Group Chief Financial Officer

Overview

Our client is a leading diversified conglomerate based in Singapore with operations spanning 17 countries. They maintain a strong reputation for innovation, excellence, and long-term value creation in sectors such as real estate development, shipping, industrial engineering, and other strategic investments. With an expanding global presence and solid financial foundation, the Group is committed to sustainable growth while upholding the highest levels of corporate governance, operational efficiency, and financial discipline.

Role Summary

Reporting directly to the CEO and as a core member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will act as the main financial advisor to the CEO and Board. The CFO will oversee comprehensive financial management across the Group, ensuring disciplined capital deployment, effective governance, and sustainable value creation within a diverse multinational portfolio. This position leads all finance functions including corporate finance, treasury, planning and analysis, accounting, taxation, M&A, investor relations, risk management, controls, finance transformation, and shared services. The CFO will collaborate with business heads across various countries, championing strategic expansion while maintaining robust financial controls and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Group's financial strategy aligned with its long-term objectives, guiding the CEO, Board, and leadership team on strategic decisions, new business assessments, and capital optimization.
• Provide financially sound advice balancing growth, profitability, liquidity, and risk related to investments, portfolio adjustments, and business transformations.
• Oversee the Group’s financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance management to build effective reporting frameworks enabling data-driven decisions.
• Enhance profitability, cash flow, working capital, and returns on invested capital while promoting financial responsibility and operational discipline throughout divisions.
• Manage treasury functions including liquidity, banking, FX risk, interest rates, cash pooling, and funding strategies; lead capital raising, project financing, refinancing, and sustainability-linked financing efforts.
• Ensure accuracy and timeliness in financial reporting, compliance with Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (International), accounting standards, tax regulations, and regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.
• Collaborate with business leaders to boost commercial results, operational efficiency, and value creation, providing financial support on pricing, investments, contracts, capital expenditures, and business initiatives.
• Lead financial aspects of mergers, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, and investments, managing due diligence, valuation, transaction structuring, financing, integration, and synergy realization.
• Provide sector-specific financial leadership for real estate (project finance, asset valuation, portfolio optimization), shipping (fleet finance, charter economics, operating costs), and industrial engineering (manufacturing finance, project profitability, supply chain finance).
• Strengthen enterprise-wide financial risk management covering financial, market, liquidity, credit, and FX risks, ensuring internal controls, insurance, and business continuity.
• Maintain strong relationships with shareholders, financial institutions, investors, auditors, regulators, and consultants, supporting communication of financial results, strategy, and capital plans.
• Drive finance function innovation through digital technologies, automation, AI, and analytics to improve governance, efficiency, and insights; lead ERP systems, shared services, and data-driven decision-making initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
• Professional accounting credentials such as CPA, CA, ACCA, or equivalent are required.
• An MBA or advanced qualification in Finance or Business Administration is advantageous.
• At least 20 years of progressive finance leadership experience including senior roles such as Group CFO or Regional CFO within large multinational or diversified conglomerates.
• Proven expertise managing finance operations across multiple countries, preferably in capital-heavy industries like real estate, infrastructure, shipping, industrial engineering, manufacturing, or investment holdings.
• Expertise in capital markets, treasury, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, financial transformations, risk management, and international taxation.
• Experience working with Boards, Audit Committees, financial institutions, regulators, and investors.