James Bowesman

Most Australian building products companies underestimate what a sales rep departure actually costs them. The agency fee gets budgeted. The other six cost components rarely do. At Specified Select Group we place sales reps into building products manufacturers across the country. We see who leaves, who stays, and what the companies that hold onto good people are doing differently. The patterns are consistent. Here’s what we tell our clients when they ask how to keep their best performers. How...

The Australian lighting BDM role has changed substantially in the past 5 years. Cheap imports have collapsed margins in decorative lines. NCC Section J is tightening. DALI-2 has become the standard digital lighting control. Specifier-led commercial work is where the project values sit. We place sales talent across architectural, commercial, controls and emergency lighting in Australia. The briefs we see have evolved faster than most hiring slates have. Here’s what we see in 2026. Why is...

Most State Manager briefs that land on our desk are mislabelled. Half are actually National Sales Manager briefs in disguise. The rest are senior BDM roles dressed up with a stronger title to make the salary band easier to sign off. The cover sheet reads “State Sales Manager, Sydney.” By the end of the briefing call, it’s clear the company needs someone running three states and a team of nine, or it’s clear there isn’t a team at all and the business wants a glorified key account hunter on...