Sergio Ermacora
Finance Expert
Location
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Toptal Member Since
March 16, 2017
Sergio is an investment banker with 12+ years of experience in complex environments. He has advised company owners and C-level executives on M&A transactions as a partner at RSM International as well as on intellectual property and strategy for high-tech companies like Yahoo, Sony, and Panasonic while at Black Stone IP/Houlihan Lokey. Sergio enjoys freelancing at Toptal to continue working on interesting projects while starting his own company.
Sergio is available for hire
Hire SergioCareer Highlights
Partner, M&A
RSM International
Senior Financial Analyst
Black Stone IP (Part of Houlihan Lokey)
M&A Director | Head of Research
Ascendant Capital Advisors (Member of IMAP)
Education
Certificate
University of Michigan | Coursera
Master of Science
Staffordshire University
Bachelor's Degree
University of Rijeka
Case Studies
Market Research for a Private Equity Group
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Private EquityAcquisitionsConsolidationMarket ResearchMarket Research & Analysis+ 5 more
Industry Expertise
Advertising & MarketingAutomotive Service & Collision RepairFinanceVenture Capital & Private EquityFood & BeveragePlastic, Packaging & ContainersRetailTransportationOther Expertise
Financial ModelingFundraisingIntellectual PropertyMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Pitch DecksValuationVenture FundingWork Experience
2015 - PRESENT
CEO
Koola
- Raised angel and seed funding from a corporate venture capital in the automotive industry.
- Built several investor and pitch decks tailored to different investor types and presentation lengths.
- Defined and implemented a go-to-market strategy.
- Conducted market and competition research in the connected car segment.
- Built a business development list; implemented several partnership agreements.
- Built a financial model for internal projections and external fundraising efforts.
- Implemented a 6-month pilot project with an automotive OEM.
Focus areas: Fundraising
2013 - PRESENT
Partner, M&A
RSM International
- Advised 10+ mid-sized companies and startups in their fundraising efforts with outside investors—including private equity firms, venture capital funds, and angel groups.
- Created 3-statement integrated financial models and valuations with trading comparables analysis, precedent transactions, discounted cash flow (DCF), and leveraged buyout analyses for acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures.
- Identified hundreds of acquisition targets and potential buyers. Created lists using several tools like Capital IQ and Mergermarket.
- Built a financial model and presentation, and negotiated a debt restructuring deal valued at more than €30 million.
- Advised the leading website and classified ads site in the Balkans on the sell-side mandate. The company was eventually sold to Naspers.
- Performed company, industry, market, and competitor research.
Focus areas: Bank Debt Raises, Private Equity, Venture Funding, Angel/Seed Funding, Fundraising, Debt Restructuring, Project Finance, Corporate Finance, Financial Modeling, Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
2013 - 2016
Senior Financial Analyst
Black Stone IP (Part of Houlihan Lokey)
- Created a valuation model and sell-side strategy for the sale of Yahoo's patent portfolio.
- Helped build the licensing strategy model for HEVC Advance patent pool (includes companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Dolby).
- Developed a patent portfolio valuation model and sell-side strategy for a segment of Broadcom's patent portfolio.
- Developed an intellectual property strategy for Dolby.
- Identified non-core patents for SAP and assisted with valuation and sell-side advisory.
- Led the intellectual property strategy and valuation for HID Global.
Focus areas: Pastel, Valuation Modeling, Valuation, Financial Modeling, Three-statement Modeling, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Strategy, Intellectual Property
2010 - 2013
M&A Director | Head of Research
Ascendant Capital Advisors (Member of IMAP)
- Advised 3 of the largest private security companies in the South Eastern European region in their sell-side mandate with Securitas (valued at more than €30 million).
- Advised a German automotive company on the buy-side of a regional injection moulding company.
- Created research memorandums for different industries with a focus on Central Eastern Europe.
- Created several buy-side and sell-side long lists for international and regional clients.
- Led the fundraising process (both debt and equity) with a pool of local banks and IFC for a Bosnian automotive company in the total amount of €18 million.
- Created more than 30 financial models, teasers, and information memorandums for clients.
- Worked on mandates with a total value of more than USD $500 million.
Focus areas: Valuation Modeling, Valuation, Three-statement Modeling, Private Equity, Venture Funding, Angel/Seed Funding, Fundraising, Project Finance, Pitch Decks, Financial Engineering, Financial Modeling, Strategy, Debt Restructuring, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
2008 - 2010
M&A Director
Prevent DEV
- Screened several hundred potential acquisitions.
- Analyzed financials, operations, potential synergies, and conducted interviews with management for more than 20 potential acquisitions.
- Worked on 9 potential acquisitions, analyzing detailed financials, potential synergies, and negotiated share purchase agreements.
- Closed 4 acquisitions with a total value of more than USD $100 million and revenues exceeding USD $600 million.
- Led the team on the acquisition of Eybl International—an Austrian company with revenues exceeding USD $500 million in the automotive sector and more than 10 locations around Europe.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
2006 - 2008
Financial Analyst | Portfolio Manager
Raiffeisen
- Built several financial and valuation models for listed companies including BHTelecom, Hrvatski Telekom, Elektroprivreda BiH, and Sarajevska Pivara.
- Advised on equity portfolios for different client types ranging from wealthy individuals, and international mutual and hedge funds.
Focus areas: Transaction Advisory, Portfolio Management, Portfolio Analysis, Equity Research
Education
2015 - 2015
Certificate in Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills
University of Michigan | Coursera - Online
2005 - 2006
Master of Science in Business Analysis
Staffordshire University - Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2000 - 2004
Bachelor's Degree in Finance
University of Rijeka - Rijeka, Croatia