Chief Financial Officer - Luxury Real Estate & Hospitality - CA

Chief Financial Officer

Location: Mumbai

Reports to: CEO, dotted line to Promoter

Team: 5 - 6

Work week: 5 days + 1st Saturday

About the client:

Our client is one of Mumbai's most storied names in luxury real estate and hospitality, with a legacy of over four decades. It was among the first to bring international luxury hotel brands to India, and has since built a small but iconic portfolio spanning world-class hotels, branded private residences, Grade-A commercial towers in Mumbai's premier business districts, and a large mixed-use precinct in the heart of the city.

The company deliberately builds few projects, each landmark in quality, and does so alongside some of the world's most respected institutional partners, including a global sovereign wealth fund and a leading Japanese real estate developer, through joint ventures and co-development structures.

Company snapshot:

Sector: Luxury Real Estate & Hospitality

Headquarters: Mumbai

Legacy: 40+ years; pioneered international luxury hospitality in India

Portfolio: Luxury hotels, branded residences, Grade-A commercial towers and a large mixed-use precinct

Partners: Global sovereign wealth fund and a leading Japanese real estate developer

Ownership: Promoter-led, with a professional CEO

Role overview:

The CFO will be the company's senior finance voice, reporting to the CEO with a dotted line to the Promoter, and will own the full finance agenda: raising and structuring capital, managing complex partner arrangements, owning tax, and building a finance function with institutional-grade processes.

It is not a traditional finance and accounting role, nor a pure investor relations one. The company is looking for a commercially minded CFO who can sit at the table on every major decision and then personally make it happen, with a compact team.

Key responsibilities:

1. Treasury, Debt & Capital Structuring:

• Lead debt raising for projects and the wider portfolio, from construction finance to refinancing and structured facilities.
• Shape the capital structure across entities, balancing cost, flexibility and risk.
• Own treasury, cash flow planning and banking relationships, keeping liquidity ahead of project needs.
• Build credible lender and rating-facing financial models and documentation.

2. JVs, Co-Development & Partner Finance:

• Run the financial side of joint ventures and co-development projects with marquee global partners.
• Own partner reporting, governance requirements and commercial negotiations on financial terms.
• Track project economics, returns and cash waterfalls across each structure.
• Represent the company with institutional investors and partners, as part of a broader finance remit rather than a pure IR role.

3. Taxation & Structuring:

• Oversee direct and indirect tax across a multi-entity group.
• Advise on tax-efficient structuring of new projects, partnerships and transactions.
• Manage advisors, assessments and compliance with a clean, defensible position.

4. Finance Governance & Institutionalisation:

• Standardise finance processes, policies, controls and MIS across the business.
• Upgrade systems and reporting so the promoters and partners get timely, decision-ready information.
• Bring institutional-grade rigour to a lean, promoter-led organisation without slowing it down.

5. Strategic Finance & Business Partnering:

• Work closely with the CEO and promoter group on investments, new projects and portfolio decisions.
• Evaluate opportunities, feasibilities and deal structures with a commercial lens.

6. Team Leadership:

• Lead and develop a compact finance team of 5 - 6, staying hands-on in execution.

Ideal candidate profile:

Qualifications & Experience:

• Chartered Accountant and/or MBA (Finance) preferred.
• 15+ years in finance, with a recent CFO or senior finance leadership role.
• Proven track record in debt financing, treasury and capital structuring.
• Hands-on experience managing JVs, co-development or multi-partner structures.
• Strong taxation knowledge, ideally across multi-entity groups.
• Has standardised and institutionalised finance processes, systems and reporting.
• International exposure, including work with global investors, partners or markets.

Sector Background:

• Real estate, hospitality or infrastructure experience is an advantage, particularly luxury or commercial developments.
• Strong candidates from other capital-intensive or institutionally partnered businesses will be considered; breadth and quality of experience matter more than sector.
• Large-group or institutional backgrounds, provided the candidate has a demonstrably entrepreneurial, hands-on approach.