Designation: Contractual CFO M&A / Virtual CFO

Location: New Delhi

About the Company:

Our client is a leading and rapidly growing player in the Landscape industry, with a strong PAN-India presence and an established business platform. As part of its next phase of growth and corporate expansion, the organisation is actively exploring strategic M&A opportunities to strengthen its market position, expand its capabilities, and accelerate its long-term growth ambitions. The organisation is seeking to engage a seasoned M&A-focused CFO / Virtual CFO on a contractual basis, who can partner closely with the Promoters and Leadership Team to translate their M&A vision into a structured and executable corporate growth strategy.

Role Overview:

The role is designed for a strategic M&A finance leader who brings demonstrated experience in successfully executing and closing multiple M&A transactions within the Indian market. This is not a conventional Finance Controller or traditional CFO position. The mandate is specifically focused on M&A strategy, transaction execution, financial evaluation, deal structuring, due diligence, negotiations and successful closure of transactions. The individual will act as a Virtual CFO / M&A Head, working closely with the Promoters and senior leadership to identify and evaluate potential acquisition opportunities, assess strategic and financial fit, lead transaction processes, and support the organisation through the complete M&A lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

1. M&A Strategy & Corporate Development:

- Partner with the Promoters and senior leadership to understand and shape the organisation's M&A and inorganic growth strategy.

- Translate the Promoters' vision and corporate ambitions into a structured M&A roadmap and execution plan.

- Assess strategic fit, market attractiveness, business synergies and long-term value creation potential of prospective transactions.

- Lead the financial evaluation and commercial assessment of potential M&A opportunities.

2. Deal Evaluation & Financial Analysis:

- Lead the financial evaluation and commercial assessment of potential M&A opportunities.

- Develop and review detailed financial models, valuation analyses, deal scenarios and investment cases.

- Evaluate target companies based on financial performance, cash flows, profitability, growth potential, business quality and strategic relevance.

- Conduct comprehensive valuation analysis using appropriate methodologies, including DCF, trading comparables, transaction comparables and other relevant approaches.

- Assess potential synergies, risks, liabilities and value creation opportunities associated with proposed transactions.

3. Transaction Execution:

- Lead the end-to-end M&A transaction lifecycle, from target identification and preliminary assessment through due diligence, negotiation, structuring and closure.

- Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external advisors including investment bankers, transaction advisors, lawyers, tax advisors, auditors and other specialists.

- Lead and oversee financial, commercial and tax due diligence processes.

- Review and analyse due diligence findings and identify key transaction risks and value implications.

- Support negotiations on valuation, transaction structure, consideration, warranties, indemnities and other key commercial terms.

- Work closely with legal and external advisory teams on transaction documentation and deal closure.

- Drive transactions towards timely and successful completion while protecting the organisation's strategic and financial interests.

4. Promoter & Stakeholder Advisory:

- Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Promoters on M&A and corporate growth opportunities.

- Present clear, data-driven recommendations to the Promoters and Board on potential transactions.

- Provide independent perspective on the attractiveness, risks and feasibility of prospective deals.

5. Post-Transaction Support:

- Support the organisation in developing post-merger integration plans and value realisation strategies, where required.

- Assist in tracking anticipated synergies and financial outcomes following transaction closure.

- Provide strategic financial oversight during the transition and integration phase.

Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate should be a seasoned M&A professional / CFO / Corporate Development leader with a proven track record of executing and successfully closing multiple M&A transactions in the Indian market.

Essential Experience & Qualifications:

- CA / MBA (Finance) / CFA or equivalent qualification from a reputed institution.

- 15+ years of overall experience, with significant exposure to M&A, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, Corporate Development or Strategic Finance.

- Demonstrated experience in successfully closing multiple M&A transactions in India.

- Strong hands-on experience across the complete M&A lifecycle, including:

1. Financial modelling and valuation

2. Deal structuring

3. Due diligence

4. Negotiations

5. Transaction documentation

6. Deal closure

- Experience working directly with Promoters / Founders, CXOs and Boards on strategic transactions.

- Strong understanding of the Indian M&A ecosystem and transaction landscape.

- Proven ability to independently drive transactions and manage multiple stakeholders and advisors.