Bruce Bower, Finance Expert in London, United Kingdom
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Bruce Bower

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
London, United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since
April 8, 2020

Bruce is a fractional CFO and angel investor based in London. He helps startups and SMBs in all industries with financial management, strategy, and fundraising. Bruce has assisted numerous early-stage and growth-stage companies craft their strategy, financial plan, and messaging to raise millions from institutional investors and angels. He also helped them to access debt financing, excelling with "Mission Impossible" financings.

Career Highlights

Independent Consultant
Canarias Holding

Education Highlights

Master's Degree
London School of Economics and Political Science
Bachelor's Degree
University of Chicago

Case Studies

Work Experience

Fractional CFO

2024 - PRESENT
Support Room
  • Assisted a company with fundraising as a non-executive director before joining as a fractional CFO. Helped raise a £1.2 million round of equity in 2021. Raised the debt round in 2023.
  • Provided strategic guidance to the business on long-term budgeting, allocation of capital, and financial models/forecasts.
  • Managed bookkeeping, budgeting, cash flow forecasting, and performance monitoring.
  • Provided legal support for financial matters such as fundraising, contract review, and shareholder documentation.
  • Introduced key partnerships and hires such as the clinical director, R&D tax advisor, accountants, and software partnerships.
Focus areas: Finance, Fractional CFO

Independent Consultant

2015 - PRESENT
Canarias Holding
  • Helped prepare Echobox for a fundraising process, including the strategic review of the business, building the financial model, and constructing the pitch deck. Introduced the company to its lead investor, leading to a £2.5 million raise.
  • Assisted Smile 2 Impress, a leading Spanish direct-to-consumer orthodontics company, in preparing for a €30 million fundraising process. Helped with the corporate strategy, financial planning, and identifying key hires in its target geographies.
  • Assisted Skara Holdings Ltd with getting a £1 million acquisition and development loan for the purchase of the Albyn in Aberdeen, Scotland. Subsequently, helped them get a £2.1 million loan to acquire the Bieldside Pub.
Focus areas: Fundraising Consultant, Financial Analysis, Consulting, Strategy, Business Plan Consulting, Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Finance, Angel Investing, Pitch Decks, Valuation

Non-executive Director

2015 - PRESENT
Medefer
  • Raised £20 million in equity over three rounds from institutions and angel investors around the world, constructing the pitch deck and financial model used to support the capital raise.
  • Led the formulation of the five-year strategic operating plan, working closely with the board of directors.
  • Authored the corporate finance strategy, which led to the pursuit of debt financing options and a raise of $300,000 in low-cost borrowing to finance growth.
  • Sourced and managed relationships with various Eastern European software development providers to help the firm's IT department scale faster and more cost-effectively.
  • Assisted the company with upgraded accounting and control within the finance function.
  • Sourced £2.5 million debt facility when the company was burning 400,000 a month.
Focus areas: Strategic Planning, Capital Raising, Finance, Fundraising Consultant, Business Plan Consulting, Fundraising, Financial Forecasting, Angel Investing, Pitch Decks, Valuation, Funding Presentations, Director

Chairman

2010 - PRESENT
Life & Soul Pictures
  • Created fundraising materials and built financial models for guiding the business and forecasting various scenarios.
  • Raised £1+ million in development finance for various projects, including "Heart of a Soldier," written by an Oscar-winning writer.
  • Raised £200,000 in debt financing for general working capital for the production company at competitive terms.
  • Wrote story treatments for numerous film and TV projects.
  • Provided outsourced film and TV development services to other production companies and mini-majors.
Focus areas: Film & Television, Equity Financing, Debt Financing, Financing, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Business Plan Consulting, Finance, Pitch Decks, Director

Advisor

2020 - 2022
Support Room
  • Assisted the company in formulating strategy and mapping out the first financial statements and forecasts at the idea stage.
  • Prepared fundraising materials, including pitch deck, financial forecasts, business plan, and legal documents.
  • Reached out to my investor network and reached out to new investors, singlehandedly raising the majority of a 1 million equity round that closed in early 2022.
Focus areas: Strategy, Finance, Fundraising, Equity Financing, Equity Raises, Fundraising Consultant, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Pitch Decks, Valuation, Director, Funding Presentations, Consulting

Partner and Portfolio Manager

2010 - 2014
VPE Capital
  • Produced top decile returns and never underperformed the benchmark as a portfolio manager on a $200 million fund.
  • Researched over 400 stocks in the Eastern Europe universe and managed a team of analysts.
  • Marketed the funds globally, leading to a capital raise of $375+ million from the top 25 US endowments and foundations, US and EU family offices, and sovereign wealth funds.
  • Interacted daily with management teams in Russian and English.
  • Evaluated and led diligence for private equity deals on behalf of our core investor.
Focus areas: Financial Analysis, Fundamental Analysis, Portfolio Management, Equities, Valuation, Financial Modeling, Equity Investment, Stock Market, Finance, Fund Management, Financial Services

Portfolio Manager

2005 - 2009
Kazimir Partners
  • Conducted fundamental research, including meeting management, constructing discounted cash flow models, and creating company desk notes for a universe of 350+ listed equities in Russia and the former Soviet Union.
  • Managed the $200 million Kazimir Russia Growth Fund, a long-only Russian equities fund.
  • Returned cumulative +30.1% net vs RTS Index -31.9% (Class A shares). Ranked #1 in the peer group of Russian managers and funds from July 2006 to July 2009.
  • Marketed the fund to global institutional clients, with a focus on US endowments and foundations.
  • Managed a team of analysts and the creation of a research IT system.
Focus areas: Financial Analysis, Fund Management, Portfolio Management, Financial Modeling, Equity Investment, Stock Market, Valuation, Finance, Financial Services, Equities
2009 - 2010

Master's Degree in Political Economy

London School of Economics and Political Science - London, England

1999 - 2003

Bachelor's Degree in Economics

University of Chicago - Chicago, Illinois

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