Romain A. Ichbiah, Finance Expert in Chicago, IL, United States
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Romain 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 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")

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
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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