Mark Johnston

About Mark Johnston

Every growing tech company eventually hits the same question: Where do we build our next team? We are looking for talent, but we are unable to find ‘Right Talent’.I help them answer it.As a Partner at Crosshaven Partners, I work with venture and growth-stage companies to develop Global Location Strategies, identifying where to establish engineering hubs, nearshore teams, and international operations that actually scale.We are not like any other firms heavily relying on spreadsheet consulting.It’s the strategic work that happens before you post a single job- Which city- Which talent market- Which legal structure- Which cost model - How it all fits your specific growth trajectory.My track record:• 120+ companies advised on global workforce decisions• 40+ international locations evaluated and benchmarked• Clients include Planet DDS, isolved, Bazaarvoice, Iterable, DailyPay, and Black Kite• Advised on engagements from nearshore hubs in Latin America to the £28M Halon Entertainment studio launch in GlasgowBefore Crosshaven, I spent 10+ years at Invest Northern Ireland, running the West Coast office out of San Francisco. I covered Silicon Valley, SoCal, Texas, and the Pacific Northwest and under my leadership, the team secured more new US investment from the West Coast than any period in Northern Ireland’s history. That experience gave me something I use every day now. During the whole journey, I opted a deep understanding of how regions compete for talent and investment, and what actually helps us create an impact and CREATE something for companies making location decisions.I also built Invest NI’s channel strategy around VC and PE investors, a network I still leverage today when helping international companies enter the US market and raise capital.If you’re a founder or CEO thinking about where to build your next team or an investor advising a portfolio company through global expansion, I’d welcome the conversation.

Experience

1. Partner

   Crosshaven Partners

   Aug 2021 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

   Every growing tech company hits the same inflection point: the US talent market is expensive, competitive, and not scaling fast enough. The question becomes: Where else?I work with venture and growth-stage tech companies to answer that question. As a Partner at Crosshaven, I lead Global Location Strategy engagements, helping CEOs and their leadership teams identify where to build engineering hubs, nearshore operations, and international offices that actually perform.This is how we work- Discovery & Strategic Alignment - Location Benchmarking & Market Analysis- Business Case Development - Launch & Market Entry- Scaling & Ongoing Advisory.The companies I work with are typically Series B through growth-stage, VC or PE-backed, in B2B software, cybersecurity, fintech, and adjacent sectors. Clients include- Planet DDS, isolved, Iterable, DailyPay, Bazaarvoice, Black Kite, and Halon Entertainment.Recent highlight- Served as location advisor for Halon Entertainment\'s £28M studio expansion into Glasgow, Scotland, creating 250 jobs and marking one of the largest US creative industry investments in Scotland\'s history.I also work the other direction, helping international companies and institutions enter the US market, leveraging a VC/PE investor network built over 15+ years on the West Coast.120+ clients advised. 40+ locations evaluated. One question we answer better than anyone: where should you build next?Let\'s hop on Call!

Education

• Ulster University

  Bsc (Hons), Human Resource Management

Skills

• Competitive Analysis
• Start-Ups
• Business Strategy
• Economic Development
• Outsourcing
• Management Consulting
• Telecommunications
• Crm
• Strategic Partnerships
• Business Planning
• New Business Development
• Market Research
• Strategy
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Entrepreneurship
• Business Development
• Project Management
• Strategic Planning
• Product Management
• International Business
• Customer Relationship Management (Crm)
• Management
• Leadership
• International Sales