Group Head: Mergers & Acquisitions at Aspen Pharma Group

ROLE PURPOSE
The Head will lead the development and implementation of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures projects/ life-cycle and partnerships in the Group Strategic development office. Strategic projects include mergers and acquisitions but also the support of disposals, license and supply agreements, distribution agreements, collaborations etc. Lead a team that will support the Group Chief Strategic Development Officer to set up M&A business plan and assist Aspen in managing M&A processes from deal sourcing through to final closing, implementation, integration/exits and post transaction evaluation. The role will be responsible for collecting financial, industry and market data/information related to sound investment opportunities. The Head will, in addition, support the broader team with support and advice regarding M&A projects.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Supporting and driving organic growth

• Contribute to the M&A strategy and build deal flow with key stakeholder groups
• Contributes to leading, planning, and providing support for due diligence activities across all functional areas of any transaction, inclusive of commercial, financial, portfolio management, operations, technology
• Be the central point of contact for the M&A activities active role in deal origination and negotiation of terms
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery and stakeholder engagement
• Regular interactions with EXCO and senior leaders within to deliver balanced, and comprehensive analyses for each stage of merger and acquisition transactions
• Lead M&A projects and initiatives within the Group
• Develop financial models and projections to estimate cash flow and profitability potential
• Conduct analysis on business and financial opportunities related to targeted companies
• Identify and recommend shortlists of potential deal targets
• Draft deal documentation such as proposals, teaser, memorandum, management presentation, also participate and coordinate with third party service providers in due diligence, deal valuation and financial structuring etc.
• Leads diligence processes, and gathers and leverages integration planning inputs in order to support integration planning and valuation inputs
• Compiles due diligence integration plans
• Identify key long term M&A challenges, quantify the impact on the business, develop solutions and communicate effectively with senior management
• Gathers essential information regarding risks and opportunities for impending and ongoing M&A activities, translating this information into fact-based and well-reasoned insights on the valuation and structural impact of the merger or acquisition.
• Screen the market and find additional opportunities to acquire businesses that complement our existing offering
• Execute national and international M&A transactions, including bidding processes, transaction structuring and participation in contract negotiations
• Tender and monitor due diligence procedures (financial, commercial, technical and legal)
• Organize post-deal reviews and support in post-merger/post-acquisition integration
• Identify and develop the supporting business case underpinning M&A opportunities
• Provide information and analysis to support key M&A decisions and long term planning implementation
• Ensure running projects are managed appropriately, with tasks delegated and reviewed where necessary
• Develop integration strategies, target due diligence, and post-close integration management
• Prepare and/or review board papers and reports

Stakeholder engagement

• Define, negotiate and establish partnerships with third parties
• Lead commercial negotiations with senior management of prospective partners on behalf of the Group
• Identifies markets, industries, geographies, and technologies that complement the overall M&A strategy and translate these analyses into specified targets
• Manage suppliers effectively to deliver results (including lawyers, consultants and financial institutions)
• Lead and coordinate multi-functional teams
• Execute and drive projects towards a clear conclusion, results and recommendations
• Support M&A activities by working with the M&A team on key industry aspects of the acquisition

Customer engagement

• Serve as strategic interface between the Group Strategic Development Division and internal/external customers
• Maintain and develop key licensor relationships, leveraging viable new licensor developments

Analysis

• Provides detailed target analysis and financial model lead creation using KPIs and other variables as sales drivers in order to estimate revenue and profitability of merger or acquisition over a multi-year project period
• Develop operating models that are highly flexible in order to be able to oeuvre manoeuvre through multiple scenarios for the purpose of enabling any necessary and abrupt changes on a real-time basis
• Leading the preparation of valuation models following the business’s M&A standards and performing critical fundamental analyses inclusive of ROIC, accretion and dilution analyses, comparable company analysis, and discounted cash flow analyses
• Lead the post-investment evaluation analysis

Team management

• Effectively manage, coach, guide and empower the M&A team to remain engaged, motivated and, realise its potential to deliver the set objectives successfully

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in economics, or corporate finance, commercial engineering etc. CA(SA)/ CFA/ MBA degree is a strong asset
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry advantageous;
• More than 10 years of experience, within a consultancy firm, investment bank or M&A department of a large corporate
• Experience in deal services and corporate finance
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements is an advantage;
• Financial knowledge essential;
• Negotiation skills
• Literacy on all MS Office applications, including a good understanding of Windows, Internet.
• Knowledge of internal Aspen business and processes
• Good Knowledge of contracts
• Product knowledge (clinical and commercial) advantage
• Industry knowledge
• Knowledge of cost structures
• Project administration and management
• Database management skills – Excel and internal database management programs
• Research skills – archives, internet and journal
• Excellent modelling and presentation skills
• Experience in an M&A capacity within a fast-paced, highly competitive, and dynamic environment
• Demonstrate an in-depth operational and valuation financial modelling experience and an ability to generate new business through the exploitation of existent relationships as well as the development of new relationships in a business’s industry
• Track record of managing transactions, transaction valuation, and strategic transaction analyses
• Experience making effective decisions through the analysis of information and proficient deal analysis, negotiation and execution
• Able to use most of the Microsoft Office package for daily work and proved skills in independently preparing high-quality PPT presentations and Excel analysis for financial feasibilities and results

SKILLS

• Experience in an M&A capacity within a fast-paced, highly competitive, and dynamic environment
• Demonstrate an in-depth operational and valuation financial modelling experience and an ability to generate new business through the exploitation of existent relationships as well as the development of new relationships in a business’s industry
• Track record of managing transactions, transaction valuation, and strategic transaction analyses
• Experience making effective decisions through the analysis of information and proficient deal analysis, negotiation and execution
• Able to use most of the Microsoft Office package for daily work and proved skills in independently preparing high-quality PPT presentations and Excel analysis for financial feasibilities and results

ATTRIBUTE

• Initiative; discretion; customer focussed; interpersonal sensitivity; integrity; resilient; dependable, decisive with sound judgment; patience; influence; attention to detail; logical thinking; information-seeking, enterprising, technical, emotional intelligence and tenacity

KNOWLEDGE

• Extensive knowledge of accrual accounting concepts, corporate finance, and will also have experience managing a M&A team through the entire life-cycle of a merger or acquisition transaction.
• Holistic understanding of commercial, financial, technical and legal/regulatory aspects of the matter and be able to provide and oversee industry focused research to influence the direction of the company
• Pharmaceutical Industry & product knowledge
• Understand market structures, competition dynamics and consumer behaviours
• Working knowledge of the market, players and trends in the industry
• Requires deep commercial and technical understanding
• Firm understanding of competition law and regulation that impact the company’s business
• Strong understanding of the long-term challenges the Group faces and identify initiatives that will enable the business to stay ahead

ASPEN COMPETENCIES:

Business

• PERFORMANCE DRIVEN - Initiative, multi-tasking, result-oriented, systems thinking, planning and organisational skills
• ACCOUNTABILITY AND OWNERSHIP - Focus, Visioning, Cooperation, Proactive, Responsibility and Accountability, Resilience

People

• DEALS WITH AMBIGUITY AND EMBRACES CHANGE - Flexibility and tolerance, transition management, capacity for and resistance to stress, perseverance and tenacity
• COMMUNICATES EFFECTIVELY – Informal communication, active listening skills, writing skills, presentation skills, meeting facilitation, empathy

Self

• Contributes Special Expertise – technical/ professional knowledge, industry knowledge
• Takes action with action with integrity - personal responsibility, self-assurance, honesty, ethical conduct.