Head of Corporate and Business Development

About Our Client: Our client is a well-established and growing leader in the fintech space.Position Scope: The Head of Corporate & Business Development will be responsible for shaping and executing strategies that align with the company’s overarching business goals. This critical leadership role will focus on identifying and evaluating opportunities for mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and investments, overseeing due diligence efforts, and driving deal negotiations. Additionally, the Head of Corporate and BD will lead a team tasked with the commercialization and market introduction of new products and services.Key responsibilities include conducting in-depth market research, analyzing financial performance, and fostering relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally. The Head of Corporate and BD will also ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, working closely with the legal and compliance teams to mitigate risk and support deal execution.On the business development side, this role will identify new growth opportunities, work closely with sales and marketing to develop go-to-market strategies, and manage key client relationships. The Head of Corporate and BD will lead a team of product innovators to successfully test, validate and launch products that will serve the financial services market. A strong focus will be placed on establishing and nurturing strategic partnerships to support the company’s expansion efforts.The role will also be accountable for developing acquisition and partnership strategies, leading the integration and onboarding processes post-deal, and ensuring a smooth transition to ongoing operational teams. Accountabilities:Corporate Development Strategic Planning and Execution: Develop and implement corporate and business development strategies aligned with the company’s overall business objectives.Identify and evaluate potential mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and investment opportunities.Lead due diligence processes and negotiations for potential deals. Market Analysis and Research: Conduct market research to identify industry trends, competitive landscape, and potential growth opportunities.Analyze financial statements, market data, and other relevant information to assess the viability of potential deals. Relationship Management: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, partners, and industry experts.Collaborate with internal teams, such as finance, legal, technology and operations, to ensure successful deal execution and integration. Financial Analysis and Modeling: Partner with Finance to develop financial models to evaluate the impact of potential deals on the company’s financial performance and prepare and present detailed financial analyses and reports to senior management and the board of directors. Leadership and Team Management: Lead and mentor a team of corporate development professionals.Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the corporate development team. Regulatory and Compliance: Ensure all corporate development activities comply with relevant regulations and industry standards.Work closely with legal and compliance teams to address any regulatory issues that may arise during deal execution. Business Development and Product Innovation New Business & Product Growth: Identify and pursue new product opportunities to drive long-term, incremental revenue growth that are aligned with the organizations corporate strategy and vision.Develop and implement strategies to expand the company’s market presence and customer base.Commercialize new products and business linesOnce successfully commercialized, partner with day-to-day product strategy and management leads to formalize ingestion of new business into the organization. Sales and Marketing Collaboration: Work closely with sales and marketing teams to develop and execute go-to-market strategies.Support the creation of marketing materials and sales presentations to attract new clients and partners. Client Relationship Management: Proactively identify and acquire client prospects for new business, develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and potential clients to promote the organization as the solution partner of choice for net new services and businessesUnderstand client needs and provide tailored solutions to meet their business objectives. Performance Tracking and Reporting: Monitor and analyze business development activities and performance metrics.Prepare regular reports for senior management on business development progress and outcomes. Partnerships and Acquisitions Partnership Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive partnership strategy to support the company’s growth objectives.Identify potential partners and evaluate their strategic fit with the company’s goals. Partnership Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with partners to ensure successful collaboration.Monitor and manage the performance of partnerships to ensure they deliver the expected value.Identify and establish strategic partnerships to enhance the company’s product and service offerings.Negotiate partnership agreements and manage ongoing partner relationships. Acquisition Strategy: Develop and implement an acquisition strategy to support the company’s growth and expansion plans.Identify potential acquisition targets and evaluate their strategic fit with the company’s goals. Due Diligence and Integration: Lead due diligence processes for potential acquisitions, including financial, operational, and legal assessments.Develop and execute integration plans to ensure smooth transitions and maximize the value of acquisitions. Post-Acquisition Management: Monitor and manage the performance of acquired companies to ensure they deliver the expected value.Work closely with internal teams to address any challenges that arise during the integration process. Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, economics, or a related field. An MBA would be considered an asset10+ years of progressive experience (with at least 5+ in a management capacity) in strategic planning, financial management, corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and business development. Required Skills and Knowledge: Proven ability to develop and implement long-term business strategies that align with corporate growth objectives.Expertise in analyzing financial statements, metrics, and market trends to make informed decisions and identify business opportunities.Strong experience in managing and executing M&A transactions, including conducting thorough due diligence and evaluations of potential deals or investments.Demonstrated skills in managing multiple projects simultaneously, from product launch and commercialization to business development initiatives.Exceptional negotiation skills, closing deals and forming strategic partnerships to support business growth.Leadership ability to inspire teams and drive them toward achieving business goals, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders.Strategic problem-solving and risk management, including identifying potential issues and mitigating risks to safeguard business interests. Customer-centric approach, ensuring that client needs are prioritized and high levels of satisfaction are maintained.