Sarah Davenport

Head of Business Development

Sarah Davenport is Head of Business Development at XSEM, bringing a decade of experience developing client relationships, driving sales growth and creating opportunities for long-term partnership success. Passionate about helping clients strengthen relationships across their businesses, she works with the wider team to deliver impactful events, incentives and engagement programmes

  • Over 10 years of experience at XSEM, building long-term client relationships and supporting business growth.
  • Specialist in relationship building, account management and sales development.
  • Extensive experience delivering incentive schemes, conferences, brand activations and golf events for clients across the building industry and beyond.
Sarah Davenport - Senior Business Development Manager

Bio & notable achievements

Sarah joined XSEM in January 2016 and has spent the past decade building a strong and loyal client base through trusted relationships, strategic account development and a deep understanding of client needs. As Head of Business Development, she plays a pivotal role in driving growth across the business.

Working closely with clients and colleagues alike, Sarah supports the development of programmes spanning incentive schemes, conferences, brand activations and golf events. Her focus is not only on creating new opportunities but also on nurturing long-term partnerships that continue to evolve and deliver results over time.

What motivates Sarah most is the people she works with. Having started her career within the building industry, she maintains a strong connection to the sector and values the relationships she has built over the years. She is passionate about helping clients strengthen connections within their own businesses, whether through reward programmes, events or strategic engagement initiatives. Her combination of commercial expertise, relationship-building skills and genuine enthusiasm for client success has made her a valued leader within the XSEM team.

Outside of XSEM

Outside of work, Sarah enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, often accompanied by a glass of fizz and good conversation. She has a passion for travelling and loves exploring new destinations around the world, an interest that fits naturally with her role and curiosity about people and places. When she is closer to home, Sarah can usually be found out walking her golden retriever, Poppy, enjoying the outdoors and taking time to recharge.

Brands Sarah has worked with

SIG Roofing logo
Civils & Lintels logo
PPG logo in black
Wavin logo
MKM logo
Ibstock Brick logo
Thought leadership

Sarah's latest news and blog articles

  • Opinion
What makes a great supplier partnership?

What turns a supplier relationship into a true partnership? Sarah, XSEM’s Head of Business Development, shares her thoughts on the trust, service and shared ambition behind successful supplier relationships, as XSEM sponsors Supplier Account Manager of the Year at the BMJ Awards.

XSEM team member talking to attendee at the XSEM Classic
Case studies

Sarah's favourite case studies

wienerberger: The Future of Roofing 100% event satisfaction ratings

Held at the prestigious Archerfield House in Scotland, and then a week later at Hoar Cross Hall in Burton upon Trent, the aim for these events was to create an immersive experience that would provide guests, including key industry leaders, with deep insights into wienerberger’s product capabilities as well as thought leadership on wider industry trends.

View Case Study wienerberger: The Future of Roofing
Incentive Experience: Victoria Falls 520+ flights booked

We partnered with a leading global coatings brand to deliver an unforgettable relationship‑focused experience that reinforced loyalty among their highest‑spending trade customers.

View Case Study African Princess sunset cruise across the Zambezi River
Wienerberger: Research & VIP Club 4% increase in market share

​​​XSEM and wienerberger have been working together since 2017 with the aim of improving customer engagement and fostering stronger relationships with customers. This partnership has helped to drive growth for wienerberger, who are one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of building material solutions.

View Case Study Wienerberger: Research & VIP Club
XSEM: The XSEM Classic £5,200 raised for Martin House Children's Hospice

The XSEM Classic is our annual golf event designed to celebrate and strengthen relationships with our valued clients while also creating new connections. Held at Moortown Golf Club, the event welcomes 72 golfers alongside non-golfing guests.

View Case Study XSEM: XSEM Classic