Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Investments

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Head of Corporate Development & Strategic Investments to lead the Group's long-term corporate development and portfolio-building strategy.

The primary objective of this role is to identify, evaluate, acquire and develop businesses that can contribute to the Group's long-term growth and build a valuable portfolio of companies with future capital-market potential.

The successful candidate will assess potential acquisition and investment opportunities, conduct financial and commercial analysis, value target companies, evaluate strategic fit and determine whether an opportunity should be presented to the Board.

The role will also focus on identifying businesses with potential for SGX and HKEX IPOs, Reverse Takeovers (RTOs), strategic investments, consolidation and other capital-market transactions.

This is a hands-on strategic role requiring strong commercial judgement, financial analysis, valuation and transaction knowledge, together with the ability to communicate investment recommendations effectively to a Chinese-speaking Board and senior management team.

Key Responsibilities

1. Corporate Development & Long-Term Growth

• Develop and execute the Group's long-term corporate development and portfolio-building strategy.
• Identify businesses, sectors and investment opportunities that align with the Group's long-term strategic objectives.
• Build a pipeline of potential acquisitions, strategic investments, joint ventures and business opportunities.
• Identify opportunities where the Group can acquire, develop, consolidate or scale businesses to create long-term enterprise value.
• Evaluate opportunities from both a standalone investment perspective and their potential contribution to the overall Group portfolio.

2. Acquisition & Target Identification

• Proactively identify and source potential acquisition targets and strategic investment opportunities.
• Screen target companies based on strategic fit, business quality, growth potential, scalability, competitive position and valuation.
• Develop relationships with business owners, shareholders, intermediaries, corporate finance advisers, investment bankers and other industry contacts.
• Conduct initial assessment to determine whether a potential target warrants further investigation.
• Maintain and develop an active acquisition and investment pipeline.

3. Financial Analysis & Company Valuation

• Analyse target companies' financial statements, revenue, EBITDA, cash flow, debt, working capital and overall financial position.
• Perform company valuations using appropriate methodologies, including DCF, comparable companies and precedent transactions.
• Assess acquisition price, valuation upside, expected returns, potential synergies and downside risks.
• Evaluate the quality and sustainability of the target's earnings and cash flow.
• Determine an appropriate valuation range and potential transaction price.

4. Commercial & Strategic Assessment

• Evaluate the target's business model, market position, management team, customers, suppliers, competitors and industry outlook.
• Assess the target's growth potential and ability to scale within the Group.
• Identify potential operational, commercial and strategic synergies with existing Group businesses.
• Determine whether the target business can become a meaningful component of the Group's long-term portfolio.
• Assess potential opportunities for future consolidation, expansion or strategic repositioning.

5. Capital Markets

• Identify and evaluate potential SGX and HKEX listing opportunities.
• Assess potential IPO, RTO and reverse-merger opportunities as part of the Group's long-term capital-market strategy.
• Evaluate whether an acquisition target could serve as a suitable listed platform or strategic asset.
• Assess listing feasibility, business track record, corporate structure, shareholder considerations, valuation and capital-market potential.
• Identify opportunities for future fundraising, strategic placements, corporate restructuring and capital-market transactions.
• Work with corporate finance advisers, sponsors, investment banks, lawyers, auditors and other professional advisers.

6. Due Diligence

• Lead and coordinate preliminary and detailed due diligence on potential acquisition targets.
• Review financial, commercial, operational, legal, tax and regulatory information.
• Identify key risks, hidden liabilities and issues that may affect valuation or transaction structure.
• Coordinate with external professional advisers and review their findings.
• Incorporate due diligence findings into the final investment recommendation.

7. Transaction Structuring & Execution

• Develop appropriate transaction structures
• Evaluate funding and financing requirements.
• Participate in negotiations with shareholders, business owners and counterparties.
• Coordinate transaction execution with legal, accounting, tax, corporate finance and other advisers.

8. Board & Investment Recommendations

• Prepare detailed Board and Investment Committee papers for potential acquisitions and strategic investments.
• Present the strategic rationale, business analysis, valuation, transaction structure, risks and expected returns.
• Provide clear recommendations to the Board.
• Explain complex financial and transaction matters clearly to the Board and senior management.
• Conduct additional analysis and research requested by the Board.

9. Portfolio Development & Post-Acquisition

• Monitor acquired businesses against the original investment thesis and business plan.
• Identify opportunities to improve operations, increase profitability and accelerate growth.
• Identify potential cross-selling, consolidation and expansion opportunities across the Group's portfolio.
• Evaluate opportunities for additional acquisitions to build scale.
• Assess potential future IPO, RTO, fundraising, restructuring or divestment opportunities.
• Periodically review the overall Group portfolio and recommend strategic actions to maximise long-term value.

Language & Communication

Chinese language capability is important for this role.

• Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin and English, both verbally and in writing.
• Comfortable presenting investment analysis, acquisition proposals and strategic recommendations to a Chinese-speaking Board and senior management team.
• Able to read and understand Chinese business, financial and corporate materials.
• Ability to communicate and negotiate with Chinese-speaking business owners, shareholders, investors and counterparties is highly advantageous.

Requirements

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics or a related discipline.
• 8–15+ years of relevant experience in M&A, corporate development, investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, fund management or strategic investments.
• Strong experience in company valuation, financial modelling and investment analysis.
• Demonstrated understanding of M&A and transaction structuring.
• Familiarity with SGX and/or other exchanges, IPO and RTO transactions.
• Experience evaluating acquisition or investment opportunities and presenting recommendations to senior management, investment committees or Boards.
• Strong commercial judgement and ability to distinguish attractive opportunities from businesses that should not be pursued.
• Strong analytical, financial modelling and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Fluent Mandarin and English is strongly preferred.

Preferred Experience

Candidates with experience in the following areas will be highly regarded:

• SGX IPO / RTO
• HKEX IPO / RTO
• Corporate finance advisory
• M&A execution
• Private equity / strategic investments
• Listed company corporate development
• Financial modelling and valuation
• Acquisition sourcing and target screening
• Business consolidation / roll-up strategies
• Capital raising and corporate restructuring
• Working with corporate finance advisers, sponsors, investment banks and professional advisers

What We Are Looking For

The successful candidate will be expected to combine investment judgement, financial analysis, commercial thinking and transaction execution capability to help build the Group's long-term portfolio and growth strategy.