Ernestina Benedetto, Finance Expert in Zug, Switzerland
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Ernestina Benedetto

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
Zug, Switzerland
Toptal Member Since
May 3, 2017

Ernestina has 7+ years of experience in in-house M&A and advisory roles across 3 continents (Latin America, Asia, and Europe). In her positions, she has worked alongside C-level executives to execute M&A transactions, greenfield development, and other strategic projects. Ernestina holds an MBA with honors from INSEAD, and she enjoys the flexibility of freelancing while helping clients with their financial and strategic projects.

Revenue & Expense ProjectionsValuationFinancial ModelingMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Project ManagementComparable Company AnalysisFinancial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)Project Finance

Career Highlights

Senior Finance Manager
Daniel Swarovski Corp
Business Development and M&A Associate
Louis Dreyfus Commodities
Financial Analyst
Infupa

Education Highlights

Master of Business Administration with Honors (MBA)
INSEAD
Licentiate Degree (Summa Cum Laude)
Universidad de San Andrés

Case Studies

Work Experience

Senior Finance Manager

2014 - 2016
Daniel Swarovski Corp
  • Built detailed financial models to evaluate investments in new jewelry and retail brands and to determine the pace and feasibility of their global roll-out.
  • Developed a KPI testing tool to improve the performance of new business initiatives and presented strategic recommendations to the executive board.
  • Created a benchmarking analysis that was used as the basis for profitability improvement discussions in the core management team.
  • Led diverse corporate development projects in close collaboration with the different business units’ core management teams, including selling local operations in Latam to a distributor and investing in a new production plant in Asia.
  • Led a multi-departmental team to carry out a feasibility study for carving out of a business unit with retail operations in EU and Asia.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Business Planning, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Business Development and M&A Associate

2010 - 2011
Louis Dreyfus Commodities
  • Led the greenfield and acquisition projects in Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and Singapore (the deal sizes ranging from USD $10 million to USD $200 million).
  • Participated in transaction agreements and negotiation of documentation in close collaboration with company management and legal advisors.
  • Delivered investment proposals that led to ~USD $40 million investments after approval by the regional and global top management.
  • Built detailed deal-specific financial models for target companies (apple juice producer, warehousing, and deep sea port) and greenfield projects (a palm oil refinery, barge company).
  • Performed financial due diligence on target companies in China and Singapore with revenues up to USD $200 million.
  • Valued an equity stake in the largest Chinese apple juice producer (8 plants, deal size ~USD $200 million); participated in the drafting and negotiation of an offtake agreement and option to acquire a majority stake.
  • Analyzed and negotiated the construction of a ~USD $35 million palm oil refinery in Indonesia (a joint venture with a local partner).
  • Evaluated and signed a long-term lease to secure a 10-year lease of warehousing assets in a strategic port location in Vietnam.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Business Planning, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Financial Analyst

2006 - 2009
Infupa
  • Participated in over 15 projects (M&A and fairness opinions) across different industries: hospitality, travel insurance, banking, microfinance, retail, metals, agribusiness, pulp & paper, and derivative markets.
  • Created valuation models and presentations that were used as the basis for transaction price negotiation.
  • Coordinated the due diligence processes, data rooms, and information flow among the client, co-advisors, and the counterparts.
  • Executed the following transactions: the sale of an Uruguayan steel-pipe producer to Arcelor Mittal (~USD $40 million); the sale of a 60% stake in an Argentine microfinance company to a Peruvian microfinance group.
  • Advised a leading Argentine bank on buy-side transactions in retail banking and consumer financing.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Valuation, Investment Memoranda, Due Diligence, Fairness Opinion Reports, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
2012 - 2012

Master of Business Administration with Honors (MBA) in General Management

INSEAD - Singapore

2002 - 2006

Licentiate Degree (Summa Cum Laude) in Economics

Universidad de San Andrés - Buenos Aires, Argentina

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