New Business Development Director: Meet Michel
🎉 Meet Our New Business Development Director, Michel Pirog! 🎉
We're excited to introduce Michel, the latest addition to our ProQuest family— An amazing professional, he won French Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018. With a rich background spanning major corporate firms and startups, Michel excels in understanding business needs and steering them towards success. His impressive track record includes driving ventures to hypergrowth, scaling from 3 to over 20 employees in just three months, and achieving consistent double-digit growth year after year.
We asked Michel a few questions to get to know him a bit better…
Can you provide an example of how you contributed to significant business growth in a new market?
Starting as a Business Development Manager in the vibrant city of London, I had the exhilarating task of building and launching a dynamic, young team from scratch. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about managing relentless growth, where setting clear priorities and remaining agile were key. I quickly realised the power of a diverse team—bringing together varied perspectives aimed at a common goal is essential for long-term success.
Upon returning to Australia, I delved into the corporate wellness sector, focusing on proving our business model and establishing a strong regional footprint. Over the next eight years, our team achieved remarkable milestones: sustained double-digit growth, partnerships with thousands of sports brands, and the development of a new B2B model for corporations. This journey underscored the importance of innovation, strategic thinking, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
What part of Salesforce do you love the most? Why?
I am particularly excited about Salesforce’s transition to leveraging AI. It's thrilling to see how AI can automate repetitive tasks, thereby unlocking new opportunities for sales professionals.
What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working:
Sports have always been a significant part of my life. I regularly play football and enjoy skiing, free-diving, ocean swimming, and running with my energetic border collie. I also have a passion for drone photography.
Beyond these hobbies, I am always eager to learn new things and embrace new challenges, both personally and professionally. I look forward to contributing to the team and assisting our clients.
What would you sing at Karaoke night?
Wonderwall by Oasis.
What is the one website (or app) you can’t live without?
For work, it's Slack. Outside of work, I can’t do without Optus Sport.
What is your favourite part of working from home?
Having my personal assistant—my border collie—right by my side!
What is your favourite restaurant or go-to food in Australia?
I am a huge fan of Guzman y Gomez. I might even be one of their top 1% customers!
What attracted you to ProQuest?
The immense growth opportunities and the strong, vibrant culture. It’s clear that ProQuest takes great care of its people and empowers them to succeed.
What is your favourite part about working at ProQuest so far?
The people! ProQuest definitely didn’t steal its “Great Place to Work” recognition!
Let’s give a warm welcome to Michel! His diverse experience and innovative approach bring fresh perspectives to our team, and we're excited to have him on board.
