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Damir Jakirlic, CFA
Verified Expert in Management Consulting
Management Consulting Expert
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria
Toptal member since November 3, 2021
Bio
Damir is a CFA charter holder with extensive experience advising startups such as Delivery Hero and HelloFresh on their way to becoming multi-billion dollar companies and well-known private equity funds such as HIG and Triton on their deals. He's built his operational skills as a founder, the head of finance for unicorn Forto, and CFO of a German Hidden Champion. Damir joined Toptal to pursue his passion for people and numbers and maximize his contribution to a broad client base.
Career Highlights
Interim CFO
DJ Ventures
Director Finance
Tomorrow
Private Equity Consultant
Alvarez & Marsal
Education Highlights
Bachelor's Degree
University of Mannheim
Certification Highlights
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute
Case Studies
DCF and OPM Valuation of a Multi-billion Rollup and Anticipated Liquidation Event
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Financial ModelingValuationFinancial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)Business ModelsVenture Capital+ 3 more
Waterfall Model and Capitalization Table Analysis
StartupsMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Financial ModelingValuationFinancial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)Investor Presentations+ 2 more
Business Case Calculation for a Digital Business Spin-off
Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)ValuationPerformance ImprovementBusiness ModelsInvestor PresentationsFinancing+ 3 more
Expertise
- Business Models
- Cash Flow Management
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
- Financing
- Interim CFO
- Performance Improvement
- Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME)
- Valuation
Work Experience
Interim CFO
2020 - PRESENT
DJ Ventures
- Streamlined the finance infrastructure of a venture studio that served as a scalable template for its ventures and created a group consolidation for fundraising preparations.
- Prepared a regional leader in construction and real estate services for mid-capitalization private equity in anticipation of a liquidity event, acting as an interim CFO.
- Built an operating model to streamline the reporting framework and systemize the sales process arrangements.
- Served as an interim CFO for a hidden champion by reducing 50% of its product portfolio that showed negative gross margin, tied significant resources, and led it through a procurement crisis to manage inventory to avoid material revenue loss.
- Led a manufacturing leader through a critical liquidity phase and secured a €2 million credit financing as an interim CFO.
- Built a planning model for an industry leader in mechanical engineering and electronics that served as the key underlying decision to visualize sweet spots for future strategy.
- Calculated the business case for a well-known publisher's spin-off of a digital business model.
- Prepared a small-cap US-based yacht charter in anticipation of a sale/exit.
- Structured finance and operations documentary and ensured its presentability towards external interests.
- Conceptualized the ESOP/VSOP dynamics to ensure employee and shareholder satisfaction for a climate startup.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Cash Flow Management, Business Administration, Business Models, Investor Presentations, Financing, CFO, Budgeting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Interim CFO
Director Finance
2024 - 2025
Tomorrow
- Managed the closing of a Series B financing round of €5 million.
- Managed the company's liquidity to bridge until next funding through resulting in several months more runway.
- Built adequate financial models and analysis tools and led optimizations for the measurability of business processes.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Cash Flow Management, Investor Relations, Fundraising
Private Equity Consultant
2018 - 2020
Alvarez & Marsal
- Performed the buy-side due diligence for HIG's acquisition of a DAX 30 company's carve-out with €230 million in revenues.
- Enabled the double-digit million refinancing of the German Hidden Champion ABL Technic.
- Performed the buy-side due diligence for Deutsche Private Equity's acquisition of Valantic with €110 million in revenue.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Due Diligence, Private Equity, Business Models, Portfolio Management, Investor Presentations, Financing, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME)
Co-founder
2017 - 2018
Fyve7
- Built the eCommerce office design brand called "fyve7" from scratch.
- Sold the brand successfully in a five-digit asset sale.
- Launched a product on diverse platforms with a listing in Etsy's Lookbook 2018.
- Managed several departments, including finance, business development, and operations.
Focus areas: Business Administration, Cash Flow Management, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Investor Presentations, Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Financing, CFO, Financial Forecasting, Budgeting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Interim CFO
Head of Finance
2017 - 2017
Forto
- Hired and led the finance team. Established a scalable finance infrastructure with proper controlling processes and cash flow planning tools.
- Led the series A fundraising preparation resulting in a $20 million financing.
- Saved more than €100,000 at an early stage in cash due to incomplete accounting.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Fundraising, Cash Flow Management, Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Business Administration, Startups, Business Models, Investor Presentations, Venture Capital, CFO, Financial Forecasting, Budgeting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Due Diligence, Interim CFO
Financial Analyst
2015 - 2016
Rocket Internet
- Advised on Delivery Hero's and HelloFresh's IPO preparation with a specific focus on valuation-related topics.
- Led the qualitative and quantitative valuation of the portfolio companies and guided the audit process.
- Assisted senior management in capital markets and investor relations.
Focus areas: Financial Modeling, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Valuation, Portfolio Management, Fundraising, Startups, Business Models, Venture Capital, Investor Presentations, Financial Forecasting, Budgeting, Financial Reporting
Education
2011 - 2014
Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Economics
University of Mannheim - Mannheim, Germany
Certifications
MAY 2019 - PRESENT
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute
Skills
Finance
Financial Modeling, Valuation, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Fundraising, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Due Diligence, Private Equity, CFO, Budgeting, Financial Reporting, Corporate Finance
Industry Expertise
Venture Capital
Output Software
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word
Other
Portfolio Management, Financial Mathematics, Business Administration, Cash Flow Management, Performance Improvement, Process Optimization, Startups, Business Models, Investor Presentations, Financing, Financial Forecasting, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), Interim CFO, Investor Relations, Investments, Financial Due Diligence, Finance, Business Development, Operations, Controlling, Risk Management, Trading
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