Chief Executive Officer

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Chief Executive Officer

Cincinnati, OH

Organization: ArkMalibu

Salary: based on experience

 THE OPPORTUNITY

  • Do you possess experience as a practice leader, backed by robust leadership skills, strategic acumen, and a keen operational focus?
  • Do you want to lead one of the top boutique middle market merger & acquisition advisory firms and have a direct impact on maximizing owners’ value when selling their businesses?
  • Will you employ your business development experience to foster firm growth and collaborate with a high-caliber senior leadership team and Senior Advisor team?

 

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

ArkMalibu is a unique investment bank dedicated to helping owners maximize value when selling their businesses. Unlike other investment banks, they are independent and do not have conflicted business relationships with buyers because they focus on sell-side transactions only for family and entrepreneur-owned companies, leaving their senior advisors and principals unhindered and unyielding in their pursuit of clients’ goals. They understand that selling a business is one of the most significant milestones in an owner’s journey. That is why they are committed to preserving sellers’ legacies, securing prosperity, and honoring the years of hard work behind their clients’ success. Their highly tailored search process focuses on maximizing value by finding the best deal terms and cultural fit when it is time for an ownership change. Supported by an impressive network of industry experts from Wall Street, Fortune 500 companies, and Big 4 firms, they go beyond traditional deal-making to bring deep expertise to every transaction, customizing their approach to align with sellers’ vision and goals. Their unique model provides the flexibility to create a personalized strategy. Together with their clients, they build an ambitious vision for the ideal partnership and execute a proven, creative buyer search that delivers outstanding results.

From the first meeting to dry ink, ArkMalibu is dedicated to exceeding client expectations and surpassing industry valuation benchmarks during one of life’s most prodigious events. Selling a company requires both intelligence and financial rigor. ArkMalibu is a steady ship in stormy seas to guide clients through uncharted territory with experience, integrity, and confidentiality throughout the journey.

This role will work out of the corporate office in Blue Ash (Cincinnati), OH. This is an in-office role and requires occasional travel to other offices and clients.

 

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

Reporting to the Governance Committee, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) leads the organization, providing day-to-day strategic, operational, and tactical leadership and oversight of ArkMalibu.  The CEO leads a team of approximately 20 employees and works closely with the organization’s Senior Advisors to be a primary rainmaker for the firm. The CEO will also:

  • Develop short and long-term financial strategies that align with the organization’s business goals and ensure their achievement.
  • Work with the Governance Committee and the Officers to establish short-term objectives and long-range goals, and related plans and policies.
  • Present regular reports on the status of the company’s operations to the Governance Committee and to company staff.
  • Oversee the COO/CFO as they ensure adequate controls and sound funding for the mission and goals of the company.
  • Review the financial results of all operations, comparing them with the company’s objectives and taking appropriate measures to correct unsatisfactory performance and results.
  • Ensure the company’s compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and standards.
  • Negotiate with other companies regarding actions such as joint ventures, service agreements, and partnerships.
  • Serve as the company’s senior representative to the Governance Committee, shareholders, employees, clients, the government, and the public.
  • Perform other related duties to benefit the mission of the organization.
  • Steward the vision and culture
  • Focus on new areas of growth
  • Lead community development

 

RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS

  • Strategic Leadership:
    • Vision and Strategy Development: The CEO is responsible for setting the firm’s long-term vision and strategic goals. This involves identifying growth opportunities, market trends, and competitive advantages. At ArkMalibu, the CEO will often need to be hands-on in shaping and refining strategies due to the firm’s size and the dynamic nature of the industry.
    • Business Development: The CEO drives business development efforts by establishing and nurturing relationships with clients, the firm’s Senior Advisors, shareholders and other key stakeholders. They may also spearhead efforts to expand the firm’s service offerings or enter new markets in participation with the Governance Committee.
  • Operational Management:
    • Day-to-Day Operations: The CEO is often directly involved in overseeing daily operations. This includes maintaining operational efficiency and working on deal transactions and providing guidance to the deal teams.
    • Resource Allocation: The CEO works with the COO to decide on the allocation of resources, including financial capital and human resources. They must ensure that the firm’s resources are used effectively to achieve strategic goals.
  • Financial Oversight:
    • Financial Planning and Analysis: The CEO is responsible for overseeing the firm’s financial health, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting. They work closely with the COO/CFO to monitor financial performance and make necessary adjustments.
    • Risk Management: The CEO must identify potential risks related to investments, market conditions, and regulatory changes. They implement risk management strategies to mitigate these risks and protect the firm’s assets.
  • Client Relations and Deal-Making:
    • Client Engagement: The CEO often plays a key role in managing relationships with major clients, negotiating deals, and ensuring client satisfaction. Their reputation and ability to build trust are critical in securing and maintaining client relationships.
    • Deal Execution: At ArkMalibu, the CEO will likely be directly involved as the senior banker with a team in executing significant transactions, structuring deals, or providing high-level advisory services.
  • Team Leadership and Management:
    • Talent Management: The CEO is responsible for building and leading a strong team. This includes recruiting top talent, coaching or releasing underperforming team members, setting performance expectations, and fostering a positive work culture.
    • Mentoring and Development: Given the size of ArkMalibu and experience level of the employee base, the CEO must take on a mentoring role, guiding junior staff and helping them develop their skills. They may also provide professional development opportunities and training.
  • Compliance and Governance:
    • Regulatory Compliance: The CEO works with COO to ensure that the firm adheres to all regulatory requirements and industry standards. This includes overseeing compliance with financial regulations, reporting standards, and ethical practices.
    • Governance: The CEO works with the Governance Committee and majority shareholders to ensure good governance practices are in place. They provide regular updates on the firm’s performance and strategic direction and implement Committee decisions.
  • Communication and Representation:
    • Public Relations: The CEO represents the firm in public forums, industry events, and media interactions. Their ability to effectively communicate the firm’s value proposition and achievements will be essential to ArkMalibu in maintaining and building the firm’s reputation.
    • Internal Communication: The CEO must ensure clear and effective communication within the firm, aligning the team with the firm’s goals and keeping everyone informed about important developments.
  • Innovation and Adaptation:
    • Embracing Change: In a rapidly evolving industry like investment banking, the CEO should stay abreast of technological advancements and industry trends. The CEO leads efforts to adopt new technologies or innovative practices to ensure that ArkMalibu carries a competitive edge.
  • Working Relationship with Partners/Majority Shareholders:
    • Navigating the Partner Relationship: The CEO must navigate different Partner perspectives and goals. Specifically, he/she must be able to wield the appropriate power while properly navigating Partners’ interests.

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree strongly preferred.
  • Mergers and acquisitions sell side experience.
  • Extensive professional experience in leadership roles.
  • Excellent managerial and financial skills.
  • Superlative communication skills, particularly the ability to communicate as a leader.
  • Thorough understanding of management and financial practices in all areas and phases of business operations.

 

KEY PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

  • Clear Communication – The CEO must communicate with team members using concise, easy-to-understand language. Team Members must understand why the CEO makes certain decisions and how new processes and procedures will impact their day-to-day duties and responsibilities. Additionally, the CEO is responsible for maintaining morale and company culture with their guidance.
  • Collaboration – Collaboration with firm officers and the Governance Committee ensures that the best information and ideas move the company forward. The CEO will work with their colleagues to discover new, creative ideas and solutions through collective brainstorming.
  • Open-Minded – The CEO should be open to new ideas and methods. It is essential to establish a company culture in which the head of the company shows they care about progress and novel ideas for doing business. Open-minded CEOs encourage company employees to try new processes and procedures, improving the business overall.
  • Approachability – The CEO will be friendly and approachable. Employees should feel comfortable sharing ideas or communicating. The CEO will solicit feedback from employees to make important decisions about company direction and internal structure.
  • Transparency – Team members, the Governance Committee and the public must trust the CEO. Transparency and authenticity increase trust and thus increase trust in the CEO’s decisions and leadership. Team members may dedicate themselves to a project more if they understand why, it is important to the health and goals of the company.
  • Growth Mindset – A growth mindset is the deeply held personal belief that setbacks lead to deeper learning and future success. Our CEO will have a growth mindset that welcomes obstacles as learning opportunities. Modeling a growth mindset is also useful to encourage the organization’s team members to develop their own growth mindsets.
  • Ethics – Ethical leadership is fundamental for our company to maintain its reputation. The CEO will have strong ethics and integrity to help successfully navigate challenges. The CEO will expect their team members to act ethically and establish an honest and open company culture that potential team members want to join, and the public can trust.

 


DIVERSITY/INCLUSION STATEMENT

Gilman Partners is committed to strengthening leadership teams and elevating the talent in our communities – and that means all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ability, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or national origin. You do not have to meet every qualification in this job description to apply. If you are drawn to the position and believe your experience makes you a good fit, we encourage you to reach out.