Head, Corporate Finance & Capital Markets

Senior leader sought to head Corporate Finance & Capital Markets at a regulated entity. Drive origination, structuring and distribution across credit, capital markets and M&A. Full P&L role reporting to CEO. Competitive salary + bonus up to 150% of base.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Head, Corporate Finance & Capital Markets

The Head, Corporate Finance & Capital Markets leads the function of originating, structuring, distributing and actively managing a dynamic book of corporate credit, structured finance, capital markets and mergers & acquisitions transactions.

This is a full P&L accountability role. The Head owns the entire transaction lifecycle from prospect identification through maturity, driving disciplined origination, investor alignment and continuous high-quality deal flow.

The role carries responsibility for product innovation, capital markets development and market expansion, including overseas and sovereign mandates. Critically, the Head is expected to build and maintain a robust network of syndication relationships, enabling the company to originate and execute transactions and to distribute paper efficiently to institutional and other funding partners.

The Head, Corporate Finance & Capital Markets reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and is a member of the senior leadership team.

Primary Roles & Responsibilities

1.  Distribution, Syndication & Underwriting

• Build and maintain a live network of co-underwriting and sub-underwriting partners across Trinidad & Tobago, the Caribbean, and international markets including institutional investors, regional banks, development finance institutions and multilateral agencies.
• Lead the development and execution of the company’s syndication strategy, including originating, structuring and distributing syndicated facilities to third-party investors and capital partners.
• Establish and manage formal sub-underwriting and co-arrangement agreements with financial institutions across multiple jurisdictions.
• Develop sell-down strategies and capital recycling mechanisms to maintain balance sheet liquidity and portfolio efficiency.
• Build new investor channels including institutional, high-net-worth, regional pension funds, insurance companies and international funding partners.
• Represent FSL at capital markets forums, roadshows and investor events to develop and deepen distribution relationships.
• Ensure alignment between origination strategy and distribution capability.
• Monitor distribution market conditions, investor appetite and pricing dynamics across jurisdictions to inform structuring decisions.

2.  Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

• Originate and execute buy-side and sell-side M&A advisory mandates across corporate, private equity and family business clients in Trinidad & Tobago and the wider Caribbean.
• Lead or supervise the preparation of business valuations, financial models, information memoranda and transaction documentation for M&A assignments.
• Identify M&A opportunities arising from the company’s existing corporate finance client relationships and develop a systematic pipeline of advisory mandates.
• Structure and negotiate transaction terms including pricing, earn-outs, deferred consideration and post-closing arrangements.
• Manage due diligence processes, coordinating legal, financial and operational workstreams across advisors and counterparties.
• Develop the company’s M&A market positioning and build relationships with attorneys, accountants, private equity sponsors and corporate advisors as referral sources.
• Provide strategic advisory services to clients on capital structure optimisation, acquisition financing and restructuring transactions.

3.  Product Innovation & Capital Markets Development

• Design and launch new structured finance, capital markets and investment products aligned with Company strategy.
• Develop innovative funding structures including syndicated facilities, structured notes, private placements and cross-border transactions.
• Lead market research into funding needs, infrastructure finance opportunities and structured transactions.
• Establish strategic alliances with financial institutions.

4.  Origination & Market Expansion

• Originate and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective issuer clients.
• Develop new issuer relationships locally and internationally.
• Expand the Company’s issuer base beyond traditional corporate credit.
• Develop and execute an annual Corporate Finance Strategic Plan aligned with Company targets.
• Build and maintain relationships with attorneys, accountants, financial advisors and other referral sources.
• Negotiate and structure new credit facilities and capital finance transactions.
• Ensure consistent submission of pricing memoranda and credit applications to management and Board.
• Participate in seminars, product presentations and investor outreach initiatives.

5.  Structuring, Analysis & Risk Mitigation

• Create corporate finance structures that maximise profit in line with the Company’s stated business targets.
• Structure transactions to optimise fee income, spread income and risk-adjusted return.
• Assess, mitigate and minimise deal and portfolio risk.
• Prepare and sign-off on credit applications, pricing memoranda, investor term sheets, information memoranda and prospectuses.
• Evaluate funding requests through rigorous financial modelling, stress testing and scenario analysis.
• Identify appropriate collateral structures, covenants and credit enhancements.
• Ensure transactions align with investor appetite and portfolio concentration limits.
• Present transactions to Management, Risk Committee and Board of Directors for approval.

6.  Portfolio Construction & Distribution

• Build and manage a diversified, risk-adjusted corporate credit portfolio.
• Develop sell-down strategies and capital recycling mechanisms to maintain liquidity efficiency.
• Monitor portfolio concentration, sector exposure and obligor limits.
• Ensure alignment between origination strategy and distribution capability.
• Participate in the creation and maintenance of risk-adjusted portfolio return targets.

7.  Credit Facility Maintenance & Active Risk Management

• Ensure a minimum annual review of 100% of the issuer/obligor portfolio.
• Implement and maintain programs and procedures focused on facility quality, covenant compliance and security perfection.
• Monitor collateral coverage and security documentation.
• Identify early warning signals and implement timely corrective action.
• Manage restructuring of stressed facilities and oversee recovery strategies.
• Assess credit portfolios for provisions, write-offs and bad debt classification.
• Authorise facility disbursements only upon satisfaction of all conditions precedent and security perfection requirements.

8.  Revenue & Financial Performance Accountability

The Head is directly accountable for:

• Annual disbursement targets
• Fee income targets
• Intermediation / spread income targets
• M&A advisory fee income
• Risk-adjusted return on portfolio
• Portfolio growth within defined risk limits
• Recovery ratios on stressed assets

Secondary Roles & Responsibilities

1.  Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, mentor and develop the Corporate Finance team.
• Establish clear weekly, monthly and annual performance metrics.
• Monitor turnaround times for structuring and approvals.
• Ensure high-quality credit writing and documentation standards.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and coaching sessions.
• Maintain a record of staff training and development hours.
• Recommend staffing adjustments where required to maintain performance standards.
• Foster a high-performance, accountable and disciplined culture.

2.  Reporting

• Submit timely and comprehensive reports to the CEO and Board.
• Provide portfolio analytics including credit quality, concentration, performance and revenue analysis.
• Present forward-looking risk assessments and pipeline updates.
• Prepare the Corporate Finance departmental strategic plan and annual budget.

3.  Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all actions comply with the Securities Act, TTSEC requirements and internal policies.
• Maintain strong documentation and audit readiness.
• Safeguard investor interests.
• Ensure confidentiality and integrity of client information.

• Strong leadership presence and ability to inspire performance.
• Demonstrated origination and revenue-generation capability across credit, capital markets and advisory mandates.
• Advanced financial modelling, valuation and credit analysis skills.
• Strong strategic thinking and portfolio construction mindset.
• Proven ability to build and manage distribution, syndication and co-underwriting relationships across jurisdictions.
• Risk management discipline and sound judgement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to boards, investors and clients.
• High emotional intelligence and professional maturity.
• Results-oriented and performance-driven.
• Integrity and commitment to ethical conduct.
• Entrepreneurial yet risk-conscious mindset.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business Administration or related field.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in merchant banking, corporate credit, structured finance, investment banking or M&A advisory.
• Proven track record of originating and closing credit transactions and/or advisory mandates.
• Demonstrated experience building or participating in syndication, co-underwriting or capital distribution networks.
• Demonstrated team leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of financial markets and investment products.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA, CFA, ACCA or equivalent professional qualification.
• Experience originating or structuring sovereign, quasi-sovereign or cross-border transactions.
• Experience executing M&A transactions including buy-side, sell-side or restructuring mandates.
• Demonstrated experience in syndicated lending, sub-underwriting, co-arrangement or capital markets distribution across multiple jurisdictions.
• Established network of institutional investor, bank or DFI relationships that can be activated for distribution or co-underwriting.
• Demonstrated experience building new products or entering new markets.
• Strong regional or international financial network.
• Experience in credit portfolio management and structured distribution.
• Experience presenting to Board or Investment Committees.
• Exposure to Islamic finance structuring. Candidates without this exposure but with strong conventional credentials will be considered provided they demonstrate commitment to developing this capability.

• Base Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience. Band starts at $35,000 per month gross.

Performance-Based Bonus

• Eligible for annual performance bonus of up to 100%–150% of base salary, subject to achievement of agreed Key Performance Indicators.
• A portion of the performance bonus may be deferred and subject to portfolio performance to ensure long-term alignment with credit quality and risk outcomes.
• Bonus payout is subject to satisfactory regulatory compliance and absence of material credit or governance breaches.

This role forms part of the Company’s executive leadership framework and may progress to:

• Chief Operating Officer
• Deputy Chief Executive Officer
• Chief Executive Officer