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Joseph S. Lesko, Finance Expert in New York, NY, United States
Joseph S. Lesko

Finance Expert in New York, NY, United States

Member since July 31, 2017
Joseph is a fundraising advisor to early-stage companies. His experience includes time spent as a private banker, investment banker, and research analyst. Joseph is currently a director at a multi-family office, where he evaluates a wide range of investment opportunities in both public and private markets. Joseph joined Toptal to use his diverse skills and contacts to help entrepreneurs and businesses grow.
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Career Highlights

Education

Case studies

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Industry Expertise

  • Financial Services

Other Expertise

Employment

  • Wealth Strategist

    2016 - PRESENT
    Global Capital Strategies (GCS)
    • Served as a founding team member of a multi-family office with approximately $100 million in AUM and the architect of the firm’s growth and business development strategy.
    • Provided investment asset allocation, portfolio construction, portfolio management, asset monitoring, and reporting to business owners, entrepreneurs, private foundations, and multi-generational families.
    • Maintained proactive client coverage that included discussions on market trends, tax law, trust and estate matters, and other issues as they relate to a family's overall financial goals.
    • Delivered advisory services, liaising with a client's team of external advisors, including attorneys and tax accountants.
    • Built the firm's alternative capabilities, including alternative funds hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital, and participated in direct investments.
    • Evaluated both fund and direct investments as a principal and helped raise investor capital for sponsored companies.
    Focus areas: Security Analysis, Asset Acquisition, Portfolio Management, Portfolio Analysis, Investment Portfolio Management, Business Development, Relationship Management, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Wealth Management

  • Private Banker

    2013 - 2016
    JP Morgan
    • Managed a $1.3 billion book of business catering to entrepreneurs, family offices, and endowments and foundations. The book generated ~$4 million in revenue.
    • Oversaw new client acquisition and relationship management for private and institutional clients with assets ranging from $50 million to $2.5 billion.
    • Structured loan products such as advised lines of credit, premium financing, fine art, and aircraft loans.
    • Generated new sources of revenue by cross-selling diversified product offerings across investment, credit, and fiduciary lines of business.
    Focus areas: Business Planning, Investment Portfolio Management, Wealth Management, Portfolio Management, Client Development, Asset Acquisition

  • Investment Banker

    2009 - 2013
    NewOak Capital
    • Originated, structured, and executed a range of client engagements in diverse industries include community banking, specialty finance, insurance, technology, and renewable energy.
    • Generated significant revenues for the firm including the origination of a $150 million equity and debt capital raise assignment for a lending platform that produced approx $2 million for NewOak.
    • Built valuation and transaction models, prepared investor presentations and fairness opinions, negotiated engagement letters, term sheets, credit agreements, purchase and sale agreements, employment contracts, and secured loan documents.
    • Developed comprehensive capital sources for deals including hedge funds, private equity, insurance companies, commercial banks, pension funds, strategic investors, and family offices.
    • Led various consulting assignments including valuation and analysis for a monoline insurer and litigation support for a large international financial institution.
    • Facilitated transactions including private placements of equity capital as well as senior and mezzanine debt, restructurings, refinancings, mergers and acquisitions, and financial advisory assignments, ranging from $10 to $100 million in transaction value.
    Focus areas: Transaction Structuring, Valuation Modeling, Private Placements, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

  • Research Analyst

    2006 - 2008
    Barclays Capital
    • Assumed comprehensive fundamental coverage of US insurance companies, including the primary coverage for 20 plus names within the property, casualty and life insurance sectors, and secondary coverage for monolines, mortgage insurers, and GIC issuers.
    • Disseminated credit views and trading calls in bonds and CDS to internal and external constituents (sales force, traders, hedge funds, real money accounts) via presentations and meetings and detailed company reports including quarterly updates and relative value analyses.
    • Closely collaborated with senior traders and colleagues in the investment strategy group to construct value-added, actionable investment ideas on a single name basis and using pair trades across the credit spectrum (including high yield, investment grade, and distressed).
    • Performed all aspects of analysis and due diligence including synthesis of SEC documents, statutory statements and schedules, earnings calls, and investor meetings.
    • Developed robust forecasting models to predict cash flows, operational and financial metrics, and performed comparative analyses of credit agreements and indentures to review covenant protections.
    Focus areas: Credit Investing, Publishing, Credit Analysis

  • Executive Underwriter

    2001 - 2006
    The Hartford
    • Analyzed a cross-section of Fortune 1000 companies and fund structures including insurance companies, banks, finance companies, leveraged buyout funds, mezzanine funds, venture capital funds, and hedge funds, to underwrite and execute corporate and directorship indemnity deals including directors and officers liability insurance.
    • Served as the western regional manager for a $20 million portfolio of executive liability insurance products, with the responsibility to meet growth and profit and loss targets.
    • Utilized transaction management experience to close deals for large dollar executive liability insurance policies including the successful coordination of internal constituencies, clients, insurance brokers, reinsurers, and legal counsel.
    Focus areas: Financial Statements, Insurance, Private Equity

  • Underwriter

    1999 - 2001
    American International Group
    • Managed the process of providing directors and officers insurance coverage to portfolio companies of established private equity firms to provide for the indemnification of executive officers and board members.
    • Collaborated with law firms and producers at Aon Financial Services Group to construct complex insurance programs to provide private equity firms with access to a minimum of $100 million in capital protection.
    Focus areas: Financial Statements, Private Equity

Education

  • Master's degree in Finance
    2003 - 2006
    New York University - New York, NY, USA
  • Bachelor's degree in Finance
    1994 - 1998
    Villanova University - Villanova, PA, USA

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