Investment Banking Senior Associate / Manager

Job LocationKL, Malaysia (3-4 days week in the office)Target Start Date1st DecemberAbout TruWaterWe are a boutique sell-side M&A advisory for tech and marketing services founders across APAC, based in Singapore. TruWater Advisory was founded by an ex-BCG consultant who previously ran the APAC Practice of a regional M&A firm. We’ve only been around for 18 months, but we’ve completed three transactions, these include the sale of Total eBiz Solutions to Accenture (Avanade) and the sale of Heroleads to Havas. We have a number of live pipeline of sell-side mandates across Singapore, Australia and Southeast Asia.The RoleWe're looking for a Senior Associate to join us as one of our first hires. You'll be in the room with founders early, running live mandates, and shaping how we do things as we grow.You'll work directly with our co-founders at every stage of the deal, from the first conversation with a founder about whether now is the right time to sell, through to negotiating the final terms with a buyer. What You'll DoRun financial analysis, valuation, and modelling for sell-side mandates, including comparable company, and precedent transaction analysisBuild marketing materials (e.g., teasers, information memorandums) and buyer-facing materials that do justice to a founder's businessResearch and map buyer universes across APAC and beyond, and lead early-stage outreach to strategic and financial acquirersUse AI tools to speed up buyer research, first drafts of materials, and the early passes on financial analysis, so more of your time goes into judgment calls and client conversations rather than manual grunt workManage the due diligence process end to end, coordinating between founders, buyers, lawyers, accountants, and other advisors Sit in on management meetings and negotiations, and start owning parts of the buyer and founder relationship directly rather than working purely behind the scenesKeep deals moving, flagging issues early and bringing solutions rather than just problemsContribute to how we build the firm itself: our processes, our positioning, our point of view on the markets we coverWho You Are2-5 years in strategy consulting (MBB or strong tier-2), Big 4 corporate finance, investment banking, transaction services or corporate developmentExceptional candidates with 5-9 years experience will be considered for Manager roleSelf-directed. Small firm, no infrastructure to hide behindStrong financial modelling and valuation skills, genuine comfort with financial statements and valuation; you don’t need hand-holding on a three-statement modelStrong written communicator: your materials go in front of founders and acquirers uneditedComfortable working with AI tools (e.g. Claude, Claude Cowork) as part of your daily workflow, not just aware that they exist. A track record of working directly with clients, not just producing analysis for someone more senior to presentA degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related fieldBased in Malaysia, with the flexibility to travel in the region as mandates requireGood to have, not essential:CFA, ACCA, CA, or equivalent qualificationExisting exposure to, or a network within, B2B software, tech services, or marketing services