Head of Corporate Finance

The Head of Corporate Finance owns everything that touches the group's capital: how it is raised, how it is deployed and how the outcome is explained to those who provided it. That means the transaction agenda, the funding and capital structure, and — in listed groups — a significant share of investor reporting and analyst engagement.

It is the point in the pathway where technical excellence becomes insufficient on its own. The seat is judged on capital discipline over multi-year horizons: whether the acquisitions priced under your sign-off created value, whether the balance sheet held through a downturn, and whether the market understood the group's story.

In Singapore the role is most common in listed groups, conglomerates, investment holding companies and regional headquarters with independent funding mandates. Banking relationships, rating agency dialogue and cross-border tax structuring all sit inside the remit.

Where this sits: the leadership rung of the Corporate Finance pathway, above Head of Corporate Development and Corporate Finance Manager. Peer functional heads are Head of Finance, Head of Treasury and Financial Controller.

• Own the group transaction agenda — acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures and strategic investments.
• Set and maintain the capital structure: funding mix, maturity profile, covenant headroom and liquidity policy.
• Lead major financing events, including refinancing, bond issuance, equity raises and rating agency dialogue.
• Provide final valuation sign-off and recommend transactions to the board with a clear risk position.
• Own investor reporting content and support analyst and shareholder engagement alongside the CFO.
• Govern capital allocation frameworks — hurdle rates, approval thresholds and post-investment review.
• Oversee deal accounting, disclosure and tax structuring outcomes with reporting and tax leadership.
• Build the function: hire, develop and set the standards for corporate finance and development teams.

• A degree in accountancy, finance or economics with CFA, CA (Singapore) or ACCA completed; MBA common.
• Fifteen or more years spanning transactions, funding and, ideally, a period in reporting or controllership.
• A track record of completed acquisitions and at least one significant financing event.
• Board-level credibility, including experience presenting capital and transaction recommendations directly.
• Experience with listed-company obligations, disclosure and investor engagement where relevant.
• Regional structuring experience across Southeast Asia, including tax, legal and governance considerations.

• Lead with capital discipline. Show a multi-year record of what you funded, bought, sold and declined.
• Bring a financing event. A refinancing or issuance you led tests judgement that M&A alone does not.
• Be candid on a deal that underperformed. Boards trust leaders who can explain a miss precisely.
• Show investor fluency. Explain how you would frame this group's equity story today.
• Ask about the CFO relationship. The split between corporate finance and controllership defines the mandate.