M&A and Corporate Development Executive (entry level) - UK/EU/S Africa

What the role involves:

• Working globally alongside our Business Unit teams across the entire transaction process, from deal sourcing through due diligence, valuation, deal structuring, the negotiation and execution of transaction agreements and post-closing integration
• Financial modelling and benchmarking of comparable transaction valuations
• Assisting our Business Unit teams by preparing screening, investment thesis, valuation and due diligence summary presentations for our leadership team
• Liaising with vendors and their professional advisors as well as co-ordinating internal and buy side legal, financial and tax due diligence professional advisors
• Supporting our Business Unit teams in mapping, assessing acquisition targets and preparing five -year strategic plans
• Assisting with the formation of joint ventures & related shareholder and commercial agreements

Who we are looking for:

• Strategic thinker with sound commercial judgement aligned with very high standards of integrity
• Well-developed financial modelling and analytical skills
• Pro-active, self-motivated and well organised
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, able to operate across levels, functions and also internationally
• Intellectual curiosity and interest in the future of sustainable food and drink production "from plough to plate" and for the environment

Location:

• As this role will cover transactions across Europe, Asia and the Americas time zones, candidates must be based in the UK, the EU, Switzerland or S. Africa.
• You can work out of one of our many regional offices or production plants or be home office based

Minimum requirements for this role:

• Qualified chartered accountant or MBA or other appropriate corporate finance qualification from a leading business school
• Between one to three years' experience in M&A, investment banking, private equity, corporate finance or in financial due diligence with a "Top4" audit practice
• Fluent spoken and written English, other languages helpful but not mandatory
• The right to live and work in the EU, Switzerland or the UK or South Africa
• A record of academic or personal achievement
• Excellent Excel modelling skills, PowerPoint skills helpful.

What we can offer you:

• A competitive compensation package including a performance-based bonus and customary benefits
• A well-defined opportunity for career growth and personal development in an organisation with a depth of expertise and success in M&A and a clear strategic vision. To date, in 2024, we have acquired:

• BASF's Bio-Energy enzyme business
• A majority interest in Swiss baking yeast producer Hefe Schweiz
• The Marmite, Bovril and savoury foods business of PepsiCo Southern Africa
• Cerealtech, a Singapore bakery solutions business servicing APAC
• A strategic stake in Livzym, a Turkish enzyme producer

• We foster a truly entrepreneurial culture and encourage autonomy and initiative, recognising that our people are key to our success and ability to provide innovative products and services to our global customer base
• Our flat structure, accessible leadership team and depth of knowledge of the sectors in which we operate, enables us to make fast but informed decisions
• A clear commitment to professional skills development via structured training

Start date:

To be agreed. We can take on candidates who are available in early 2025 or in summer 2025 following their course completion.

Next Steps:

To apply for this role, please register and apply through our careers portal with a detailed CV and a short covering letter of a maximum of 250 words:

https://careers.lallemand.com/job-postings

Applications will close on 31st December 2024