APAC Corporate Finance Director

Finance director at a Global Energy Company, Tokyo office

Involved in the Asian power market for over 30 years, the company aims to contribute to the ongoing energy demand of a fast-changing and dynamic market, from low carbon electricity production to smart energy services.

Headquartered in Tokyo, the company International Division APAC (ID APAC) is delivering the company Groups strategy in Asia (excluding China and Central Asian countries) and Pacific areas, in relation to hydroelectricity (including pumped storage and floating solar), thermal, transmission, distribution, hybrid distributed offers for C&I and communities, and innovative solutions related to storage and hydrogen. The company International Division in Asia relies on two subsidiaries in Laos (one 1070 MW hydropower asset, jointly owned and operated with Lao and Thai partners) and Vietnam (one 715 MW combined cycle power plant, jointly owned with Japanese partners), several development offices in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, and Japan. The Singapore office also hosts an R&D International Centre.

Main Job Purpose:

Scope: Japan

Duration: no fixed term

Starting ASAP

OVERALL ROLE

The Director Finance (the Role) reports to the Country Manager and exists to support the company Japan's mandate for investment into the Japanese electricity markets value chain (including but not limited to the long/short duration storage such as BESS and the pump storage hydro, green hydrogen and ammonia, and transmission).

In particular, the Role supports the Country Manager by:

- Leading the company finance function for the assessment and analysis of greenfield and brownfield investment opportunities (including structuring, debt and equity funding, tax, accounting, valuation, finance commercial);

- Using knowledge and experience to help shape (together with the rest of the Japanese team) market/investment/commercialization strategies and actively contribute to deal execution.

- Managing the interface with key financial stakeholders (governmental financiers, grants providers, debt and equity providers, external advisors)

- Managing BAU finance activities for the company (including budgeting, planning, forecasting and reporting).

The Role will also support the Financial Department of the APAC region and more generally the International Division, managing the relationship with Japanese financial institutions such as JBIC and NEXIS, and Japanese commercial banks when relevant.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Financial Leadership in respect of investment opportunities

- Lead the finance function for the assessment and analysis of brownfield and greenfield opportunities (including structuring, debt and equity funding, tax, accounting, valuation, finance commercial);

- Use knowledge of energy and financial markets and the relevant regulations to help shape market/investment/commercialization strategies.

- Lead the arrangement of debt and equity funding for projects;

- Lead the negotiation of commercial arrangements from a finance perspective to support investment opportunities (greenfield, brownfield, PPP, lending);

- Providing deep commercial and cross-functional expertise to greenfield and brownfield opportunity development;

- Take a leading role on transactional/development management throughout the opportunity life-cycle;

- Support, lead and be a key member of project teams as required from a finance perspective (including in developing strategy, conducting due diligence, preparing bids, leading negotiations and developing relevant documentation);

- Assist with the development of internal investment approval documents (i.e. strategic assessments, valuations, business cases) to support approval frameworks;

- Develop presentations, documents and communications materials for internal and external stakeholders;

- Oversee, coordinate and provide guidance on the work carried out by other work streams in support of investment opportunities;

- Develop analytical tools to assist with analysis and decision-making processes;

Financial Leadership of business as usual finance activities:

- Manage BAU finance activities for the company in Japan (including budgeting, planning, forecasting and reporting). These tasks shall be temporary only and assigned to a new position during the year 2024.

Stakeholder Management: Actively manage internal and external stakeholders relevant to the job purpose

- Present to industry groups, government, conferences and elsewhere as part of opportunity development and advocacy for opportunities;

- Proactively maintain relationships with the market and relevant stakeholders;

- Establish relationship and negotiate key agreements with Japanese financial institutions such as JBIC and NEXIS, primarily for the activities for the company, and when relevant also for the activities of the APAC region and more generally the International Division;

- Demonstrate deep understanding of the energy market and develop strong working relationships with existing and potential customers, partners, financiers and other stakeholders;

- Work closely with other members of team and external consultants to align market intelligence, generate and execute opportunities;

- Build and promote the company brand as a clean, renewable, decarbonization development and solutions provider and investor in Japan

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The ideal candidate shall possess;

- Bachelors degree level qualifications in accounting, finance, economics or commerce is essential

- CA/CPA/CFA Qualification preferred (not mandatory) or equivalent experience and understanding in the scope.

- Post Graduate study well regarded.

- 10+ years providing finance leadership in respect of new infrastructure development and investment, preferable in the energy industry (e.g. project finance banking, PPP, financial advisory, other lending, infrastructure funds management)

- Comfortable managing multiple finance workstreams across a range of new investment and greenfield development deliverables (tax, accounting, funding, valuation,

structuring, finance commercial)

- Demonstrated ability in leading financial analysis and corporate finance.

- Demonstrated experience with debt and equity raising

- Comfortable managing business as usual finance deliverables (including budgeting, planning, forecasting and reporting)

- Tertiary level training in an analytical and problem-solving related discipline

- Energy industry experience highly desirable (in particular those that can show engagement at senior levels with energy markets stakeholders)

- Experience in discounted cashflow and valuation modeling, infrastructure lending (or managing teams or consultants that do so)

- Commercially astute, possessing strong analytical and commercial skills in relation to complex issues and be capable of identifying and analyzing risk and opportunity implications

- Experience in delivering projects highly valued