His LinkedIn profile says he built the operation from zero to more than 150 employees and he was responsible for building the company's accounting channel. In March 2015, the New Zealand-based cloud software company made him GM of U.S. products and solutions, which seemed like a distinct non-promotion. That happened after Russell Fujioka took over as president of Xero U.S in February 2015. Fujioka became president of Xero's operations in the Americas in March of this year. Norwest is a venture capital and equity investment firm that says it "targets early to late stage venture and growth equity investments" in a number of industries, including technology and information services." Sutherland was with Sage from October 2007 through April 2011 and was a VP and GM in the last nearly three years of his tenure there.