About the Role
The role involves leading the execution of assigned M&A, joint venture, partnership, and investment opportunities within the Trading and Downstream ecosystem. As part of the Trading Business Development (M&A) function, this position drives opportunities from origination and screening through to business case development, valuation, due diligence, negotiation support, and approval. The goal is to ensure alignment with the investment criteria, risk appetite, and portfolio strategy. Additionally, the role evaluates new organic and inorganic downstream growth opportunities across various sectors, translating strategic themes into robust, decision-ready business cases for senior leadership and governance committees.
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Key Accountabilities
- Deal Origination & Pipeline: Originate, screen, and prioritize M&A, joint venture, partnership, and divestment opportunities in global trading and downstream markets. Maintain a live deal pipeline of assigned opportunities.
- Transaction Execution: Lead day-to-day execution of transactions through all phases, including due diligence, valuation, financial modeling, risk assessment, negotiation support, and deal documentation. Serve as workstream lead within the deal team.
- Business Case & Valuation: Develop high-quality business cases for new ventures and investments, covering market analysis, value proposition, economics, risk assessments, and implementation strategy. Build and review valuation models (DCF, trading and transaction comparables) and return metrics (IRR, NPV, payback) across low, base, and high scenarios.
- Due Diligence Management: Coordinate due diligence on assigned deals, managing the scope, deliverables, and timelines of external advisors. Consolidate findings into key risks, value drivers, and mitigations.
- Negotiation Support: Assist in negotiating term sheets, MoUs, SPAs, and joint venture agreements, collaborating with Legal and Commercial teams to safeguard value and manage risk.
- Governance & Approvals: Prepare submissions for investment committees, executives, and the Board, ensuring strong assumptions, high document quality, and compliance with investment governance frameworks.
- Market Intelligence: Conduct market scanning and competitor analysis to identify target companies, emerging trends, and shifts in global trading and downstream dynamics. Share insights periodically with senior leadership.
- Stakeholder Coordination: Work with AGT, AT, DM&T Strategy, Finance & Investment, Legal, Tax, and Downstream Business Lines to align evaluation methodologies and commercial positioning on opportunities.
- Value Creation & Integration: Integrate considerations for future transactions early, prepare integration materials, and support value tracking against expected synergies post-closing.
- Tools & Deal Team Support: Contribute to standardized M&A tools, templates, and processes, enhancing transaction quality and reducing execution time. Guide and review the work of Senior Specialists and analysts.
- Operational Plans: Contribute to the Division's annual operational plan and deal pipeline objectives, translating them into work plans for transactions.
- Budgets & Cost Control: Manage transaction-related costs within approved budgets and report on significant variances.
- Policies, Processes & Procedures: Improve M&A governance processes and internal controls in accordance with company guidelines.
- Performance Management: Meet individual performance objectives per the Company Performance Management System.
- People Development: Mentor and share knowledge with team members to support capability building and Emiratisation goals.
- Risk Management: Identify, assess, and report transaction risks aligned with the Corporate Integrated Risk Management System while adhering to business ethics and guidelines.
- Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Propose enhancements to deal processes benchmarked against best practices, including AI-enabled tools.
- HSE Compliance: Follow HSE policies and applicable legislation adhering to the company Code of Practice.
- MIS & Reports: Ensure timely and accurate reporting of pipeline, deal status, and progress to senior management.
Communication & Working Relationships
- Internal: Collaborate closely with the VP, Business Development (M&A) — Trading and DM&T Strategy, along with AGT, AT and other Trading entities, Downstream Business Lines, and relevant departments such as Finance, Legal, and Tax to progress opportunities.
- External: Engage with counterparties, potential partners, and acquisition targets. Manage external advisors including banks and consultants throughout transactions, and liaise with government entities and relevant authorities as required.
Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge & Skills
- Minimum Qualification: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, Business Administration or a related field; a Master's degree (MBA or MSc Finance) is preferred.
- Minimum Experience & Knowledge & Skills:
- 10–12 years of experience in M&A, corporate development, investment banking, transaction advisory, or strategy, including hands-on transaction execution.
- Experience in energy, oil & gas, downstream, or commodity trading is strongly preferred.
- Relevant experience in structured finance and business development within commodity trading houses, including transaction structuring and financing from a principal's perspective.
- Advanced financial modeling and valuation skills; familiarity with due diligence processes and transaction documentation.
- Knowledge of investment governance frameworks and ability to present clear recommendations to senior executives.
- Professional Certifications: CFA, ACA/ACCA, CPA, or a recognized corporate finance/M&A certification is preferred.
Core / Technical Skills
- Performance Management Design and Implementation (L3)
- Market Economics, Supply and Demand (L3)
- Commercial Negotiations (L3)
- Regulatory Compliance Management (L3)
- Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement (L3)
- Leadership Development (L3)
- Trading and Deal Execution Processes (L3)
- AI Fluency (L3)
- Intelligent Data Interpretation (L4)
Note: Core/technical skills proficiency levels will be revised to align with the updated job purpose and accountabilities.
