Manager Mergers & Acquisitions

The Company

Our client is a private equity backed world leader in animal nutrition and related solutions. Our client manufactures products and supplies technical support for various species, including ruminants, poultry, swine and pets. With over 100 plants in 30 countries, the company employs almost 9.000 employees, and reported sales results of nearly € 2 billion in 2007.

The position

The M&A function within the Corporate Development Department is responsible for leading and delivering all M&A transactions for our client. The company is highly acquisitive and M&A activity is at the core of helping deliver significant growth for the business. M&A will be a clear focus for the Group within the foreseeable future. A need has arisen to appoint an additional member in the M&A function within the department. The candidate must be a seasoned M&A professional ideally with at least 6 years transaction experience within an international corporate environment.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• To lead and project manage joint venture, disposal and acquisition transactions internationally, and to lead and direct the associated negotiations, effectively providing an in-house merchant bank/corporate finance service for our client.
• To deputise for the Corporate Development Director on M&A matters. To lead and project manage M&A transactions on an international basis.
• To assess the resources needed for each transaction project, and where appropriate, to decide on the nature and quantity of external resource needed.
• To instruct and control professional financial advisers.
• To assist the businesses in the formulation of business plans.
• To prepare the acquisition case for a potential opportunity.
• To lead M&A negotiations to contract In connection with specific transactions to participate pro-actively in the following (in co-operation with other staff functions, business management and external financial advisers).
• Provision of financial analysis of acquisition, divestment and joint venture opportunities, including supporting and producing valuations.
• Preparation and provision of information for and production of papers for submission to   the Board to obtain the necessary internal approvals.Initiation, leading and project management of transactions to ensure that they are handled and managed in the most effective manner given the diverse range of interests and expertise that is generally relevant.
• Negotiation of transactions including formulation of tactics and evaluation and minimisation of risk to our client.
• Identification, specification, commissioning, supervision and review of due diligence prior to acquisitions.
• Working with business management to draw up post-acquisition integration plans, or post-transaction management plans in the case of joint ventures, to ensure that the benefits of the transaction are realised.
• Obtaining necessary internal and external (including governmental, regulatory and tax authority) clearances and authorisations for transactions.
• Assistance in development, on a proactive basis, deal pipelines and potential acquisition targets.
• Reporting Reports to Corporate Development Director.

Profile ideal candidate 

• Academic qualification to degree level or equivalent with a significant economic/commercial/financial or technical content preferably with a post-graduate business degree.
• A thorough understanding of financial and management accounting practices and a professional accounting qualification.
• Outstanding experience in a blue chip corporate M&A role.
• A minimum of six years M&A experience which includes significant international or cross-border transaction experience, preferably in both a corporate and banking environment.
• Able to be effective immediately and to manage M&A projects autonomously with the minimum of supervision.
• A reasonable working knowledge of and good appreciation of how pensions, treasury, commercial and financial issues, company and commercial law, taxation issues, employment policies, laws and regulations (particularly merger regulations) affect acquisition and disposal activities and major company restructuring.
• Able to deal with sensitive and confidential information.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Knowledge of other languages preferable, with sensitivity to cross-cultural issues
• Negotiation, modelling, strong M&A technical skills including valuation and due diligence experience.
• A self starter, action orientated, energetic and motivated team player with good communication skills and with an ability to represent the Group effectively in a broad range of transactions.
• International M&A experience and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.