Principal Experience · Energy · Treasury & Risk SaaS · Norway
Aker Solutions: cracking Norway with no brand, no references and no local presence.
How a US treasury software platform with no Nordic customers, no office and no local partners won Aker Solutions, a first-of-its-kind logo in Norway, as part of building its EMEA business from zero.
This case study draws on work led by a Rebar principal in a previous operating role.
The outcome
Working from the company's newly opened London office, a Rebar principal helped a US cloud treasury and risk platform win Aker Solutions, a first-of-its-kind logo in Norway. Alongside Etihad Airways in the UAE, the account was part of building EMEA from zero to $10M, during a period when company ARR grew from under $10M to nearly $100M ahead of an exit to ION Group.
At a glance
Situation, complication, resolution
SSituation
The company was growing quickly in North America and had just opened a London office to build EMEA. The Nordics had sophisticated corporate treasury teams but no customers for the company.
CComplication
Norwegian enterprises buy cautiously and lean heavily on local relationships and peer references. The company had no brand recognition, no Nordic references and no one on the ground.
RResolution
The team focused on one respected account whose treasury complexity made the product's value obvious, earned trust through technical depth rather than local presence, and used the win as a reference for the region.
01 · The challenge
Why is Norway a hard market for a foreign enterprise software vendor?
Norway's large industrial and energy companies run international operations with revenue and costs in several currencies, which makes treasury and risk management central to the business. Their treasury teams are sophisticated and well served by established vendors and banks.
Buyers there value long relationships and local proof. A US vendor flying in from London with no Nordic customers starts every conversation at a disadvantage.
Aker Solutions, an engineering and energy services group with global projects and complex currency exposure, was exactly the kind of account that could prove the platform to the rest of the region.
02 · The approach
How do you win a first enterprise customer in a country where you have no presence?
Without a local office or references, the team replaced proximity with depth: deep understanding of the buyer's treasury problems, technical credibility in every meeting and a clear plan for making the first deployment succeed.
Choose the account
Focused on a respected Norwegian group whose global project work created the kind of treasury complexity the platform solved best.
Win on depth
Led with technical depth on hedge accounting, exposure management and reporting, matching the sophistication of the treasury team.
Earn trust remotely
Used structured evaluations, reference calls with international customers and clear implementation plans to offset the lack of local presence.
Make it the reference
Turned the win into proof for other Nordic and European prospects as the EMEA business grew.
| Stakeholder | Role in deal | Core concern | How the team addressed it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group treasury | Sponsor | Visibility of currency exposure and hedge positions | Technical deep dives built around their own exposure profile |
| Finance leadership | Approver | Audit-ready hedge accounting and reporting | Reporting walkthroughs and international customer references |
| IT | Gatekeeper | Security and support from a foreign vendor | Security documentation and a clear support model from London |
| Procurement | Gatekeeper | Vendor viability with no local entity | Company background, customer base and commercial terms |
03 · The results
What did the Aker Solutions win mean for EMEA?
Aker Solutions gave the company a respected Norwegian name on its customer list. Together with Etihad Airways in the UAE, it was one of the first-of-their-kind logos that helped turn a new London office into a $10M EMEA business.
EMEA revenue
Built from zero after the London office opened.
First-of-their-kind logos
Aker Solutions in Norway and Etihad Airways in the UAE.
Company ARR growth
From under $10M to nearly $100M before the exit to ION Group.
The lesson
When you cannot be local, be the most knowledgeable person in the room. Depth earns the trust that proximity normally buys.
04 · What carries over
What can companies learn about entering a new country?
One respected logo opens a country.
Pick the account other local buyers will recognize.
Replace proximity with depth.
Expertise in their problem offsets distance.
Borrow references from elsewhere.
International peers can stand in until you have a local one.
Plan the reference from day one.
Make the first deployment the story for the region.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you enter a new country with no brand or local presence?
Focus on one respected account whose problem your product solves especially well, win on depth of expertise rather than proximity, use international references to offset the lack of local ones, and make the first deployment succeed so it becomes the reference for the rest of the market.
Why was Aker Solutions an important customer?
Aker Solutions was a first-of-its-kind logo for the company in Norway. It gave Nordic and European prospects a respected local name to point to as the company built EMEA from zero to $10M.
How fast did the company grow during this period?
Company ARR grew from under $10M to nearly $100M in four years, and the company was later acquired by ION Group.
What does Rebar do?
Rebar is a CRO-led go-to-market firm based in Austin, Texas. It helps companies move from founder-led sales to a repeatable revenue engine, including first anchor customers, partner channels and new market entry.