✨ AI Insights & Summary
NexDash is revolutionizing European road freight with its "Neo-Carrier" model, focusing on electrification, AI orchestration, and autonomous operations for zero-emission logistics. This Head of M&A Origination role is pivotal, tasked with identifying and nurturing relationships with mid-sized freight forwarders in the DACH region for acquisition. It's a unique opportunity to blend M&A origination with deep relationship-building, targeting owner-led businesses seeking succession or growth, and to play a key role in building a sustainable logistics future.
About NexDash
NexDash is building Europe's first Neo-Carrier, a fully electrified, AI-orchestrated, and long-term autonomous platform for emission-free road freight. The company acquires mid-sized freight forwarders, electrifies their fleets, and integrates vehicles, energy, financing, and operational control into a unified system. At its core is NexOS, a proprietary AI platform managing routing, charging, fleet operations, maintenance, and financing. NexDash's mission is "Green Logistics made in Europe," backed by significant funding from leading European and US VCs.
The Opportunity
With a robust pipeline of potential mid-sized freight forwarding companies, NexDash is seeking a dedicated individual to systematically convert this pipeline into personal conversations, qualified opportunities, and ready-to-sign transactions. This role is crucial for driving the company's strategic growth through acquisitions.
Responsibilities
As the Head of M&A Origination, you will be responsible for identifying, initially contacting, and qualifying acquisition targets within the DACH region, primarily focusing on owner-led freight forwarding companies with needs related to succession, growth, or transformation. You will serve as the primary personal point of contact between NexDash and business owners looking to transition their legacy into the next generation.
Key duties include:
- Actively researching and approaching suitable freight forwarding companies in the DACH region.
- Building personal relationships with owners, managing directors, and their families.
- Conducting initial meetings, on-site visits, and qualifying opportunities.
- Understanding key deal drivers such as customer structure, fleet, driver base, profitability, succession plans, debt, and investment needs.
- Gathering essential documentation: business reports (BWA), P&L statements (SuSa), annual financial statements, fleet structure, employee overview, and customer/revenue structure.
- Systematically documenting each opportunity within the deal funnel.
- Ensuring a smooth handover of qualified deals to the COO and CFO for due diligence, structuring, and closing.
- Maintaining a high pace in outreach, follow-up, and relationship building.
This role is not a desk-bound corporate M&A position; it involves active research, phone calls, on-site visits, listening, building trust, and persistent follow-through.
Key Performance Indicator
At any given time, there should be at least five qualified candidates in active discussion phases, with financial documentation received. A "qualified" candidate meets the following criteria:
- Strategically aligned with NexDash.
- A personal relationship established with the owner or managing director.
- Demonstrable interest in a sale, succession, or partnership.
- Relevant financial and operational documents received.
- Clear readiness for handover to the COO and CFO.
Qualifications
Must-Haves:
- Understanding of the Mittelstand: Deep insight into how family-owned businesses operate, make decisions, and build trust. Ability to converse with owners and managing directors as an equal, not just a consultant with a pitch deck.
- Sourcing or Sales DNA: Proven experience in active outreach, high-frequency contact, and consistent follow-up, gained through roles in direct sales, business development, fleet sales, financing, insurance, logistics, succession advisory, or M&A origination.
- Strong Communication Skills: Ability to listen actively, understand objections, respectfully address sensitive topics like succession, debt, employees, and legacies, while driving towards a clear outcome.
- Commercial Acumen: While not requiring a CFO background, the ability to quickly assess a company's economic interest, operational challenges, and strategic relevance.
- Fluent German: Proficiency in both spoken and written German is essential for building trust and navigating nuances within the German Mittelstand.
- Travel Readiness: Willingness to travel at least 50% of the time, as key conversations happen on-site.
Nice-to-Haves:
- Experience in the logistics sector (e.g., freight forwarding, CEP, contract logistics, chartering, fleet management, transport financing).
- Experience in M&A sourcing, succession processes, or Mittelstand sales.
- Existing network within freight forwarding, with tax advisors, auditors, industry associations, OEMs, leasing companies, or financing partners.
- Experience with owner-managed companies, asset deals, share deals, or restructuring situations.
Benefits
- Compensation: Attractive base salary and performance-based bonus, tied to clear deal progression milestones (from qualified documents to LOI and closing).
- Equity: Virtual Stock Option Plan (VSOP) participation in the company's success.
- Reporting Structure: Direct reporting to the COO, with close collaboration with the CEO and CFO.
- Impact: Clear responsibility for one of NexDash's most critical value drivers: proprietary acquisitions.
- Location: Office located at Savignyplatz in Berlin.
- Company Strength: A well-funded company supported by leading European and US VCs.
- Growth Opportunity: The chance to help build a new industrial platform in Europe.