Investment Director (M&A)

Driven to create unique home-grown food concepts that bring people together, the Independent Food Company is a UAE/KSA -based hospitality company with multiple concepts under its umbrella – SALT, Parker's, Shalwa, Somewhere, Public, Soil and Kumo.

Role Purpose

The Investment Director leads the Group's growth agenda through strategic investments, acquisitions, partnerships, and portfolio optimization across hospitality and food & beverage businesses. The role focuses on scalable growth, EBITDA expansion, and long-term value creation aligned with the Group's strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Group's investment and M&A strategy across hospitality and F&B
• Identify and evaluate acquisition targets, minority and majority investments, joint ventures, and franchise opportunities
• Lead end-to-end transaction execution, including valuation, financial modeling, due diligence, deal structuring, and negotiations
• Prepare and present investment proposals and business cases to senior management and investment committees
• Oversee and support portfolio brands, working closely with operations to drive expansion, performance improvement, and scalability
• Collaborate cross-functionally with finance, operations, supply chain, real estate, and marketing teams
• Participate in boards or steering committees of portfolio companies
• Ensure strong investment governance, capital discipline, and post-investment performance monitoring
• Assisting in the business terms of the transaction, including negotiation tactics and impact on the company's financial risk profile
• Coordinating internal finance, legal, and operational teams (or external consultants) to identify hidden risks and opportunities before a deal closes.

Key Requirements

• 10–15+ years of experience in corporate development, private equity, investment banking, or strategy
• Strong exposure to hospitality, F&B, retail, or consumer-focused businesses
• Proven track record in M&A and investment execution
• Solid understanding of F&B unit economics and operational value drivers
• Strong financial modeling, valuation, and commercial judgment
• Excellent stakeholder management, leadership, and communication skills