Senior Manager, Business Development & Partnerships Manager

We are seeking a Business Development Manager to drive the origination and commercialisation of Keppel's future subsea cable systems. Together with the Technical Team, you will own the market intelligence that helps shape route selection, build the partnerships and consortiums that make joint builds possible, landing parties, co-investors and anchor customers that underpin each project's business case. Lead the sales of the FPs through the negotiations of IRU and O&M agreement with target customers.

This is a relationship-driven, commercially sharp role for someone who knows the global subsea ecosystem — hyperscalers, carriers, landing parties and supporting engagements with suppliers, investors and lenders.

1: Market intelligence, insights and origination

- Own Keppel's market view of the global and regional subsea cable landscape: capacity supply and demand, route economics, pricing trends (IRU, lease and spectrum), and competitor system announcements — producing regular insight reports and demand forecasts that inform investment decisions and underwriting assumptions.

- Track emerging trends shaping future demand — AI and hyperscale data centre growth, cloud region expansion, edge connectivity, cable resilience and route diversity requirements, and new technologies

- Originate and qualify new system opportunities: route feasibility (with technical teams), addressable demand, competitive positioning leading to development of business case

- Represent Keppel at key industry forums and convert conference presence into pipeline.

2: Strategic Partnerships & Customer Engagements

- Identify, originate and secure strategic partners, co-investors and anchor customers for new cable systems, including hyperscalers, Global Carriers, etc

- Lead the structuring and negotiation of all commercial arrangements — from consortium and investment agreements (MOUs, JBAs, LPAs, Fibre Pair allocations, governance frameworks) through to customer contracts (IRUs, capacity and spectrum agreements, leases and O&M arrangements) — from term sheet to execution.

- Manage all partnership relationships (together with Technical Teams) across the full lifecycle — through development, construction and into service — aligning stakeholders on route selection, system design, commercial structure, supplier strategy, budget and schedule, and capturing upgrade, renewal and expansion opportunities.

- Assist with regulatory, licensing and market entry initiatives, including building of business cases, securing landing parties, backhaul arrangements and necessary government and industry stakeholder support.

- Develop and execute go-to-market, pricing and commercialisation strategies for each system, ensuring alignment with investment cases, underwriting assumptions and long-term revenue objectives.

- Identify adjacent revenue opportunities across the Keppel ecosystem — including data centre interconnection, marine services and integrated connectivity solutions — and work closely with various corporate functions and external advisers to develop bankable transaction structures.

3: Investment Case & Commercial
- Own the investment approval papers, ensuring underwriting assumptions are robust, defensible and aligned with fund co-investor requirements.

- Working with Keppel's Fund Management & Investment & Commercial Project manager to build the investment case and underwriting model for new subsea cable projects

- Develop and maintain the full project financial model: capex and opex build-up, capacity sales assumptions (IRUs, leases, spectrum), revenue phasing, returns analysis (IRR, MOIC, payback) and sensitivity/scenario testing.

Join our vibrant and inclusive workforce to shape a better future for all!

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Required Skills:

- 10+ years' business development, sales or commercial experience in subsea cables, international wholesale telecoms, or digital infrastructure.

- Established network across the subsea ecosystem — hyperscalers, international carriers, landing parties and/or suppliers — with a track record of originating and closing complex deals.

- Direct experience negotiating JBA, IRU, capacity, spectrum and/or O&M agreements.

- Strong understanding of subsea cable economics: build costs, capacity pricing, IRU structures, O&M cost allocation and consortium models.

- Excellent research and analytical skills, with the ability to turn market data into credible demand forecasts and investment narratives.

- Outstanding relationship-building, negotiation and presentation skills at C-level.

- Willingness to travel extensively across multiple regions.

Preferred Skills:

- Experience forming or managing cable consortiums

- Familiarity with landing party arrangements, cable landing licensing regimes (e.g. IMDA FBO licenses, US FCC landing licenses) and permitting in multiple jurisdictions.

- Understanding of technical details of open cable architectures

- Experience working alongside investment/fund management teams or with co-investment structures.

- Degree in business, engineering, economics or a related field; regional language skills a plus.