Alex MacAndrew, Finance Expert in London, United Kingdom
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Alex MacAndrew

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
London, United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since
August 12, 2020

Alex launched his advisory practice after 12 years of capital markets experience. He began his career at UBS and later spent seven years leading high growth startups. At Validus, Alex served as a financial consultant for private equity and debt managers, overseeing $80 billion in hedging trade execution. At Covestor, Alex was involved in the company sale to Interactive Brokers. Alex is passionate about assisting businesses by building financial models, creating pitch decks, and enhancing growth.

Career Highlights

Finance Consultant
Selwyn Group
Partner | Head of Advisory
Validus Risk Management
Analyst
UBS Investment Bank

Education Highlights

Bachelor's Degree
University of Nottingham

Certification Highlights

Case Studies

Work Experience

Finance Consultant

2018 - PRESENT
Selwyn Group
  • Created a financial model, researched market size, validated the pricing strategy, and constructed a pitch deck for the CEO of a fintech startup in preparation for a venture capital fundraising.
  • Modeled a forecast of sales expansion and advised on unit economic optimization (customer acquisition costs & lifetime value) to ensure the delivery of attractive profit margins for a SaaS CEO who had recently closed $1 million in Series A financing.
  • Forecasted the cash flow and modeled the impact of alternative hedging strategies for a UK-based media business. Working with the CFO, this project involved adapting her existing financial model to enable simulation analysis.
  • Founded a fintech startup (Hedge Eagle) to help CFOs forecast cash flow and manage liquidity risk. Prepared a financial forecast model, pitch deck, and business plan in preparation for fundraising.
Focus areas: Pitch Decks, Fundraising, Cash Flow Modeling, Financial Modeling, Technology, Startups, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Treasury, Finance

Partner | Head of Advisory

2016 - 2018
Validus Risk Management
  • Delivered financial consulting services to private equity managers and portfolio company CFOs including financial modeling, cash flow optimization, and financial risk management advice.
  • Conducted financial analysis, cash flow forecasting, and IRR calculations on M&A transactions including the £500 million LBO of a UK-based leisure business.
  • Designed a fund-level financial model for a €9-billion private European debt fund. This enhanced portfolio deployment via direct lending to corporates.
  • Built a team of 20 consultants to drive high standards, while delivering more than 65% revenue growth per annum. Responsible for all cost line items associated with service delivery.
  • Restructured the trading desk and oversaw the efficient execution of more than $80 billion per year in derivative transactions, representing a year-over-year 150%, between clients and top tier investment banks.
Focus areas: Pitch Decks, IRR, Treasury, Derivative Pricing, Risk Management, Cash Flow Modeling, Financial Modeling, Debt, Private Equity

Investment Director

2011 - 2016
Covestor
  • Prepared financial projections and company pitch deck slides for VC investors. Attended roadshow meetings alongside the CEO during the company's sale process that resulted in an acquisition by Interactive Brokers.
  • Supported platform AUM growth of 300% by creating tools and analytics to measure the risk-return profile of outperforming equity managers and guiding clients to superior investment alternatives.
  • Launched three new investment products on the platform, including multi-asset portfolios, equity derivatives, and smart beta portfolios by implementing portfolio construction and trading.
Focus areas: Pitch Decks, Equity Investment, Venture Capital, Startups, Fundraising

Analyst

2009 - 2011
Dimensional Fund Advisors
  • Modeled target company financials as part of a broader investment process. For example, calculated the book value of Greek banks during 2010, which resulted in reducing exposure by tens of millions and avoiding losses when CDS spiked in early 2011.
  • Delivered improvements to the cash forecasting model used to manage equity investment funds, enabling leaner cash management, increased yield, and reduced cash drag to less than 0.25% of fund size.
  • Analyzed business fundamentals of fund holdings and advised senior portfolio managers on position rebalancing for a portfolio that managed $250+ billion across global equity markets.
Focus areas: Fundraising, Cash Flow Modeling, Equity Investment, Portfolio Management, Financial Analysis

Analyst

2006 - 2009
UBS Investment Bank
  • Developed discounted cash flow valuation models, conducted comparable transaction analysis, and ran scenario analysis on publicly listed equities to create "buy and sell" recommendations for publicly-traded stocks.
  • Met with 200+ corporate banking clients in the FTSE 350 to discuss their financial results, corporate strategy, and investment case.
  • Earned commercial success and positive client feedback from a global client base of institutional and hedge fund clients.
  • Completed graduate training program and internship on the largest equity trading floor in EMEA.
Focus areas: Investment Banking, Financial Modeling, Capital Markets, Financials, Equity Valuation
2004 - 2007

Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, and Management

University of Nottingham - Nottingham, United Kingdom

SEPTEMBER 2014 - PRESENT

Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA)

CAIA Association

SEPTEMBER 2011 - PRESENT

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

CFA Institute

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