David is available for hire
Hire DavidDavid Morris
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
Dallas, United States
Toptal Member Since
October 17, 2022
David is a seasoned professional with over a decade-long record of helping clients deliver exceptional results, including advising Facebook's initial public offering (IPO) and acquisitions of WhatsApp, Instagram, and Oculus. His background includes working at McKinsey & Company as their consumer and retail practices lead and now as a strategy lead at the largest food company in North America. David joined Toptal to continue advising clients to solve some of the most challenging problems.
Career Highlights
Engagement Manager
McKinsey & Company
Education Highlights
Master's Degree
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Case Studies
Expertise
Work Experience
Strategy Director
2021 - PRESENT
PepsiCo
- Led a cross-functional team to define the route-to-market strategy for the next five years to grow top-line revenue and better serve consumers while maintaining a competitive advantage.
- Partnered with sales, innovation, and marketing departments to develop key co-development and partnership agreements and drive over $500 million in expected net revenue in five years.
- Analyzed inbound purchase requests to examine attractiveness and acquisition strategy for potential targets.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Growth Strategy, Strategy, Planning
Engagement Manager
2017 - 2021
McKinsey & Company
- Led the operations strategy for a leading US domestic airline company to define future technology and operation requirements with a transformation roadmap, linking changes to financial outcomes and customer satisfaction.
- Directed a 20-person team of clients and consultants at a leading telecom provider to identify and implement initiatives that led to over $400 million in annual cost reduction and the net promoter score (NPS) improvement by over ten points.
- Partnered with the plant manager of one of the lowest-cost nuclear power plants in the USA to drive $50 million in annual cost savings through performance improvement, vendor procurement negotiations, and lean operations.
- Counseled the chief executive officer (CEO) of an over $10 billion consumer company on growth spaces and potential mergers and acquisitions (M&A) targets with new or adjacent growth spaces, leading to a successful multibillion-dollar acquisition.
- Guided the team to develop category strategies using enhanced analytical capabilities at a national retail company and leading food distributor to drive a margin improvement by over 100 basis points (BPS) across various national vendors.
- Worked with the CEO of a multibillion-dollar consumer packaged goods (CPG) company merger to develop a day-one organization structure, align with the developed strategy, and capture deal value and synergies.
- Developed a playbook for a large utility merger to enable the client to capture over $400 million in margin synergies by analyzing coal and combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) asset performance, optimization, and improved vendor performance.
Focus areas: Growth Strategy, Operations, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Cost Management, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Retail, Transportation & Logistics
Assurance Senior
2011 - 2015
EY
- Enabled Facebook to meet accelerated filing during a $16 billion IPO by coordinating with security underwriters in providing comfort over key financial items disclosed in the final prospectus, including equity and earnings per share (EPS).
- Directed the WhatsApp project team through a $19 billion acquisition by Facebook, including the six-week compilation and audit of the initial financial statements required for mandatory regulatory filings.
- Led the Barracuda Networks IPO by providing assurance services for the client and enabling the successful raising of funds.
Focus areas: SaaS, Equity, Revenue Analysis, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Valuation, Accounting
Education
2015 - 2017
Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University - Evanston, Illinois, USA
2004 - 2011
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting
Brigham Young University - Provo, Utah, USA
2004 - 2011
Master's Degree in Accounting
Brigham Young Universtion - Provo, Utah, USA
Certifications
NOVEMBER 2011 - PRESENT
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
California Board of Accountancy