Global Head of Business Development - Finance

Join to apply for the Global Head of Business Development - Finance role at A&O Shearman

Global Head of Business Development - Finance

Join to apply for the Global Head of Business Development - Finance role at A&O Shearman

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We are recruiting a Global Head of BD to support our Finance practice group. This role will work closely with the practice group leadership team and partners and will require global travel.

A&O Shearman's finance team is renowned as one of the strongest and deepest in the world, with top-tier lawyers located in all the major markets and extensive experience across the spectrum of complex financial transactions. Our Marketing team contributes to the setting and achievement of the firm's business objectives, which include supporting our partners and associates in their pursuit of becoming our clients' trusted advisers, building and maintaining long-lasting, deep institutional client relationships, winning new clients, increasing the visibility of the firm globally, and positioning the firm as the thought leader among the global elite law firms. The function works as one team across the globe with very close collaboration between the central groups and professionals supporting offices, practice groups, sectors, and clients.

This role is centered on driving growth in an area of strategic importance for the firm and requires building relationships with partners and key stakeholders across the business. You will be an agent for change, proactively and positively disrupting the way we go to market.

The role's primary focus will be on (i) Global Financial Markets (derivatives and structured finance, securitization (including CLOs), international debt capital markets and corporate trust and agency) and (ii) Debt Finance (private credit/direct lending, private equity/sponsor side debt, syndicated bank/bond lender side debt, fund finance and trade and commodities/asset-based lending).

The successful candidate will also play a key role in identifying synergies, overlap, and opportunities encompassing (iii) Restructuring (capital solutions, corporate governance, counterparty risk, liability management, distressed M&A and litigation and structuring advice/downside protection analysis) and (iv) Real Estate Finance (construction, senior and mezzanine, A/B structures and preferred equity; distressed loan acquisitions; workouts and restructuring of distressed investments (including loan-to-own strategies); real estate loan and CMBS workouts).

Key relationships

• Practice Group Leadership and Partners
• Managing Director - Global Business Development
• Chief Marketing Officer
• Managing Director - Global Clients and Strategic Projects
• Global Finance BD Team
• Regional and Departmental Marketing Heads

Role and responsibilities

Growth, business origination, and go-to-market strategy

• Drive revenue growth for the global finance practice by targeting high-value opportunities.
• Develop and implement a clear, market-driven strategy to position the practice to win more work, strengthen relationships with key clients, and secure new business.
• Prioritize business origination by identifying and pursuing prospects, ensuring effective collaboration between partners and BD teams to secure mandates.

Collaboration, integration, and alignment

• Foster a unified approach to client engagement and business development by breaking down barriers between products, markets, and practices, and integrating efforts across teams and practice areas.
• Work across internal organizational boundaries to ensure BD activity is aligned, best practices are shared, and any gaps or overlaps in current approaches are addressed.
• Ensure all BD initiatives supplement and complement the work of existing BD managers and senior roles, with clear delineation of responsibilities to avoid duplication of effort.

Client focus and execution

• Take responsibility for executing BD initiatives, freeing up partner time and ensuring all activity directly supports revenue generation and maximizes cross-selling opportunities.
• Lead and facilitate direct, practical conversations with clients and internally to identify and secure new business opportunities.

Market intelligence and commercial focus

• Use market data and competitor analysis to anticipate client needs, spot trends, and position the firm ahead of competitors.
• Ensure all BD activity is closely aligned with commercial goals, focusing resources on the most promising opportunities for revenue and market share growth.

Performance tracking and team leadership

• Track and report on BD results, using data and client feedback to refine strategies and improve return on investment.
• Lead, manage, and develop a results-driven finance BD team, providing guidance and support to ensure effective delivery of commercial outcomes and achievement of shared objectives across markets and products.
• Ensure that resources are directed towards considered and value-additive BD activity that is aligned to business plans.
• Measure and report on the effectiveness of BD initiatives and make data-driven decisions to optimize performance.

Key requirements

• Break down silos and promote collaboration across geographic, practice, product, and sectoral lines.
• A proactive approach, combined with creativity and tenacity, laser-focused on driving growth.
• Strong client and market focus.
• Substantial relevant senior BD experience, likely to be within a professional or financial services organization.
• The ability to navigate ambiguity, act with autonomy, and influence senior stakeholders.
• Excellent market knowledge and the enthusiasm to develop partner-equivalent commercial knowledge across relevant areas.
• Substantial experience of developing and executing BD strategies that generate demonstrable ROI.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills with deep experience of selling concepts and presenting up to senior executive/Board Level.
• Politically astute with the ability to make tough decisions and follow through.
• Anticipates future areas of risk and takes appropriate action to address these.
• Experience of managing and developing the careers of a high-performing team.
• Will require global travel.

Please note, that at this time we are not accepting agency submissions for this requisition.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Our approach to hybrid working seeks to combine and maximise the benefits of effective remote working with the benefits of being in the office. Our current hybrid working arrangements require office based working for a minimum of 60% of your time (i.e. three days per week for a full time role) in accordance with our hybrid working policy.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Legal

• Industries

  Professional Services

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