
Damir is available for hire
Hire DamirDamir Jakirlic, CFA
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
Toptal Member Since
November 3, 2021
Damir is a CFA charter holder with extensive experience advising startups such as Delivery Hero and HelloFresh on their way to becoming multibillion-dollar companies and well-known private equity funds such as HIG and Triton on their deals. He's built his operational skills as a founder, the head of finance for unicorn Forto, and CFO of a German Hidden Champion. Damir joined Toptal to pursue his passion for people and numbers and maximize his contribution to a broad client base.
Career Highlights
Private Equity Consultant
Alvarez & Marsal
Head of Finance
Forto
Financial Analyst
Rocket Internet
Education Highlights
Bachelor's Degree
University of Mannheim
Certification Highlights
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute
Expertise
Work Experience
Founder I Interim CFO
2020 - PRESENT
DJ Ventures
- Prepared a regional leader in construction and real estate services for mid-capitalization private equity in anticipation of a liquidity event, acting as an interim CFO.
- Served as an interim CFO for a hidden champion by reducing 50% of its product portfolio that showed negative gross margin, tied significant resources, and led it through a procurement crisis to manage inventory to avoid material revenue loss.
- Led a manufacturing leader through a critical liquidity phase and secured a €2 million credit financing as an interim CFO.
- Built a planning model for an industry leader in mechanical engineering electronics that served as the key underlying decision to visualize sweet spots for future strategy.
- Calculated the business case for a well-known publisher's spin-off of a digital business model.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Cash Flow Management, Business Administration, Business Models, Investor Presentations, Financing, CFO, Budgeting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Interim CFO
Private Equity Consultant
2018 - 2020
Alvarez & Marsal
- Performed the buy-side due diligence for HIG's acquisition of a DAX 30 company's carve-out with €230 million in revenues.
- Enabled the double-digit million refinancing of the German Hidden Champion ABL Technic.
- Performed the buy-side due diligence for Deutsche Private Equity's acquisition of Valantic with €110 million in revenue.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Due Diligence, Private Equity, Business Models, Portfolio Management, Investor Presentations, Financing, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME)
Co-founder
2017 - 2018
Fyve7
- Built the eCommerce office design brand called "fyve7" from scratch.
- Sold the brand successfully in a five-digit asset sale.
- Launched a product on diverse platforms with a listing in Etsy's lookbook 2018.
- Managed several departments, including finance, business development, and operations.
Focus areas: Business Administration, Cash Flow Management, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Investor Presentations, Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Financing, CFO, Financial Forecasting, Budgeting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Interim CFO
Head of Finance
2017 - 2017
Forto
- Hired and led the finance team. Established a scalable finance infrastructure with proper controlling processes and cash flow planning tools.
- Led the series A fundraising preparation resulting in a $20 million financing.
- Saved more than €100,000 at an early stage in cash due to incomplete accounting.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Fundraising, Cash Flow Management, Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Business Administration, Startups, Business Models, Investor Presentations, Venture Capital, CFO, Financial Forecasting, Budgeting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Due Diligence, Interim CFO
Financial Analyst
2015 - 2016
Rocket Internet
- Advised on Delivery Hero's and HelloFresh's IPO preparation with a specific focus on valuation-related topics.
- Led the qualitative and quantitative valuation of the portfolio companies and guided the audit process.
- Assisted senior management in capital markets and investor relations.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Valuation, Portfolio Management, Fundraising, Startups, Business Models, Venture Capital, Investor Presentations, Financial Forecasting, Budgeting, Financial Reporting
Education
2011 - 2014
Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Economics
University of Mannheim - Mannheim, Germany
Certifications
MAY 2019 - PRESENT
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute