Venture Capital Job – Investment Principal – bp Ventures

Entity:

Strategy, Sustainability & Ventures

Job Family Group:

Strategic Planning & Business Development Group

Job Description:

Venturing is integral to enriching bp’s innovation landscape by taking advantage of transformational/disruptive changes to the value chains bp is, or might be, active in. As bp’s corporate venture capital unit, bp Ventures (bpV) plays a key role in helping bp reinvent itself as an integrated energy company, in line with our new purpose: reimagining energy for people and planet.

bpV activities provide critical insight into potentially new business models that help to accelerate the energy transition as well as creating enhanced strategic and financial value for bp. bpV has a track record of investing in disruptive innovation across the globe and, since 2006, the team has invested over $1bn into over 70 companies, co-investing with more than 250 corporate and institutional venture capital groups. Currently, bpV manages an active portfolio of around 30 companies.

bpV’s investment strategy is primarily focused on bp’s 5 transition growth engines (Bioenergy, Hydrogen, Renewables & Power, EV charging & Convenience) and categorized into the following four investment buckets: (i) “Core – hydrocarbons” enabling bp to deliver on its aims to get to net zero and care for our planet, (ii) “Growth engines – informed” by business strategy delivering near-term business ambitions, (iii) “Growth engines – disruptors” inform business strategy through longer-term next generation or disruptive technologies, and (iv) “Explore” the energy white space that inform and spur new growth engines by challenging existing bp strategy. Each of its growth engine / sector teams (“Hydrogen, Renewables & Power”, “EV Charging & Convenience”, “Core & Bioenergy”, “Explore”) will be responsible for delivering upon the respective ventures related growth ambitions within each sector and made up of investment professionals from across the bpV Regions.

bp Ventures is looking to appoint an Investment Principal that reports to the Regional Managing Director – Rest of World (ROW) and is based in the UK (London). The Investment Principal will work with one or more of our growth engine / sectors on deal origination, collaborator management and portfolio governance, plus support the Regional Managing Director on external engagements and portfolio management.

Key Accountabilities:

• Originating new investment opportunities relevant to the bpV investments strategy.
• Evaluating new investment opportunities within the remit of the relevant growth engine/sector(s) making new investment proposals to the growth engine Investment Director and as required the relevant investment committees (IC). All deal handling should be in keeping with the bpV investment process (IM/ATN/EFMs etc.).
• Leading and/or supporting negotiation and execution of new investment opportunities approved by the IC, ensuring bp is positioned to realise the full financial and strategic benefits of the venture investment.
• Take 2-3 board director/observer roles with respect to investments made by the relevant growth engine/ sector(s).
• Maintaining a close interaction with the relevant growth engine/sector lead(s) to ensure that all bpV activities related to the growth engine(s)/sector(s) are appropriately shared within bp to maximise the potential of strategic value realization through deployments, commercial agreements, or market insights.
• Supporting the development and maintenance of the bpV growth engine/sector strategy considering developments in the bp growth engine technology roadmaps including providing relevant strategic input to SS&V and the wider bp.
• Supporting the Regional Manager Director in follow on investments and in liquidation events (M&A, IPO etc.) for a portfolio of startups that are in ROW (Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa).
• Develop and maintain relationships with key external collaborators in ROW including entrepreneurs, investors, bankers, and strategic partners.
• Drive and Embed HSSE culture and behaviour within the region and ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with bp’s code of conduct.

Key Requirements:

• Required: Previous negotiation experience specific to venture capital structures, including deal term sheets and structures.
• Required: A track record of investments in clean tech and a startup or investor network that extends to Asia and the Middle East.
• Preferred: Strong financial skills, including financial modelling and strategic value assessments.
• Preferred: Previous experience working or living in one of the markets covered in this role (India, China, Singapore, elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region, the UAE or elsewhere in the Middle East) and/or the ability to speak Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, or a related language.
• Ideal candidate has a mixture of technical, financial, and commercial skills, but candidates with strong deal experience with a technical background will absolutely be considered.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and respond to changing requirements.
• An entrepreneurial flair and a track record of working outside of traditional boundaries and norms.
• Ability to work in an uncertain and ambiguous business environment with few precedents.
• Good presentation skills and ability to communicate complex data effectively.
• Willingness to challenge and question the status quo.

Essential Education:

• Preferred candidate is MBA or equivalent technical and/or Venture Capital qualification

Why join us?

At bp, we provide an excellent working environment and employee benefits such as an open and inclusive culture, a great work-life balance, tremendous learning and development opportunities to craft your career path, life and health insurance, medical care package and many others.

We support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to crafting an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.

There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are significant, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, collaboration spaces in a modern office environment, and others benefits.

Reinvent your career as you help our business meet the challenges of the future. Apply now!

Travel Requirement

Up to 50% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance:

Relocation may be negotiable for this role

Remote Type: This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills:

Acquisitions and divestments, Acquisitions and divestments, Agreements and negotiations, Analytics, Commercial acumen, Commercial Business Development, Communication, Contractual risk management, Data visualization and interpretation, Deal structuring, Decision Making, Developing and implementing strategy, Economic evaluation methodology, Economic modelling, Financial Analysis, Financial Modelling, Influencing, Investment appraisal, Joint Venture Structuring, Long Term Planning, Managing change, Market Analysis, Project and programme management, Risk Management, Sector, market, customer and competitor understanding {+ 2 more}

Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.).  If you would like to request an accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us to request accommodations.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy.  This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.