This role requires the candidate to work in Singapore.
Client Overview
The client is a global leader in the premium tea industry, positioned as a Modern Tea House. The brand is dedicated to reviving traditional Chinese tea culture through its core philosophy of Connecting the World with Oriental Tea. In a historic milestone, it successfully listed on NASDAQ in April 2025, becoming the first Chinese freshly-made tea brand to go public in the U.S. and marking the largest global F&B IPO since 2022.
Its product portfolio is headlined by signature Original Leaf Teas and innovative Milk Teas, which have garnered a cult following for their premium quality and distinctive oriental aesthetics. With over 4,500 stores globally and a rapidly growing network of flagship branches across APAC, the company is aggressively capturing the high-end retail tea market.
Job Role
As the company accelerates its international footprint, the APAC Regional Headquarters in Singapore serves as the central engine for growth. The focus is on scaling a sophisticated retail model across Asia-Pacific markets, blending traditional tea heritage with modern, high-efficiency operations.
The Distribution Development Director will architect the partner ecosystem and lead multi-market entry strategies, identifying prime real estate and securing high-caliber Joint Venture (JV) partners. This high-impact leadership role involves strategic acquisition of JV partners and Master Franchisees, managing the end-to-end journey from market mapping and feasibility studies to commercial negotiations and partner onboarding, ensuring operational excellence and sustainable market growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Franchise & JV Acquisition: Lead end-to-end partner acquisition initiatives, including market mapping, lead generation, partner evaluation, and contract negotiation.
- Strategic Market Expansion: Conduct comprehensive feasibility studies, investment analyses, and competitive benchmarking to support Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies in priority APAC markets.
- Operating Model Development: Establish and refine the real estate strategy, investment models, and JV/Franchise operating standards across the region.
- Distribution & Network Optimization: Identify strategic alliances to enhance brand accessibility and optimize distribution efficiency for both franchise and company-operated stores.
- Real Estate & Site Planning: Oversee regional real estate negotiations and guide partners in identifying prime, high-visibility locations that maximize profitability and brand prestige.
- Leadership & Reporting: Build and lead a high-performing regional team (1–10 direct reports), reporting progress on the expansion pipeline directly to the senior executive team.
Candidate Requirements
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related field; MBA is a plus.
- Experience: 8–10 years in franchise development, business expansion, or strategic partnerships within the F&B sector; proven success in multi-market growth strategies and franchise acquisitions across the Asia-Pacific region; experience with large-scale enterprises preferred, smaller chains considered second tier.
- Financial & Strategic Expertise: Strong financial acumen; ability to build business cases, investment models, and franchise proposals; strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability and high commercial awareness.
- Leadership & Management: Strong leadership skills with cross-functional team management experience.
- Communication & Language: Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills across diverse markets; professional fluency in English for international reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Job Code: #607 
