François is available for hire
Hire FrançoisFrançois Lang
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
Paris, France
Toptal Member Since
November 17, 2020
François is an experienced CFO with a proven ability to propose and execute solutions in all financial management areas, notably in financial reporting, budgeting, projections, control of costs and cash, and evaluations of investment and divestment opportunities. François has a broad international experience—both in large listed groups (3i Group and Imerys) and in medium-sized French businesses with LBO structures—and is keen to work as a freelancer for international clients.
Education Highlights
Master's Degree (MBA)
HEC Business School
Case Studies
Expertise
Work Experience
Manager
2019 - PRESENT
Planifin
- Reviewed and upgraded the financial reporting of an insurance broker (13 million euros sales in 2021, 100 employees).
- Defined the valuation method for transactions between family shareholders on company shares.
- Elaborated a business and financial analysis for the project of creation of a new line of business for the insurance broking business.
- Reviewed the financial management of a communications agency (sales of 1.9 million euros in 2021, 30 employees). Made specific recommendations for improvements in accounting and human resources processes.
- Created a new comprehensive financial projection model for the company, making it possible to efficiently and precisely update a monthly three statements forecast for the current year.
Focus areas: Reporting, Budgeting, Financial Modeling, Valuation
CFO
2009 - 2019
Ligier Group
- Redesigned methods for the production of monthly reporting which strongly increased the quality of information.
- Provided all financial information, and built financial projections to organize the sale of the company in 2016 (enterprise value €100 million, LBO debt €50 million).
- Built the financial model presented to banks and controlling investment funds to obtain authorizations to finance the launch of an entirely new line of products, representing an additional CAPEX of 10% of group yearly sales of €150 million.
- Drafted the terms of a settlement with a major customer, whereby the compensation owed to that customer due to a substantial product liability issue was transformed into advantageous terms on a very large sale (€25 million) to that customer.
- Redesigned the reporting tools used to monitor the intra-group flow of products, and the intra-group inventories, which resulted in a 15% reduction in total finished products inventories.
- Built the financial models used to obtain €2 million of subsidized financing to start an autonomous vehicle project which led to the formation of EasyMile, a leading French company in that business.
- Organized the sale of a small loss-making subsidiary, thereby reducing working capital by €1.5 million and eliminating €100,000 of annual operating losses.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financing, Business Strategy, Business Modeling, France, Investment Funds, Foreign Subsidiaries, Three-statement Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Business Models, Term Sheet Negotiations, Interim CFO, Private Equity, Cash Flow Management, CFO, Bank Debt Raises, Taxation, Accounting, Microsoft PowerPoint, Financial Consolidation, Sage ERP, Microsoft Excel, Business Planning, Financial Modeling, Financial Management, Acquisition Analysis, Financial Controlling, Budgeting, Project Analysis, Due Diligence, Board Presentations, Investor Relations, Business, Control & Cost Analysis, Return Analysis, Valuation, Internal Control, Reporting, Controller, Financial Reporting, M&A (Sell-side), Automotive, Private Company Valuation, Startups, Investment Analysis, Financial Analysis, M&A Modeling, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA)
CFO
2001 - 2018
AGS
- Created new financial reporting, including a breakdown of the income statement by activity (company sales in 2008: €75 million).
- Reduced directly managed costs: financial department staff (-30%); insurance (-25%); credit insurance (-15%); business tax (-5%).
- Organized an LBO to buy back 47.5% of company's share capital.
- Implemented the financial procedures of the large listed company which acquired AGS in 2006.
- Organized financial due diligence on a Ukrainian company acquired in 2007.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financing, Investments, M&A (Buy-side), Business Strategy, Business Modeling, France, Investment Funds, Foreign Subsidiaries, Three-statement Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Business Models, Term Sheet Negotiations, Interim CFO, Private Equity, Cash Flow Management, CFO, Bank Debt Raises, Taxation, Working Capital Management, Accounting, Microsoft PowerPoint, Financial Consolidation, Microsoft Excel, Business Planning, Financial Modeling, Financial Management, Acquisition Analysis, Financial Controlling, Budgeting, Project Analysis, Due Diligence, Board Presentations, Investor Relations, Business, Financial Reporting, Return Analysis, Valuation, Internal Control, Reporting, Controller, Mining, Private Company Valuation, Cross-border M&A, Investment Analysis, Financial Analysis, M&A Modeling
Financial Controller
1989 - 2001
Imerys
- Oversaw and was in charge of financial reporting for divisions of Imerys (listed in Paris, SBF120 company) with yearly sales of €500 million.
- Served as a key member of the Imerys team in the process of acquisitions made between 1990 and 2001 which were the foundation for the company's current position as a world leader in the industrial minerals sector.
- Acted as a part-time CFO of a small subsidiary (yearly sales €5 million)—maintaining efficient financial control on a non-core business until it could be sold and gaining valuable operational experience in the financial management of a small business.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financing, Investments, M&A (Buy-side), Business Strategy, Business Modeling, France, Investment Funds, Foreign Subsidiaries, Three-statement Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Business Models, Term Sheet Negotiations, Cash Flow Management, Bank Debt Raises, Taxation, Working Capital Management, Accounting, Microsoft PowerPoint, Financial Consolidation, Microsoft Excel, Business Planning, Financial Modeling, Financial Management, Acquisition Analysis, Financial Controlling, Budgeting, Project Analysis, Due Diligence, Board Presentations, Business, Return Analysis, Valuation, Internal Control, Reporting, Controller, Financial Reporting, M&A (Sell-side), Mining, Private Company Valuation, Cross-border M&A, Deal Analysis, Investment Analysis, Financial Analysis, M&A Modeling, Deal Structuring, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA)
Manager
1981 - 1989
3i Group plc
- Worked within a 3-person team that started the French subsidiary of 3i Group, making it one of the respected players in the French private equity business.
- Built from scratch a portfolio of 15 investments with a total cost of €10 million which generated realized gains of €7 million.
- Strongly contributed to the approach (marketing, deal processing, recruitment, and training of staff) which enabled 3i Group to successfully establish its operations in France.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financing, Investments, Business Strategy, Business Modeling, France, Three-statement Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Business Models, Term Sheet Negotiations, Private Equity, Microsoft Excel, Financial Modeling, Acquisition Analysis, Due Diligence, Board Presentations, Business, Return Analysis, Valuation, Reporting, M&A (Sell-side), Private Company Valuation, Cross-border M&A, Deal Analysis, Investment Analysis, Financial Analysis, M&A Modeling, Deal Structuring, Shareholders' Agreement (JVA)
Education
1976 - 1979
Master's Degree (MBA) in Business Administration
HEC Business School - Paris, France