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~ an Interview with James D’Souza, Sempre Analytics’s new Head of Sales
When you meet James D’Souza, it’s immediately clear: this is someone who cares about people. Whether it’s guiding a sales team, speaking to customers, or raising funds as a trustee for the Samaritans, James leads with empathy, energy, and experience.
Falling into sales (and staying for the people)
James didn’t set out to be a salesperson, but as he puts it, he "just sort of fell into it" during his time at a Microsoft reseller. That early experience, working on a Microsoft sales programme and eventually being hired by the tech giant, set the tone for a career shaped by partnerships, leading from the front, and understanding the real value of a strong sales function.
Over the years, he’s worked across channel, vendor, partner, and GSI landscapes, including stints at Microsoft, Cognizant, and IBM. That breadth of experience gives him a sharp eye for how different sales models work, and, more importantly, how they don’t.
“I’m not really interested in what we did last year,” James says. “It’s about what we’re doing now. Are we doing it the right way? Is it scalable? Are we bringing people along with us?”
A manager who leads by example
James’s leadership style blends accountability with clear care for his team. He’s direct when he needs to be but always rooted in development. “I’ve probably been too soft at times,” he laughs. “But I’m obsessed with doing things right, right sales behaviours, right team structures, right mindset. You can’t scale a business if the foundations aren’t solid.”
He’s a firm believer in understanding the people behind the roles, remembering names, pets, birthdays, and ensuring everyone knows they’re part of something bigger. “It’s not just about a number. It’s about belief. And building that belief, every day, in every conversation.”
Why Sempre? Why now?
Having competed against Sempre in the past, James was well aware of its reputation, nimble, specialist, customer-led. When the opportunity arose to lead the sales function, it felt like the right fit at the right time.
“There’s great work already happening here. It’s not about tearing that down, it’s about moving the dial, building structure, and creating something scalable that the whole business can get behind. We’ve got brilliant customers, great consultants, strong partners, it’s a matter of bringing it all together.”
James is particularly excited about aligning sales and marketing more closely and building repeatable models to expand Sempre’s footprint in core verticals.
People, purpose and paddel
Outside of work, James is a keen padel tennis player. He’s clocked over 400 games and even runs paddle tournaments to raise money for the Harrogate Samaritans, where he serves as a trustee. “It’s the people bit again,” he says. “I get a buzz from being part of something that’s bigger than me, and helping where I can.”
James’s commitment to giving back also stems from personal experience. He’s jumped out of a plane at 15,000 feet, organised paddle tournaments, and picked up the phone countless times to broker partnerships - all in the name of supporting causes close to his heart, and in memory of his goddaughter. “You have to do something meaningful,” he says. “We’re lucky to work in this industry, giving something back is just part of it.”
Three words to sum up Sempre?
“Energising. Collaborative. Fun.”
Welcome, James, we’re excited to be on this journey with you.
