ED, Distribution - CMA Singapore

SMBC Group; Singapore; On-site; SGD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SMBC Group in Singapore seeks a senior distribution and underwriting leader for APAC, with a focus on India, Thailand, and Indonesia. The role drives syndicated loan opportunities across the region, spanning corporate, structured and project finance, while guiding risk-aware underwriting and sell-down.

The candidate will build relationships with coverage teams, banks, funds and investors to expand CMA’s distribution capacity and fee income, and collaborate on investor-driven financing solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required.
• 12+ years in financial markets, syndications, distribution and corporate/structured banking.
• Strong knowledge of APAC loan markets, esp. India, Thailand and Indonesia.
• Proven leadership, stakeholder management and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive APAC loan distribution and underwriting with focus on India, Thailand and Indonesia.
• Execute distribution of syndicated loan opportunities across APAC to secure financing mandates.
• Lead underwriting approvals from feasibility through to sell-down with risk oversight.
• Build deep relationships with India, Thailand and Indonesia-focused teams, banks, funds and investors.
• Collaborate with internal teams to support capital solutions tools and cross-border opportunities.
• Provide senior-level marketing support and ownership of complex transactions.

Skills

APAC distribution

Underwriting

Relationship management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Cross-border collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• APAC Distribution, Underwriting – with Focus on India, Thailand and Indonesia
• Drive distribution of syndicated loan opportunities across APAC, with a dedicated focus on India, Thailand and Indonesia – covering CMA’s full distribution product types, including but not limited to corporate, LBO, structured and project finance transactions – to secure financing mandates for the department.
• Execute distribution of loan assets in both primary and secondary markets across the region, ensuring timely and successful sell-down, with particular emphasis on India, Thailand and Indonesia transactions.
• Drive vigilant underwriting by forming a professional, independent view on market liquidity, investor appetite and credit quality to assess underwriting feasibility and execution risk. Exercise disciplined risk judgment, including the courage to decline transactions where underwriting risk, credit fundamentals or market liquidity are not acceptable.
• Lead the underwriting approval process from feasibility assessment through internal approval, execution and subsequent sell-down, ensuring clear accountability and timely stakeholder alignment.
• Build and deepen relationships with India, Thailand and Indonesia-focused coverage teams, banks, funds and investors to grow the distribution franchise.
• Broaden relationships and deepen penetration into the institutional investor space to expand CMA’s distribution capacity, investor relevance and fee-income opportunities.
• Collaborate with relevant internal teams to support distribution of broader capital solution tools, including portfolio sell-down, SRT, CLO, CRI, TRS, LPN and other investor-driven financing or risk-transfer solutions.
• Drive Business Strategy & Income Growth and Senior Marketing & Complex Transactions
• Drive the overall distribution growth and reverse origination strategy for South and South East Asia markets to strengthen the distribution business and identify new investor-led transaction opportunities, in collaboration with structuring teams.
• Drive collaborative engagement with internal stakeholders (Front Offices/CPM – SPDA, SFDA, CBAP, JBAP, GFIG, REF, MASF, etc.) to enhance cross-sell and improve RWA.
• Collaborate with department management to implement strategies that strengthen loan distribution capabilities and improve skim income.
• Take accountability for achieving assigned KPIs and contribute to strategic initiatives that support overall business objectives.
• Provide senior-level marketing support to business partners and assume ownership of complex transactions, including India, Thailand, Indonesia and regional non-recourse financings (e.g., real estate, data centers, logistics, infrastructure, LBO).
• Prepare internal memos, transaction updates, and presentations to senior management.
• Liaise with teams in India, Thailand, Indonesia, other APAC locations and globally to expand cross-border collaboration and leverage relationships for distribution opportunities.
• Support cross-regional collaboration with EMEA and U.S. teams to facilitate their product distribution in APAC and leverage EMEA and U.S. client resources for reverse origination opportunities.
• Collaborate with franchise banks, including Yes Bank and other strategic banking partners, to enhance local market access, investor coverage and distribution execution.
• Market Engagement & Industry Representation
• Actively participate in external industry bodies and forums to enhance the Bank’s loan distribution and syndicated loan franchise.
• Operational Oversight, Compliance & Team Development
• Ensure full compliance with internal policies and external regulatory requirements
• Conduct research, prepare reports, and develop marketing materials as required by management.
• Support ad-hoc projects and initiatives within the department.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and on-the-job training to junior team members in distribution activities.

Key Responsibilities:

• APAC Distribution, Underwriting – with Focus on India, Thailand and Indonesia
• Drive distribution of syndicated loan opportunities across APAC, with a dedicated focus on India, Thailand and Indonesia – covering CMA’s full distribution product types, including but not limited to corporate, LBO, structured and project finance transactions – to secure financing mandates for the department.
• Execute distribution of loan assets in both primary and secondary markets across the region, ensuring timely and successful sell-down, with particular emphasis on India, Thailand and Indonesia transactions.
• Drive vigilant underwriting by forming a professional, independent view on market liquidity, investor appetite and credit quality to assess underwriting feasibility and execution risk. Exercise disciplined risk judgment, including the courage to decline transactions where underwriting risk, credit fundamentals or market liquidity are not acceptable.
• Lead the underwriting approval process from feasibility assessment through internal approval, execution and subsequent sell-down, ensuring clear accountability and timely stakeholder alignment.
• Build and deepen relationships with India, Thailand and Indonesia-focused coverage teams, banks, funds and investors to grow the distribution franchise.
• Broaden relationships and deepen penetration into the institutional investor space to expand CMA’s distribution capacity, investor relevance and fee-income opportunities.
• Collaborate with relevant internal teams to support distribution of broader capital solution tools, including portfolio sell-down, SRT, CLO, CRI, TRS, LPN and other investor-driven financing or risk-transfer solutions.
• Drive Business Strategy & Income Growth and Senior Marketing & Complex Transactions
• Drive the overall distribution growth and reverse origination strategy for South and South East Asia markets to strengthen the distribution business and identify new investor-led transaction opportunities, in collaboration with structuring teams.
• Drive collaborative engagement with internal stakeholders (Front Offices/CPM – SPDA, SFDA, CBAP, JBAP, GFIG, REF, MASF, etc.) to enhance cross-sell and improve RWA.
• Collaborate with department management to implement strategies that strengthen loan distribution capabilities and improve skim income.
• Take accountability for achieving assigned KPIs and contribute to strategic initiatives that support overall business objectives.
• Provide senior-level marketing support to business partners and assume ownership of complex transactions, including India, Thailand, Indonesia and regional non-recourse financings (e.g., real estate, data centers, logistics, infrastructure, LBO).
• Prepare internal memos, transaction updates, and presentations to senior management.
• Liaise with teams in India, Thailand, Indonesia, other APAC locations and globally to expand cross-border collaboration and leverage relationships for distribution opportunities.
• Support cross-regional collaboration with EMEA and U.S. teams to facilitate their product distribution in APAC and leverage EMEA and U.S. client resources for reverse origination opportunities.
• Collaborate with franchise banks, including Yes Bank and other strategic banking partners, to enhance local market access, investor coverage and distribution execution.
• Market Engagement & Industry Representation
• Actively participate in external industry bodies and forums to enhance the Bank’s loan distribution and syndicated loan franchise.
• Operational Oversight, Compliance & Team Development
• Ensure full compliance with internal policies and external regulatory requirements
• Conduct research, prepare reports, and develop marketing materials as required by management.
• Support ad-hoc projects and initiatives within the department.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and on-the-job training to junior team members in distribution activities.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification.
• 12+ years of experience in financial or banking markets, ideally within syndications, distribution and corporate/structured banking, with strong exposure to India, Thailand and Indonesia markets.
• Good understanding of APAC loan markets, particularly India, Thailand and Indonesia, including investor base, borrower landscape and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience across both corporate loan deals and structured/project finance deals is essential.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and able to engage across all levels of the organization.
• Driven professional with high level of personal and professional integrity and work ethics.