Industry vet Eric Haitjema joins Bisly as Chief Commercial Officer

October 22, 2024
Image - Industry vet Eric Haitjema joins Bisly as Chief Commercial Officer

Eric Haitjema, a former Global Sales Operations Director at Schneider Electric, brings over three decades of experience to Bisly as it accelerates growth in the UK, Germany, and the Nordic-Baltic region

LONDON (October 22, 2024) – Bisly, a leader in scalable building-automation tech, has appointed Eric Haitjema as Chief Commercial Officer. Haitjema joins from large global corporations such as ABB, Samsung, and Schneider Electric, where he led global sales efforts, reporting into C-level and overseeing €1 billion+ in sales portfolios for electrical and automation solutions. At Bisly, Haitjema will spearhead the company’s expansion in the UK, Germany, and other key European markets as Bisly aims to continue doubling revenue each quarter and triple its annual revenue by the end of 2024. Today, Bisly serves hundreds of customers and over 50 partners, with nearly 100,000 end-users across automated environments.

As CCO, Haitjema will be responsible for opening and scaling new markets in Bisly’s target segments: multi-apartment residential and light commercial properties. His role will include building strategic alliances with developers and partners seeking in-house automation solutions, as well as driving adoption of Bisly’s AI-powered building management systems (BMS) and ESG reporting tools. The appointment underscores Bisly’s commitment to delivering scalable, carbon-reducing technology in markets that are eager for efficient, sustainable solutions.

Before joining Bisly, Haitjema held senior roles at global engineering and technology leaders like ABB, Samsung, and Schneider Electric, with a focus on automation and market development. He has a long-standing connection to the Baltics, having visited Estonia early in his career and admiring the entrepreneurial mindset and innovative engineering the region has become known for. His extensive experience in opening new markets and introducing automation products aligns seamlessly with Bisly’s growth trajectory.

Eric Haitjema, Chief Commercial Officer at Bisly, said: “Joining Bisly is an unparalleled opportunity to work with the highest growth potential I’ve ever seen in an automation company. The industry needs an upgrade. I see Bisly being to building automation what Bolt is to ride-sharing and Tesla is to electric vehicles. We’re not reinventing technology; we’re innovating it to meet the demands of a market urgently seeking solutions to combat climate change. I’m excited to help accelerate Bisly’s impact and bring innovative solutions to new markets.”

Ants Vill, CEO and co-founder at Bisly, said: “As a startup founder, you’re always looking to onboard top professionals who can elevate the company to new heights. Eric’s deep industry knowledge and experience with market dynamics in the automation sector are invaluable. Beyond his professionalism, Eric is genuinely driven by a desire to make a positive impact on climate change through technology. His leadership will be instrumental as we expand further into Europe, build out our partner network, and work to address one of the biggest sources of global CO2 emissions.”

Since 2018, Bisly has leveraged standardization, cloud-based systems, and advanced technology to transform the building automation industry. Today, Bisly’s technology reduces CO2 emissions across residential and commercial properties. The startup has achieved 4x growth over the past year and is projecting eight-digit revenues by 2025. By reducing CAPEX costs and delivering scalable solutions, Bisly helps building owners and developers accelerate their transition to sustainable, energy-efficient properties.