Head of Corporate Development

About RateGain
RateGain Travel Technologies is a global provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. Working with 13,000+ customers and 700+ partners across 100+ countries, RateGain helps businesses accelerate revenue growth through improved acquisition, retention, and wallet-share expansion.
Today, RateGain is one of the world’s largest processors of electronic transactions, price points, and travel intent data. Its platforms empower revenue management, distribution, and marketing teams across hotels, airlines, online travel agencies, metasearch platforms, car rentals, travel management companies, cruises, and ferries to make smarter, faster commercial decisions.
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in India, RateGain works with 33 of the Top 40 Hotel Chains, 4 of the Top 5 Airlines, 7 of the Top 10 Car Rental brands, and all leading OTAs and metasearch platforms, including 25 Global Fortune 500 companies, helping unlock new revenue opportunities every day.

The Mission
The Head of Corporate Development will own and scale RateGain’s end-to-end inorganic growth and capital strategy, ensuring the company consistently identifies, evaluates, and executes value-accretive M&A opportunities while maintaining strong governance, capital discipline, and public-market credibility.
This role exists to make Corporate Development a repeatable growth engine, enabling RateGain to stay ahead of market consolidation, technology shifts, and competitive moves.

Role Scope & Ownership
Own Corporate Development end-to-end from market intelligence and deal origination to LOI, diligence, SPA signing, and closure
Act as a strategic advisor to the CEO, CFO, and Board on acquisitions, fundraising, and corporate restructuring
Ensure RateGain deploys capital with speed, confidence, and governance rigor appropriate for a listed company

Key Responsibilities
Market Intelligence & Deal Origination
Maintain a continuous pulse on sector activity: who is acquiring whom, valuation benchmarks, deal structures, and strategic rationales
Track non-public and off-market deal signals through proprietary networks
Build and maintain a living database of target companies, including:
Financial performance and growth metrics
Cap tables and ownership structures
Leadership movements and investor activity

Relationship & Network Leadership
Build and leverage deep relationships with:
Corporate Development leaders
Founders and CXOs of target companies
Investment bankers, PE/VCs, and advisors
Establish RateGain as a credible, preferred acquirer in the ecosystem

Deal Leadership (Origination to LOI)
Independently identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities
Build investment theses, valuation models, and IC / Board materials
Lead negotiations through term sheets and LOI execution, carrying maximum ownership

Diligence, Negotiation & Deal Closure
Act as a core stakeholder from LOI to SPA signing
Coordinate financial, legal, commercial, and technology diligence
Drive negotiations, risk resolution, and value protection
Ensure seamless deal closure with zero governance surprises

Fundraising & Corporate Structuring
Actively contribute to equity and debt fundraising initiatives
Support banker interactions, data rooms, and investor diligence
Contribute to corporate restructuring, capital optimization, and balance-sheet efficiency

Functional KPIs
Maintain a qualified and current M&A pipeline aligned to RateGain’s strategy
Originate and evaluate multiple acquisition opportunities annually
Lead deals independently from thesis to LOI
Achieve efficient LOI-to-closure timelines without value erosion
Maintain high-quality diligence and documentation standards suitable for a listed entity
Deliver accurate, decision-ready materials to CEO, CFO, and Board

Strategic KPIs
Execute value-accretive acquisitions aligned to revenue growth, margin expansion, and Rule of 40 objectives
Strengthen RateGain’s competitive positioning through strategic adjacencies and capability expansion
Improve speed and confidence of Board-level capital allocation decisions
Support successful fundraising and capital-structure initiatives
Build RateGain’s reputation as a disciplined, high-quality acquirer in global SaaS and travel-tech markets

Key Competencies
Strong judgment in high-stakes, ambiguous deal environments
Deep financial acumen across valuation, structuring, and negotiation
Ability to influence senior stakeholders, including Boards and external advisors
High ownership mindset with a bias toward execution and closure
Exceptional discretion and integrity

Education & Experience
Bachelor’s & Master's degrees from a Tier-1 institution (IITs, IIMs, ISB, or equivalent global top-tier universities) only.
12–15 years of experience in Corporate Development, Investment Banking, Private Equity, or Strategy
Proven track record of leading M&A deals end-to-end
Strong exposure to SaaS / Technology / Data-led businesses
Prior experience working with or advising listed companies is preferred

Equal Opportunity Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on grounds of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying disability, or any other basis covered by law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.