Bertrand is available for hire
Hire BertrandBertrand Laroche
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
New York, NY, United States
Toptal Member Since
August 1, 2020
Bertrand is a seasoned CFO with a proven track record in strategic and financial planning, capital raising, and M&A. Bertrand started his career as a private equity investment officer in the Principal Investment Group of BNP Paribas in New York. From 2008-2020, he deployed $250 million of equity in energy, commodities, and climate tech companies. Since 2021, he has served as CFO of a Series B sustainable building material company.
Career Highlights
Founder | Managing Director
Rock Sustainable Strategies
Vice President
BNP Paribas Principal Investment
Vice President
BNP Paribas - Investment Banking Group
Education Highlights
Master's Degree
ESSEC Business School
Industry Expertise
Other Expertise
Work Experience
Founder | Managing Director
2020 - PRESENT
Rock Sustainable Strategies
- Advised an impact VC fund with a $150 million AUM focused on healthcare, sustainable solutions, and logistics. Built dynamic portfolio construction models, recommended new investments, and implemented best practices across due diligence.
- Served as a fundraising advisor to an early-stage startup developing social impact and sustainability measurement software. The startup successfully raised $750,000 in seed capital.
- Served as an investment officer for a US family office ($1 billion assets). Evaluated climate tech investments and led a direct private equity investment program focused on mid-cap manufacturing companies with a cleantech transition opportunity.
- Performed detailed investment research on public investment opportunities in the sustainable space, such as hydrogen, EV, green infrastructure, and alternative energy, for a family office combining DCF modeling and comparative company analysis.
- Advised an energy private equity fund on developing a new platform aggregating clean distributed power generation assets. Conducted market research, designed an investment thesis, drafted marketing materials, and built a core financial model.
- Served as the fundraising expert for a fund manager raising a $150 million VC fund focused on enterprise services and cloud technologies. Prepared track record and sector research, drafted investor deck and DDQ, and advised on operating procedures.
- Supported a private equity-backed security company executing a roll-up strategy with a technology angle. Led the due diligence and negotiations for four acquisitions, oversaw the integration, and researched top security systems providers.
- Provided advice to a SPAC that raised over $200 million via an IPO on the NYSE to evaluate acquisition targets, valuation, and terms negotiation.
- Served as the CFO of a Series B sustainable building company. Raised a $40 million Series B and $10 million equipment financing and led FP&A, reporting, budgeting, pricing strategy, capital planning, M&A, cash management, compensation, legal, and IR.
- Advised the general partner of a European venture capital firm with over $1 billion AUM to raise a new $300 million AUM fund focused on smart energy and mobility. Delivered market mapping, the fund's financial model, investor deck, PPM, and DDQ.
Focus areas: Crypto, Fintech, Investor Presentations, Investor Relations, Revenue & Expense Projections, Investment Presentations, Business Plan Consulting, Smart Grid, Mobility, Agrotech, Clean Energy, CleanTech, P&L Forecasting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Financial Advisory, Business Models, Startups, Wealth Management, Family Office, Pitch Decks, Capital IQ, Capital Raising, Fractional CFO, Investment Strategy, Portfolio Management, Investment Portfolio Management, Business Planning, Stock Analysis, Financial Modeling, Investment Decision-making, Equity Investment, Due Diligence, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ESG, Financial Analysis, Strategic Planning, Debt Raises, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Fundraising, Investment Banking, Research Analysis, Cannabis, eCommerce, Business Strategy, Pitch Deck Consultant, ICO, Early-stage Venture Capital, Valuation Modeling, SPACs, Supply Chain, Seed Fundraising, Esports, Blockchain, Blockchain & Cryptocurrency, Cryptocurrency, Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPAC), Initial Public Offerings, Excel 365, Real Estate, Hedge Funds, M&A Modeling, Impact Investing, Investment Committee Advisory, Investment Consulting, Software as a Service (SaaS), Fundraising Consultant, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Excel Modeling, Employee Stock Options, Deal Structuring, Turnaround, Cost Reduction & Optimization, Fundraising Strategy, Growth Capital Raising, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), Tax Credits, Fund Management, Proptech, Cash Management, Virtual CFO, Audit Management, CFO, Inventory Management, Growth Equity, Private Equity Secondaries, Forecasting, Private Placement Marketing, Private Equity Consultant, Institutional Investors, Executive Coaching, Entity Selection & Formation, Equity Research, Stock Market, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Value Analysis, United States, Investment Memoranda, Manufacturing, Strategy, Startup Funding Consultant, Debt, Private Credit, Structured Finance, Specialty Finance, Investment Funds, Audits, Reporting, Startup Funding, Venture Funding, Early-stage Startups, Investment Capital Raising, Waste Management, Total Addressable Market (TAM), Investment Analysis, Stock Market Techinical Analysis, Equity Research Analysis, Market Research Analyst, Public Speaking, Video Presentations, Client Presentations, Financial Operations & Processes, Limited Partnerships, Excel Expert, Return Analysis, Market Research & Analysis, Energy Storage, Acquisitions, SaaS, Term Sheet Advisory, Cash Flow Forecasting, Cash Flow Management, Retail
Vice President
2008 - 2020
BNP Paribas Principal Investment
- Deployed over $250 million in direct equity investments in energy, infrastructure, and clean-tech projects, generating an average-realized return of 2.3x ROI and 43% IRR.
- Led all aspects of the investment process for 17 deals, including discussions with management, building detailed operating and return models, presenting investment thesis to investment committees, and managing accounting, tax, and legal workstreams.
- Managed a private investment portfolio of $300+ million. Worked directly with CEOs and CFOs of portfolio companies to address operational opportunities and challenges, updated valuation quarterly, and presented performance analysis to the committee.
- Collaborated with a portfolio management company on business development and finance projects, including bolt-on acquisitions and financial reporting to the board of directors.
- Invested alongside top-tier private equity funds in the energy sector, including NGP, Riverstone, LS Power, GSO, EIG, EnCap, and Quantum.
Focus areas: Financial Analysis, Agriculture, Market Research, Investment Analysis, Midstream, Shipping, Mining, Oil & Gas, Green Energy, Venture Capital, CleanTech, Renewable Energy, Project Finance, Infrastructure, Energy, Private Equity, Financial Modeling, Research Analysis, Logistics, Transportation & Shipping, Fundraising, Valuation Modeling, Venture Debt, Strategy, Pitch Deck Consultant, Initial Public Offerings, Debt Restructuring, Financing, Credit/Debt, Debt Financing, Excel 365, Real Estate, Hedge Funds, M&A Modeling, Impact Investing, Investment Committee Advisory, Equity Investment, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Deal Structuring, Financial Reporting, Fund Management, Growth Equity, Private Equity Secondaries, Private Placement Marketing, Fundraising Strategy, Search Fund Expert, Stock Market, Stock Price Analysis, Value Analysis, United States, Investment Memoranda, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Investments, Debt, Private Credit, Specialty Finance, Investment Funds, Startup Funding, Venture Funding, Early-stage Startups, Equity Research Analysis, Limited Partnerships, Return Analysis, Market Research & Analysis, Energy Storage, Regtech, Term Sheet Advisory, Cash Flow Forecasting
Vice President
2016 - 2019
BNP Paribas - Investment Banking Group
- Managed a buy-side M&A process for a construction-ready natural gas-fired power plant in the PJM market, from deal origination to transaction close, including coordination with the project finance team on diligence, structuring, and financing.
- Oversaw the portfolio rationalization for a $10 billion US oil and gas company, including strategic analysis, cash flow analysis, valuation range, peer benchmarking, public market considerations, and debt capacity analysis.
- Provided financial modeling and strategic advisory support to a $15 billion energy company evaluating various acquisition targets in the behind-the-meter energy storage market.
Focus areas: Renewable Energy, Renewables, Capital Advisory, Equity Raises, Debt Raises, Forecasting, Three-statement Modeling, Financial Statements, Investment Banking, Clean Energy, M&A Modeling, Waterfall Modeling, Financial Services, Equity Valuation, Transaction Advisory, Fairness Opinion Reports, Cross-border M&A, M&A (Sell-side), M&A (Buy-side), Structured Finance, Project Finance, A&D, Asset Acquisition, Valuation, Private Placements, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Valuation Modeling, Pitch Deck Consultant, Initial Public Offerings, Credit/Debt, Debt Restructuring, Excel 365, Hedge Funds, Equity Investment, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Deal Structuring, Fundraising Strategy, Stock Market, Stock Price Analysis, Value Analysis, Capital Raising, United States, Investment Memoranda, Startup Funding Consultant, Investment Funds, Investment Capital Raising, Total Addressable Market (TAM), Stock Market Techinical Analysis, Equity Research Analysis, Public Speaking, Video Presentations, Client Presentations, Return Analysis, Market Research & Analysis, Regtech, Term Sheet Advisory, Cash Flow Forecasting
Analyst
2006 - 2007
Societe Generale - Leveraged Buyout Group
- Contributed to the origination, structuring, and execution of leveraged buyouts across Europe.
- Restructured and refinanced an €851 million senior, second-lien, and mezzanine buyout package to facilitate a recapitalization by the sponsor PAI partners.
- Participated in structuring the €195 million LBO financing for the acquisition of Go Voyages by AXA Private Equity.
Focus areas: Loans, Five-year Projections, Debt, Syndication, Due Diligence, Legal Structuring, Debt Structuring, Debt Issuance, Risk Analysis, Leveraged Buyout Modeling, Leveraged Finance, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Financial Modeling, Research Analysis, Credit/Debt, Excel 365, Real Estate, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Investment Memoranda, Private Credit, Lending, Return Analysis
Education
2004 - 2009
Master's Degree in Corporate Finance
ESSEC Business School - Paris, France
Certifications
NOVEMBER 2016 - PRESENT
Series 79 (Investment Banking) and 63 (Securities State Regulations)
FINRA
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