks are almost always missing. That is exactly the gap Northbound closes — bringing the method, the experience, and the continuity that internal teams don't yet have.

The same pattern shows up in most missions. Partnerships are flagged as strategic, but rarely structured that way. The program exists, the willingness is there, but three things are almost always missing: a validated motion, the right person in role, and a system to move from traction to a scalable channel.

That's exactly what Northbound takes on — and supports over time.

Three principles structure every engagement.

Sparring partner above all, never prescriber. I challenge trade-offs, name the blind spots, propose directions — but the final call belongs to the CEO or CRO.

Diagnostic-first, no exception. No framework gets applied upfront; every engagement opens with a concrete read of your situation, which dictates the rest.

Long-term commitment. Six-month minimum on Launch, monthly advisory for coaching. No short interventions, no one-shot decks.