Global business solutions provider Vistra has appointed Chris Collins as its Chief Corporate Development Officer. With a strategic vision to accelerate growth and expand its global footprint, Vistra aims to leverage Collins' extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), corporate finance, and private equity to propel its long-term objectives.
Collins initially joined Vistra in 2023 as the Global Head of M&A, based in Singapore, where he established the company's M&A function, overseeing deal sourcing, execution, integration, and value creation. Under his leadership, Vistra executed three major acquisitions, including the recent acquisition of Phoenix American’s fund administration and transfer agency business, which strengthened Vistra’s presence and capabilities in the United States. His expanded role as Chief Corporate Development Officer places him on Vistra's executive leadership team, where he will focus on driving the company’s inorganic growth and corporate development initiatives.
Simon Webster, Group CEO of Vistra, highlighted Collins' contributions, stating, “Chris has made a significant positive impact on the business since he joined. He’s executed three key acquisitions that align with our strategic priorities, notably enhancing our US market presence. His executive-level experience and robust track record in corporate development, M&A, and business growth are invaluable as we embark on a two-year phase focused on growth acceleration.”
Collins expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, stating, “I’m excited about the opportunity to take Vistra’s corporate development function to the next level. My focus will be on identifying and delivering strategically accretive opportunities that build our scale in priority areas, including technology enablement.”
Bringing over 20 years of global expertise, Collins has a strong foundation in M&A advisory and corporate finance, having spent a decade at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Asia-Pacific, where he advised corporate and private equity clients on M&A, divestitures, and capital raisings. In 2016, he transitioned into private equity at the portfolio level, where he joined the executive management team of logistics technology company Containerchain, holding roles including Chief Corporate Development Officer, COO, and Managing Director before successfully leading its exit to WiseTech Global (ASX) in 2019.
Prior to joining Vistra, Collins served as Head of South-East Asia for Potential Capital, an Asia-Pacific mid-market private equity firm focused on technology and services. He also contributed as a non-executive director for Shippit, a growth-stage technology company, supporting its expansion into Asia, and as a strategic advisor to various private equity and venture capital firms in Asia-Pacific on portfolio company value creation.
A Chartered Accountant with qualifications from the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CANZ), Collins holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, Australia, along with bachelor’s degrees in Commerce and Social Sciences from Curtin University, Western Australia.