Romain is available for hire
Hire RomainRomain A. Ichbiah
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
Chicago, IL, United States
Toptal Member Since
September 12, 2016
Romain brings 16+ years of strategy, consulting, and finance experience acquired in the US and in Europe. He's served the C suite of small/large companies ($1 million to $26 billion in sales) and of PE firms on organic growth, M&A strategy, alternatives, and buy/sell sides diligence issues. As a freelancer, he also supports clients on transaction execution (buy and sell) in the US, EU, and cross-border and enjoys straddling the two regions.
Career Highlights
Director, Strategy Consulting
Houlihan Lokey
Director and Business Lead
Nielsen Business Consulting Services
Lead Associate
Booz and Co.
Education Highlights
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree
Kellogg School of Management | Northwestern University
Bachelor of Arts Degree
ESSEC Business School ("Grande Ecole")
Industry Expertise
Software Expertise
Other Expertise
Work Experience
Director, Strategy Consulting
2011 - 2016
Houlihan Lokey
- Performed a market scan, target identification, and due diligence on a silicone target for a mid-cap industrial, medical contract manufacturer.
- Led portfolio review and new platform development effort for a global motors manufacturer. This included business performance analysis, competitive benchmark and company capability assessment, a new platform, and M&A target assessment/prioritization (targets ranging between $200M and $1B in revenue).
- Performed due diligence on a $200M+ Electronic Health Record and SaaS player for a $12B PE fund.
- Performed a scan of 12 sectors for acquisitions and prioritized potential targets within a group of 200+ in 10 days for a global healthcare conglomerate.
- Performed sell-side diligence for a PE-owned owned industrial distributor—including historical growth driver definition, "as is" forecast, identification, and sizing/prioritization of internal (sales effectiveness) & external (assortment, geographies, M&A) opportunities.
- Performed sell-side diligence for a PE-owned vehicle service contracts provider.
Focus areas: Strategy, Due Diligence, Market Research, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Portfolio Management
Director and Business Lead
2008 - 2011
Nielsen Business Consulting Services
- Worked as the founding member and leader of Nielsen's Strategy Consulting startup.
- Managed projects, developed the business, dealt with recruitment, and P&L—a global leadership role (US-based).
- Led more than 20 engagements leading and mentoring project teams of 2-3 senior consultants.
- Worked with a variety of industries including: pharma, oral care, confectionery, snacks, beverages & alcohol, and retail.
- Provided thought-leadership in forecasting, recession, and innovation; also did public speaking engagements.
Focus areas: Market Research, Portfolio Analysis
Lead Associate
2007 - 2008
Booz and Co.
- Led the strategy consulting projects and/or workflows within strategy consulting projects.
- Focused primarily on consumer and technology companies e.g. CPG, pharma, and electronics.
- Led due diligence on a $200M global firm operating in the parking meter industry, across four business lines and three key geographies for a private equity fund.
- Led a trade promotion effectiveness effort for a leading US frozen-food manufacturer—led a current state analysis and future state development for organizational, process, and analytics workflows ensuring the alignment of key stakeholders including retail partners.
- Developed a brand portfolio strategy for a leading global consumer health-care manufacturer—specifically for the post-acquisition of a key competitor across four key verticals, globally.
Focus areas: Due Diligence
Education
2015 - 2015
Series 63/79 (Investment Banking Certification) in Finance
FINRA - USA
2005 - 2006
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in General Management
Kellogg School of Management | Northwestern University - Chicago, IL, USA
1996 - 2000
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration
ESSEC Business School ("Grande Ecole") - Cergy, France
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