Frank V. Cespedes

Frank V. Cespedes is a recognized authority on sales strategy and management in business education. He holds the MBA Class of 1973 Senior Lecturer of Business Administration position at Harvard Business School.

Cespedes draws from extensive experience as an entrepreneur, board member, teacher, and consultant to help business leaders address the sales and strategy gap and create long-term value. He served as managing partner at The Center for Executive Development, a firm that received awards in the United States and Europe for its work with companies.

At Harvard, Cespedes has developed and taught a range of MBA and executive education courses, led the Strategic Marketing Management program for senior executives, and co-led the Sustainable Market Leadership program for CEOs and their teams. He teaches Entrepreneurial Marketing in the MBA program, in the Owner President Management executive program, and leads the executive program on Aligning Strategy and Sales. Beyond the classroom, he has consulted for companies across various industries, is affiliated with private-equity investors, and has served as a board member for Evenflo, HALO Industries, start-up firms, and the Education for Employment Foundation, which provides career training linked to job placement.

Cespedes is the author of six books relevant to sales and business leadership. His book, "Aligning Strategy and Sales: The Choices, Systems, and Behaviors that Drive Effective Selling," has been recognized by Strategy & Business, Gartner, and Forbes. "Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World That Never Stops Changing" was shortlisted for the Outstanding Works of Literature Award in the Sales & Marketing category. Other titles include "Concurrent Marketing: Integrating Product, Sales, and Service" and "Going to Market: Distribution Systems for Industrial Products."

Cespedes has published articles in Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Business Horizons, California Management Review, International Encyclopedia of Business and Management, Journal of Managerial Issues, Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, Organization Science, Sloan Management Review, and Strategy & Business. He has written more than 50 case studies about companies and numerous technical notes on topics such as strategy development and implementation, sales and marketing, leadership, pricing, and start-up issues. His research addresses the intersection of technology and sales, including how companies can leverage artificial intelligence to broaden their customer base.

Cespedes emphasizes that sales is highly context-dependent, noting differences in selling software, capital goods, professional services, durables, and various software licensing models. His evidence-based approach provides valuable insights for executives, investors, and sales professionals navigating the evolving landscape of sales strategy and management.