As you say, it's a black art. There's no real difference in most circumstances. However, each title relates slightly differently to the function of the role.

As you say, it's a black art. There's no real difference in most circumstances. However, each title relates slightly differently to the function of the role. A 'salesperson' is a person related to sales. They sell a product or service. They're on the phone or in meetings with customers/clients all the time doing that job. An 'account executive' is a person related to an account. They handle an account on behalf of a client/customer for products/services that require them. In reality, account management is often simply upsell of a product/service, so account executives are salespeople at the end of the day. I think a major difference is that if someone is titled a 'salesperson'/'sales executive' then you're likely to only ever speak to them at the start of a product journey. After onboarding you'll be given to an 'account executive/manager' and they'll look after you henceforth, including any future selling of new products/features. There's a huge overlap between the two. As individuals a salesperson is someone who wants to sell and move on, and account executive is someone who wants to form a relationship with you and keep you happy in the long-term.