Ludwig Diaz, Finance Expert in New York, NY, United States
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Ludwig Diaz

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
New York, NY, United States
Toptal Member Since
January 9, 2018

Ludwig has closed over $30 billion of transactions in the US and Europe at Deutsche Bank's investment banking division. He has worked closely with investment professionals at top firms like Blackstone and Starwood Capital on deals ranging from asset and business disposals to multi-billion dollar acquisitions. He joined Toptal to connect with other entrepreneurs and go-getters and share his knowledge around investing, financing, strategy, and M&A.

Project ManagementInvestment AnalysisReal EstateValuationFinancial ModelingFinancial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)Credit AnalysisEquity ResearchMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Private EquityCross-border M&ACapital MarketsMarket ResearchIPO Consulting

Career Highlights

Managing Principal
Starlifter Capital, LLC
Vice President
Deutsche Bank
Captain
US Army

Education Highlights

Master's Degree
Georgetown University
Bachelor's Degree
United States Military Academy

Certification Highlights

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute

Case Studies

Work Experience

Managing Principal

2015 - PRESENT
Starlifter Capital, LLC
  • Formed a company to sponsor opportunistic and value-add direct real estate investments in select US markets.
  • Carried out strategy formulations, underwriting, negotiations, capital raising, and deal executions.
  • Served as general partner on $70 million of assets, including multifamily, industrial, office, and retail.
  • Conducted a comprehensive investment analysis and underwriting for a mixed-use redevelopment of a 1.2 million square feet (SF) distressed super-regional mall with fractured ownership.
  • Advised on two large, mixed-use development projects consisting of luxury hotel and branded residential properties totaling over $800 million of capitalization, with an option to participate as a general partner on one of the projects.
Focus areas: Capital Structuring, Due Diligence, Investment Decision-making, Investment Return Scenario Analysis, Market Opportunity Analysis, Private Equity

Executive Vice President

2014 - 2015
JLL
  • Provided corporate finance and M&A expertise to support new business development on a pan-European basis.
  • Sourced a £2+ billion acquisition mandate and a strategic acquisition advisory role with separate, key clients.
  • Served on the Management Committee for the JLL European hotel team, a 100+ person business.
Focus areas: Market Research, Capital Markets, Cross-border M&A, Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Vice President

2006 - 2014
Deutsche Bank
  • Spearheaded over 60 financial analysis and valuation exercises in support of corporate transactions and presented conclusions of analyses to senior executives, board members, and senior investment professionals.
  • Involved in over 25 M&A mandates ranging from the evaluation of strategic alternatives to formal acquisition or disposal efforts at the asset, portfolio, and corporate levels. Examples include Blackstone's $500 million investment into GGP and Starwood Capital's EUR 1.3 billion sale of Louvre Hotels.
  • Led the credit analysis work, including a cash flow and covenant analyses, on 32 financing opportunities—resulting in $9.2 billion of loans and $4.7 billion of bonds. Examples include $3.5 billion financing for TPG and Silverlake's take-private of Sabre Holdings and $450 million in credit facilities for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
  • Actively involved in 24 equity market initiatives (including IPOs and private placements), resulting in 9 closed deals that raised $3.5 billion. Examples include $800 million and $400 million in multiple equity raises for Kimco Realty and Orient-Express Hotels (now Belmond), respectively.
  • Led the design, crafting, and messaging of numerous investment presentations to debt and equity investors, research analysts, lenders and rating agencies on behalf of 20 discrete clients.
Focus areas: Capital Raising, Capital Structuring, Valuation, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Corporate Finance

Captain

1998 - 2003
US Army
  • Rated as the most technically oriented and competent officer out of 115 other officers in the USCENTCOM Joint Operations Center during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
  • Implemented a system for the real-time exchange of information that led to a 50% improvement in communications effectiveness between two major operations centers in the US and Qatar.
  • Served as the community, government relations, and marketing project officer in Fort Bragg’s largest-ever privatization effort ($5.5 billion in scope).
  • Planned, organized, and executed six team and platoon deployments in support of operations throughout the US and the UK that exceeded operational objectives and came in below cost and time estimates.
  • Assisted in managing personnel strengths, accountability, readiness, awards, protocol, and public affairs for a brigade of over 1,500 soldiers.
Focus areas: Leadership Development, Training & Training Content Development, Training, Coaching, Operational Excellence, Project Management
2004 - 2006

Master's Degree in Finance

Georgetown University - Washington, DC, USA

1994 - 1998

Bachelor's Degree in Systems Engineering

United States Military Academy - West Point, NY, USA

SEPTEMBER 2010 - PRESENT

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

CFA Institute

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