Vice President of Finance and Strategy - International Franchise

Role Overview

Leap Brand's client is seeking a strategic and operationally-focused Vice President of Finance & Corporate Development to lead our expansion across the Asia-Pacific region. This role is a hybrid of traditional regional finance leadership and aggressive corporate development. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring financial health across multiple markets while identifying and executing the deals that will define our footprint in Asia.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Regional Financial Oversight: Lead the annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning for all APAC markets.

• Compliance & Reporting: Manage multi-currency financial reporting and ensure compliance with local statutory requirements and IFRS/GAAP.

• Treasury & Tax: Oversee cross-border tax strategies, transfer pricing, and currency hedging to mitigate risks in emerging markets.

• Capital Allocation: Optimize the deployment of capital between corporate initiatives and franchise support to maximize ROI.

Corporate Development & Growth

• M&A and Partnerships: Lead the end-to-end deal lifecycle, including sourcing, valuation, due diligence, and closing for acquisitions or joint ventures.

• Franchise Strategy: Identify and vet Master Franchise partners in key growth territories (e.g., Southeast Asia, China, Australia).

• Market Entry: Develop and execute financial models for new market entries, accounting for local labor costs, supply chain logistics, and real estate trends.

Operational Excellence

• Unit-Level Economics: Partner with the operations team to analyze and improve the profitability of both corporate and franchised restaurant locations.

• Process Improvement: Implement scalable financial systems and ERP integrations to support rapid multi-unit growth.

Qualifications

• Experience: 12+ years of progressive finance experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within the F&B, hospitality, or retail sectors.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or Economics. MBA, CPA, or CFA preferred.

• Franchise Knowledge: Proven experience in international franchising models and master franchise agreement (MFA) negotiations.

• Regional Expertise: Deep understanding of the APAC regulatory and economic landscape.

• Technical Skills: Advanced financial modeling (DCF, LBO, Merger models) and proficiency in enterprise-level ERP systems.

• Travel: Ability to travel regionally (up to 30%) as required for deal-making and market visits.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Negotiator: Ability to close complex, multi-million dollar deals across different cultures.

• Analytical Powerhouse: Capable of turning complex data sets into actionable growth strategies.

• Cultural Intelligence: Experience managing diverse teams and stakeholders across various Asian time zones and jurisdictions.