Benjamin Lehrer, Finance Expert in Houston, TX, United States
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Benjamin Lehrer

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
Houston, TX, United States
Toptal Member Since
February 15, 2017

Ben helps business leaders and private equity owners increase visibility, navigate inflection points, raise capital, and execute on transactions. With a background in PE, investment banking, credit, and FP&A counseling, Ben offers diverse perspectives and skilled communication between management teams, boards, investors, and lenders. He freelances for the challenge of unraveling complex situations and to supplement his small business mentorship.

Financial ForecastingTransaction AdvisoryFinancial ModelingPrivate EquityFinancial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)Revenue & Expense ProjectionsMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Project ManagementInterim CFOComparable Company AnalysisProject FinanceValuationFundraisingCredit AnalysisProfitability Analysis

Career Highlights

Founder
First Water Advisors
Associate
Fortress Investment Group
Analyst
Citigroup Global Markets

Education Highlights

Bachelor's Degree
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Certification Highlights

Series 63 - Uniform Securities Agent
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Series 79 - Investment Banking Representative
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute

Case Studies

Work Experience

Founder

2010 - PRESENT
First Water Advisors
  • Responsible for all business activities of advisory and investment firm serving emerging small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) and private equity firms at their portfolio companies.
  • Emphasized FP&A best practices and corporate finance support in both long-term relationships (SMBs) and project-based initiatives (PE portfolio companies), sample relationships highlighted below.
  • Partnered with high-growth manufacturing business to establish finance function, including working capital management (13-week cash forecast), financial and KPI reporting, investor communication, and financing strategy during a period of facility expansion and 100%+ YoY revenue growth.
  • Designed and built a dynamic operating model for PE-backed energy services roll-up (five business units) utilized for business driver sensitivities, financial statement re-forecasts, and liquidity management.
  • Advised senior management and board of directors on the balance-sheet restructuring and corporate turnaround of asset management firm, serving as an interim CFO and senior advisor to raise $10 million in incremental debt and equity capital, launch new business lines, and restore profitability.
  • Overhauled the KPI reporting for PE-backed $400 million manufacturing company, identifying key metrics, creating dashboard visualizations, and reducing annual administrative burden ~2,500 hours through automated analysis templates.
  • Supported multiple operators and companies in capital raising and business acquisition initiatives, including financial and business due diligence, LBO modeling and valuation analyses, marketing materials (teasers, pitch decks, business plans), transaction structuring, and LOI negotiation.
Focus areas: Three-statement Modeling, Fundraising, Fund Analysis, Valuation Modeling, Valuation, Debtor & Creditor Management, Investor Relations, Working Capital Management, Capital Structure Analysis, Capital Raising, Business Intelligence (BI), Growth Capital Raising, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Investment Officer

2009 - 2010
CapitalSource Finance
  • Built and managed, as a member of a team, an investment portfolio of leveraged loans and structured products.
  • Handled the screening, diligence, analytics, investment memorandum, and credit committee presentations.
  • Generated, as a team, 50% of total 2009 commercial finance originations with no credit losses, 10%+ mark-to-market gain at year-end, and $50 million gross realized income through portfolio run-off.
  • Underwrote a prospective $550 million equipment finance acquisition as part of internal M&A team, performing vintage-based portfolio analysis and working with CapitalSource CEO, target's management, and sell-side advisor.
Focus areas: Comparable Company Analysis, Profitability Analysis, Portfolio Analysis, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Debt Capital Markets, Capital Structure Analysis, Private Credit, Credit Analysis

Associate

2006 - 2009
Fortress Investment Group
  • Focused on acquisitions (private, public-to-private, add-ons), debt financing, and portfolio company operations for the global alternative asset manager.
  • Rebuilt an internal corporate operating model for the Fortress management company, utilized by CEO and principals for public financial reporting, fund forecasting, new fund structuring, and tax analysis.
  • Contributed to a reporting overhaul, expense rationalization, and operations re-alignment that drove doubling in EBITDA of the largest business segment of a $3 billion resort operations investment.
  • Assisted in due diligence, execution, and integration of a $265 million add-on acquisition.
  • Worked with portfolio company lenders and external consultants on restructuring and term-out of $1.8 billion acquisition facility, revolver, and interest rate swap during difficult 2008 market conditions.
  • Coordinated $1.2 billion aircraft portfolio securitization, overseeing investment banking advisors and related transaction structuring, analytics, and rating agency processes.
Focus areas: Investor Relations, Fund Analysis, Fundraising, Three-statement Modeling, Financial Reporting, Financial Modeling, Comparable Company Analysis, Portfolio Analysis, Capital Structure Analysis, Capital Raising, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Analyst

2004 - 2006
Citigroup Global Markets
  • Focused on transportation and lease finance, constructing proprietary financial models for portfolio optimization and stress testing.
  • Involved in all aspects of the transaction process, including pitch development, portfolio structuring, financial modeling, rating agency analysis, offering documentation, and roadshow support.
  • Worked on a $560 million aircraft securitization, a first-of-kind transaction structure named AirFinance Journal's Most Innovative Deal of the Year in tandem with company's IPO.
  • Was selected as trainer for an analyst program including accounting, corporate finance, and financial modeling tutoring.
Focus areas: Transaction Structuring, Structured Products, Data Analysis, Portfolio Analysis, Capital Structure Analysis, Capital Raising, Credit Analysis
2000 - 2004

Bachelor's Degree in Economics (Concentrations in Finance and Accounting)

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA, USA

FEBRUARY 2014 - PRESENT

Series 63 - Uniform Securities Agent

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

NOVEMBER 2011 - PRESENT

Series 79 - Investment Banking Representative

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

AUGUST 2009 - PRESENT

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

CFA Institute

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