Brendan Murphy, CFA, Finance Expert in London, United Kingdom
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Brendan Murphy, CFA

Verified Expert  in Finance

Bio

Brendan is a versatile finance specialist—having held both senior corporate finance and investment professional roles—with a deal portfolio exceeding £600 million. During his career, he has worked for the largest bank in Africa as well as private market investors and has accumulated experience in the technology, consumer, and real estate sectors. Brendan freelances to leverage his experience in financial modeling, due diligence, market research, financial analysis, and fundraising.

Career Highlights

Consultant
Private
Interim CFO
Standard Bank Group

Education Highlights

Certification Highlights

CFA
CFA Institute

Case Studies

Work Experience

CFO

2022 - PRESENT
Prosper
  • Handled financial reporting, KPI tracking and board reporting, FCA application and monthly submissions, fundraising, establishing the financial stack, and financial planning and modeling.
  • Drove Prosper's private market offering spanning private equity, private credit, venture capital, and other alternative investment funds.
  • Spearheaded M&A efforts to acquire complementary businesses and high-value customer books.
Focus areas: Fundraising, Forecasting, P&L Management, Private Capital Markets, Public Markets, Cash Management, Design Strategy, Financial Reporting, Regulatory Reporting, Budget Modeling, Profit & Loss (P&L), Interim CFOs, Internal Financial Reporting, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI, Fractional CFOs, Crowdfunding Design

Consultant

2020 - PRESENT
Private
  • Advised a European direct-to-consumer startup on their £5 million Series A financing.
  • Conducted market research and developed financial models for an investor looking to enter the UK's early-years education sector.
  • Coordinated and sourced investors for the $4.5 million growth equity round for a leading telehealth company based in Australasia.
  • Produced the pitch deck and financial model for the seed fundraising of a sustainability-focused asset management platform leveraging tax technology.
  • Developed a financial model for the vetting of solar PV projects by a renewable energy construction company interested in providing equity financing for its projects.
  • Advised and produced investor documents for a sustainability consultant marketplace and expert network on their seed fundraising.
  • Advised and produced investor documents for a car subscription startup on their Series A funding round.
  • Built the financial model for a startup pension business in the UK.
  • Developed an integrated financial model for a startup in the UK care sector and advised the founder on fundraising strategy and investor materials.
  • Mentored founder of early-stage Hospitality Tech startup on fundraising and go-to-market strategy.
Focus areas: Venture Capital, Technology, Revenue & Expense Projections, Due Diligence, Financial Analysis, Digital Health, Finance Strategy, Healthcare App Design, Capital Raising, Fundraising, Startup Funding, Startup Development, Alternative Investments, Business Advisory, Business Analysis Consulting, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Financial Advisory, Business Planning, For-profit Education, K-12 Education, Direct to Consumer (D2C), Renewable Energy, Early-stage Venture Capital, Early-stage Funding, Early-stage Startups, Market Research Analyst, Financial Modeling, Fundraising, E-commerce marketing, E-commerce Development, Product-market Fit, Business Strategy, Agriculture, B2C, Acquisitions, M&A (Buy-side), Financing, Presentation Design, Business Plan Consulting, Investments, Excel Development, Tableau Development, Market Sizing, Strategic Planning, Three-statement Modeling, Business Modeling, M&A, Pitch Deck Consulting, Project Finance Consulting, Clean Energy, Investor Presentations, Seed Fundraising, Due Diligence, Profitability Analysis, Tech Freelancing, TMT, On-demand Services, Food & Beverage, Exit Strategy, High-tech Startups, Freelance Design, Family Office, Trading, M&A Modeling, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA), Investment Strategy, Term Sheet Advisory, Deal Review, Deal Structuring, M&A Earn-out Agreements, GTM Marketing, Fintech, Go-to-market Plans, Fintech, Online Payments, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Forecasting, Cap Tables, DCF Modeling, Scenario Analysis, Investment Analysis, Private Equity Secondaries, Private Placements, Growth Equity, Chartered Financial Analysis, Consumer Banking, Neobanks, Financial Writing, Fundraising Strategy, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Investor Reporting, Public Companies, Interim CFOs, FP&A, Investment Research, Finance Blog, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, Foreign Exchange, ROI, Tax Technology

Fundraising Consultant

2023 - 2023
Pierre Costin
  • Directed the design team in compiling the visual presentation to showcase the company to investors.
  • Guided the founder in mapping out the company's most effective fundraising strategy and sequencing, leveraging my VC investor background.
  • Utilized my financial modeling expertise to create the financial model that served as the foundation for the seed fundraise.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Presentation Design, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI

Financial Modeling and Market Research Expert

2023 - 2023
Rochelle Knowles
  • Built the financial model to support the business' first round of funding.
  • Advised the founder on the optimal fundraising strategy for the business.
  • Crafted the fundraising pitch and oversaw the compilation of the pitch deck.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Market Research Analyst, Forecasting, Fundraising, Revenue & Expense Projections, Wellness, Restaurants & Dining, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI

Cap Table Advisor

2023 - 2023
Spherene AG
  • Rebuilt the company's financial model to prepare for its Series A fundraising.
  • Advised the CEO on fundraising strategy and how best to clean up the cap table.
  • Assisted another Toptal talent with the design of the pricing model.
Focus areas: Venture Capital, Decision Support, Cap Tables, Valuations, Switzerland, Structuring, Series A, Startup Development, Fundraising Strategy, Investor Reporting, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI

Fundraising and Financial Modeling Expert

2022 - 2022
Minot Point Advisors LLC
  • Built an integrated financial model for a UK-based community-driven banking startup.
  • Developed an integrated model for a global payments platform.
  • Advised the client on market sizing and fundraising strategy.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Three-statement Modeling, Fintech, Investment Analysis, Chartered Financial Analysis, Consumer Banking, Neobanks, Financial Writing, Venture Capital, Fundraising Strategy, Investor Reporting, FP&A, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI

Senior Investment Analyst

2019 - 2020
AltaOne Capital
  • Performed deep-dive market research; engaged with industry experts; screened public companies; and analyzed potential targets.
  • Built detailed financial statement, operating, valuation, and LBO models; conducted management interviews; carried out competitor benchmarking; and verified major contracts and IP documents.
  • Pitched leveraged buyout transactions to co-investors and banks and assisted with seller negotiations and closing process.
  • Led the analysis of the acquisition of Silae, a French Payroll SaaS publisher, acquired with Silver Lake in July 2020.
  • Monitored the investment in Cegid Group, a French cloud-based business management software provider originally acquired for £540 million in 2016.
Focus areas: Venture Capital, Technology, Revenue & Expense Projections, Asset Management, Due Diligence, Capital Raising, Three-statement Modeling, Negotiation, M&A (Buy-side), Market Research Analyst, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Valuations, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Leveraged Buyout Modeling, SMB Software, Payroll & Benefits, Tax Software, Accounting Software, Enterprise SaaS, SaaS, Software Development, Financial Software Development, Growth Marketing, Private Equity, Fashion, Product-market Fit, Business Strategy, Startup Development, B2C, Acquisitions, Finance Strategy, Financing, Presentation Design, Business Plan Consulting, Investments, Excel Development, Tableau Development, Market Sizing, Strategic Planning, Business Modeling, M&A, Investor Presentations, Due Diligence, Profitability Analysis, Tech Freelancing, TMT, Exit Strategy, High-tech Startups, Family Office, Trading, M&A Modeling, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA), Investment Strategy, Term Sheet Advisory, Deal Review, Deal Structuring, M&A Earn-out Agreements, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Forecasting, DCF Modeling, Scenario Analysis, Investment Analysis, Chartered Financial Analysis, Equity Research, Research, Stock Analysis, Stock Market Consulting, Equity Markets, Financial Writing, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Investor Reporting, Public Companies, FP&A, Investment Research, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI, Tax Technology

Investor

2019 - 2019
Concentric
  • Evaluated pitches, met with founders, and conducted due diligence on potential investments.
  • Generated unique insights through research deep dives into various technology sectors and verticals.
  • Involved in key transactions including Wheely (£12 million Series B), Airsorted (£1.3 million Series A), and DueDil (£1 million Series C).
  • Supported portfolio companies with competitor analysis, GTM strategy development, and exit opportunity analysis.
Focus areas: Technology, Revenue & Expense Projections, Asset Management, Due Diligence, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Ride-hailing, Startup Accelerators, Series B, Series A, Seed Fundraising, Fintech, Blockchain Consultant, Direct to Consumer (D2C), Insurance Technology (Insurtech), Consumer Marketplaces, Marketplace Design, Venture Capital, Early-stage Venture Capital, Early-stage Startups, E-commerce marketing, E-commerce Development, SaaS, Product-market Fit, Business Strategy, Startup Development, B2C, Acquisitions, M&A (Buy-side), Finance Strategy, Financing, Presentation Design, Business Plan Consulting, Investments, Excel Development, Market Sizing, Strategic Planning, Three-statement Modeling, Business Modeling, M&A, Investor Presentations, Due Diligence, Profitability Analysis, Tech Freelancing, TMT, On-demand Services, Food & Beverage, Exit Strategy, High-tech Startups, Family Office, Trading, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA), Investment Strategy, Term Sheet Advisory, Deal Review, Deal Structuring, Latin America (LATAM), GTM Marketing, Fintech, Go-to-market Plans, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Forecasting, Travel, Tourism, Cap Tables, DCF Modeling, Scenario Analysis, Investment Analysis, Chartered Financial Analysis, Consumer Banking, Neobanks, Financial Writing, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Public Companies, FP&A, Investment Research, Investment Funds, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI, Tax Technology

Portfolio Manager

2017 - 2018
Standard Bank Group
  • Managed 99 multi-asset portfolios consisting of individual stocks, equity and bond funds, and cash on a discretionary basis for family offices, high-net-worth individuals, and small pension funds.
  • Generated new business growth of 27.2% from February 2017 to February 2018.
  • Delivered equity alpha of 0.8% per annum as a member of the investment committee.
Focus areas: Technology, Revenue & Expense Projections, Asset Management, Financial Modeling, Healthcare App Design, Capital Raising, Wealth Management, Taxation, Client Management, Pitch Presentations, New Business Development, Stock Analysis, Portfolio Management, Equity Investment, Financial Analysis, E-commerce marketing, Fashion, E-commerce Development, SaaS, B2C, Acquisitions, M&A (Buy-side), Finance Strategy, Financing, Investments, Excel Development, Market Sizing, Three-statement Modeling, Business Modeling, M&A, Investor Presentations, Due Diligence, Profitability Analysis, Tech Freelancing, Food & Beverage, Family Office, Trading, M&A Modeling, Investment Strategy, Deal Review, Fintech, Travel, Tourism, DCF Modeling, Scenario Analysis, Investment Analysis, Chartered Financial Analysis, Portfolio Analysis, Equity Research, Portfolios, Research, Stock Market Consulting, Equity Markets, Financial Writing, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Investor Reporting, Public Companies, Fund Management, FP&A, Investment Research, Investment Funds, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI, MVNO

Research Analyst

2015 - 2016
Standard Bank Group
  • Produced stock selection alpha for clients in the following sectors of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange: FMCG, +7.0% p.a.; Telecommunications, +12.3% p.a.; and Industrials, +5.9% p.a.
  • Evaluated investment opportunities using proprietary industry and company analysis, information gathered from meetings with company management, industry experts, sell-side brokers, as well as my own valuations.
  • Built detailed forecast, financial statement, and valuation models (price and value multiples, sum-of-the-parts, and DCF valuation) for the stocks in the above sectors.
Focus areas: Technology, Revenue & Expense Projections, Asset Management, Due Diligence, Primary Research, Investment Summaries, DCF Valuation, Industrials, Telecommunications, FMCG, Market Research Analyst, Company Research, Financial Modeling, Valuations, Stock Analysis, Financial Analysis, Equity Investment, E-commerce marketing, Fashion, E-commerce Development, SaaS, Agriculture, B2C, Acquisitions, Finance Strategy, Financing, Investments, Excel Development, Market Sizing, Three-statement Modeling, Business Modeling, M&A, Investor Presentations, Due Diligence, Profitability Analysis, Tech Freelancing, TMT, Food & Beverage, Trading, M&A Modeling, Deal Review, Fintech, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Forecasting, Travel, Tourism, DCF Modeling, Scenario Analysis, Investment Analysis, Chartered Financial Analysis, Portfolio Analysis, Equity Research, Research, Stock Market Consulting, Equity Markets, Financial Writing, Stock Trading, Public Companies, FP&A, Investment Research, Cash Flow Modeling, Value at Risk, ROI, MVNO

Interim CFO

2015 - 2015
Standard Bank Group
  • Prepared and presented monthly financials, developed and monitored budgets, and submitted tax returns.
  • Drafted balance sheet substantiation policy documents and implemented foreign exchange accounting procedures, which released an $18 million negative reserve.
  • Improved internal processes and conducted training on finance software and general finance topics.
Focus areas: Revenue & Expense Projections, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Finance Strategy, Interim CFOs, Foreign Exchange (FX) Hedging, Accounting, Training & Training Content Development, Training, Accounting Policy, Taxation, Tax Returns, Budgeting Consulting, Management Accounting, Corporate Finance, Business Strategy, Financing, Business Plan Consulting, Excel Development, Business Modeling, Investor Presentations, Profitability Analysis, Interim CFOs, Trading, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Forecasting, DCF Modeling, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Investor Reporting, Public Companies, FP&A, Budget Modeling, Profit & Loss (P&L), Internal Financial Reporting, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI, Fractional CFOs

Accountant

2014 - 2015
Standard Bank Group
  • Controlled daily profit and loss reporting, prepared annual financial statements, and submitted tax returns.
  • Managed the group financial reporting and budgeting processes for operations in DRC, Lesotho, Mauritius, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.
  • Evaluated prospective property finance deals based on company credit evaluations and cash flow serviceability models.
Focus areas: Revenue & Expense Projections, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Finance Strategy, Budgeting Consulting, Real Estate, Credit Evaluation, Business Intelligence Development, Management Information, Tax Returns, Financial Statements, Auditing, Taxation, Accounting, FP&A, Financing, Business Plan Consulting, Excel Development, Business Modeling, Investor Presentations, Profitability Analysis, Trading, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Forecasting, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Public Companies, Budget Modeling, Profit & Loss (P&L), Interim CFOs, Internal Financial Reporting, Cash Flow Modeling, Value at Risk, ROI
2018 - 2020

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance

London Business School - London, England

2013 - 2013

Master's Degree in Accounting

University of Cape Town - Cape Town, South Africa

2009 - 2012

Bachelor's Degree in Finance

University of Cape Town - Cape Town, South Africa

AUGUST 2020 - PRESENT

CFA

CFA Institute

DECEMBER 2016 - PRESENT

Chartered Accountant

South African Institute of Chartered Accountants

Finance

Private Equity, Leveraged Buyout Modeling, FP&A, Fundraising, Forecasting, Financial Benchmarking, Valuations, Financial Modeling, M&A (Buy-side), M&A Modeling, Revenue & Expense Projections, Capital Raising, Valuation Modeling, Finance Strategy, Profitability Analysis, Interim CFOs, Cash Flow, Cash Flow Forecasting, Chartered Financial Analysis, Equity Research, Stock Trading, Stock Price Analysis, Profit & Loss (P&L), Internal Financial Reporting, Cash Flow Modeling, ROI, Due Diligence, Market Research Analyst, Startup Funding, Three-statement Modeling, M&A, Project Finance Consulting, M&A Earn-out Agreements, Private Equity Secondaries, Growth Equity, Portfolio Analysis, Fund Management, Crowdfunding Design, Accounting, Management Accounting, Corporate Finance, Taxation, M&A, Financial Advisory, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Business Advisory, Blockchain Consultant, Seed Fundraising, Series A, Series B, Wealth Management, DCF Valuation, Investment Summaries, Budgeting Consulting, Foreign Exchange (FX) Hedging, Business Intelligence Development, Credit Evaluation, Angel/Seed Funding, Pricing, Cash Management, Financial Reporting

Output Software

Excel Development

Data & Analysis Software

Bloomberg, FactSet, Tableau Development

Industry Expertise

Venture Capital, Asset Management, Public Companies, Technology, Consumer Products, Healthcare App Design, Food & Beverage, High-tech Startups, Software Development, Early-stage Startups, Real Estate, Renewable Energy, For-profit Education, Insurance Technology (Insurtech), Startup Accelerators, Telecommunications, Industrials, Retail & Wholesale, Fashion, Agriculture, Restaurants & Dining

Geographic Expertise

United Kingdom, Latin America (LATAM), Switzerland

Other

Microsoft 365, Financial Analysis, Finance, Pitch Presentations, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Stock Analysis, Presentation Design, Financial Forecasting, Business Strategy, Acquisitions, Financing, Investments, Business Modeling, Investor Presentations, Due Diligence, Tech Freelancing, TMT, Family Office, Trading, Investment Strategy, Deal Review, Fintech, DCF Modeling, Scenario Analysis, Investment Analysis, Stock Market Consulting, Equity Markets, Financial Writing, Investor Reporting, Investment Research, Investment Funds, Budget Modeling, Fractional CFOs, Reuters Eikon, Cap Tables, Board Presentations, Go-to-market Plans, Transaction Advisory, Startup Development, SaaS, Fintech, Angel Investing, High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI), Investor Relations, SaaS, Manufacturing, E-commerce marketing, E-commerce Development, Product-market Fit, B2C, Business Plan Consulting, Market Sizing, Strategic Planning, Pitch Deck Consulting, Exit Strategy, Freelance Design, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA), Term Sheet Advisory, Deal Structuring, GTM Marketing, Travel, Tourism, Private Placements, Research, Consumer Banking, Neobanks, Fundraising Strategy, Foreign Exchange, Tax Technology, Early-stage Venture Capital, Financial Statement Preparation, Equity Investment, Portfolio Management, Auditing, Enterprise SaaS, Exit Planning, Operating Models, Early-stage Funding, Direct to Consumer (D2C), K-12 Education, Business Planning, Business Analysis Consulting, Alternative Investments, Fundraising, Accounting Software, Tax Software, Payroll & Benefits, SMB Software, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Negotiation, Marketplace Design, Consumer Marketplaces, Ride-hailing, New Business Development, Client Management, Company Research, FMCG, Primary Research, Tax Returns, Accounting Policy, Training, Financial Statements, Management Information, Presentations, Pitch Books, Business to Consumer (B2C), Platforms, Interim CFOs, Digital Health, Training & Training Content Development, Clean Energy, On-demand Services, Online Payments, Growth Marketing, Financial Software Development, Portfolios, Decision Support, Structuring, Wellness, Finance Blog, P&L Management, Private Capital Markets, Public Markets, Design Strategy, Regulatory Reporting, Value at Risk, MVNO

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