EmergeOne | Fractional CFO services

EmergeOne is a leading consultancy providing fractional CFO support to venture backed tech startups from seed to Series B.

We help founders get the most out of their capital, streamline financials, and manage investor relations so they can focus on scaling. Examples of our support:

- Strategic Finance Execution and Oversight over finance operations
- Financial Planning and Analysis
- Board reporting, Investor relations and management
- Capital Raising, Fundraising Support, Due Diligence and Data room management
- Capital Management and Structuring
- Capital Allocation
- Financial modelling, forecasting, scenario planning, KPIs, metrics and reporting

Our clients are some of the fastest growing startups backed by funds like Hoxton Ventures, Stride, Playfair, Octopus, Outlier Ventures, Founders Factory and more.

Fractional CFO

Blue Ridge Partners

I've worked with DeepTech (mainly) founders for over 5 years, building the business and financial muscle behind their technology!

After exiting the angel group I cofounded, I found that I just couldn't stay away from startups, but I knew I didn't want to be a founder again...
So I started consulting for founders and quickly found that the business and finance stuff I knew so well was actually really hard for them. From deep in the weeds of building project management to creating and maintaining financial models to creating pitches for complex tech, I thoroughly enjoyed the nights-and-weekends work of supporting founders.

When my family moved from the US to the UK in 2022, I transitioned my "hobby" from nights-and-weekends into a real job, and now, I help founders make sense of their strategy, business, and finances full time!

DeepTech Fractional CFO and Venture Builder

Octiocor

Leading finance and product teams for AI image analysis start up spun out of Cambridge University.
Building product management function and larger company operations to translate academic research into commercial-grade technology
Projecting complex cash needs to inform hiring employees, onboarding contractors, fundraising, and completing grant applications.
Pitching with CEO to potential venture and angel investors for seed round fundraising.
Working with accountants to ensure all regulatory filings (e.g. VAT, R&D, etc) are accurate and timely to maximize cash in the bank.

Fractional CFO / COO

MCA funding company

Provided financial and operational leadership as fractional CFO of fast growing Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) funder.
Advised strategic changes to adapt to quickly changing economic conditions in high risk business lending environment.
Created detailed financial models to inform internal decision making and communicate business / economics to potential outside investors.
Created cash management systems to better understand cash inflows and outflows and better manage ongoing operations.
Led push for a data-first culture using analytics to make better decisions.
Informed strategy by identifying previously-unseen opportunities using existing data.
Guided and built full analytical stack, from data stores through visualizations.

Capital One

Intrapreneurially built and ran analytics function inside ~$80M Identity Services business unit from scratch.
Directly managed 4 analysts and influenced the work of 6 data scientists, 7 data engineers / analysts, and multiple tech teams; officially and unofficially mentored numerous team members.
Built and managed credit governance process for $10M's in marginal enterprise value from over 20 credit decisions. 
Product Manager for AI / ML team, influencing internal and external stakeholders on strategy by demonstrating value generated by and potential value from new products.
Represented Digital Identity analytics group in monthly VP+ Authentication Council Working Group; created and presented numerous data-centric VP+ presentations on strategy, value-added, enterprise partnership needs, etc.
Created and maintained data sets and visualizations sourcing data from across the enterprise, including customer, fraud, behavioral analytics, credit card transaction, click-stream / UI data, etc.
Worked extensively with product managers, fraud analysts, and tech teams to understand needs and deliver solutions.

Analytics Lead: CIO Tech Excellence award 2019 (top 3 of over 1,800 tech teams) 
Analytics Lead: Circle of Excellence award 2021 (top 2 of over 1,000 product teams)

Senior Analytics Lead - Digital Identity

University of Virginia

Taught entrepreneurial topics as adjunct faculty at UVA's School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Lecturer for New Product Development and Entrepreneurial Finance courses, creating numerous adaptations and improvement to course curricula.

Lecturer

CAV Angels

Operationalized, managed, and grew UVA-oriented angel investment network.
Performed in depth due diligence on companies and write comprehensive memos on investibility of startups. 
Negotiated deal terms, execute investments, and lead ongoing efforts to provide support to portfolio companies in business development, hiring, additional fundraising, etc.
Formed and executed strategy for creating educational material for first-time angel investors.
Created and ran program to train and manage over twenty student fellows and interns responsible for augmenting due diligence efforts.
Built data-centric platform to manage deal pipeline, due diligence data, and member input; created roadmap to expand platform to scale to other universities and angel groups with the goal of using ML to automate portions of deal process.

Co-Founder, President

S&P Global

Leader on implementation team of newly launched product: semi-custom business intelligence software for regional and community banks. 
Co-created operational model and scrum set up allowing product to scale from 5 to 42 customers in under two years.
Advised C-suite customers / stakeholders on product adoption and usage as a technical project manager.
Advised management on reorganization of ~20 person implementation team.
Mentored and instructed tech colleagues in the nuances of the banking and finance industries.
Created custom and semi-custom ETL's and presentations to integrate disparate data silos into a single source of truth.

Manager / BI Implementation Consultant and Engineer

FI Consulting

Built multiple custom software systems in Freddie Mac's Multifamily division as technology and data engineer.
Owned deal management system organizing and analyzing data for over $20b in deals each year.
Interfaced with executive-level clients on application requirements, functionality, and enhancements.
Designed, developed, implemented, and maintained custom IT and reporting solutions.
Actively involved in SDLC, including system specification and design, programming, testing, documenting, user-training, deploying, and post-implementation activities.
Managed junior colleagues through multiple enhancement projects.

Technology and Data Consultant

Foxhall Capital Management

Member of Investment Committee managing over $750 million in quantitative investment strategies
Proactively identified and researched quantitative investment ideas using back testing and data mining techniques on large historical price datasets; presented findings to Investment Committee
Implemented quantitative investment strategies requiring monthly rebalancing of over 5,000 separately managed accounts and daily monitoring of global stock, bond, and commodity index prices

Portfolio Manager

I partner with world class researchers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs to turn their DeepTech technology into highly scalable startups.
From pre-formation to scaling, I come along side founders to augment their efforts, teach new skills, and establish rigor and structure.
Through fractional and project-based work, I have enabled my pre-Series A clients to raise over $30m combined through equity, debt, and grant funding.

David Sade, CFA

Strategic4

I leverage over 13 years of hands-on experience in investment management and banking, primarily in the GCC and Middle Eastern markets. With an MBA from Warwick Business School and as a CFA Charterholder, my role encompasses several key areas:

Strategic Advisement: I work closely with startups in the GCC and Middle East, crafting comprehensive business models, financial blueprints, and market entry strategies.

Capital Acumen: My extensive experience in the GCC and Middle Eastern investment landscape enables me to guide startups through optimal capital structures, fund-raising activities, and investor relations.

Operational Oversight: Specializing in streamlining processes for cost efficiency and profitability, I offer actionable, metrics-driven insights.

Industry Expertise: I apply my deep knowledge in sectors like FinTech, AgTech, and E-commerce, with a specific focus on the nuances of the GCC and Middle Eastern markets. My proficiency extends to impact investing and ESG compliance.

Analytical Approach: Utilizing data analytics, I assist startups in interpreting market trends and dynamics specific to the GCC and Middle East, providing a strategic edge in decision-making.

My primary aim is to serve as a value-added team member at Strategic4, guiding startups through the intricate business ecosystem towards sustainable growth and profitability. Open for collaboration and dialogue, feel free to reach out to discuss opportunities that can elevate your business.

Partner

Family Business

I pursued an MBA at Warwick Business School and expect to graduate with distinction in June 2023. My dissertation focused on the performance of early- versus later-stage VC investments in the UK. I analyzed a dataset of 2,755 VC deals sourced from PitchBook using Minitab software and conducted semi-structured interviews with industry practitioners to gather further insights. My findings indicated that early-stage VC investments did not outperform later-stage investments, but those completed during economic downturns showed better performance. These implications are relevant to VC investors, practitioners, businesses, and policymakers.

Planned Career Break

I successfully acquired and managed two small businesses in the food and property services sectors, STM'D and Crystal Blu, developing hands-on experience and expertise in acquisition, management, and restructuring. I also led the two acquisitions' due diligence and feasibility processes, drafted the required sale and purchase agreements (SPAs), and negotiated acquisition values, reducing STM'D value by 10% and securing additional assets from Crystal Blu's seller. I streamlined both businesses' front and back-end operations with customized ERP systems, expanded the client base by 40% through initiatives with medical centers and brand ambassadors, improved online booking and targeting online ads, established a social media presence, and grew headcount. I eventually sold Crystal Blu while reducing costs, increasing profits, and expanding the client base through my leadership and management skills.

Managing Partner

Fields Investment Limited

I joined this private family office at a phase of financial distress and managed its investments as an executive and a board director for its affiliates. I worked with the executive team on securing international strategic investors for a distressed oil and gas construction business. I also successfully provided solutions for liquidity issues by the divestment of investments and restructuring of facilities. 
I streamlined the operations of its travel agency business to turn it around to profitability by corporate and commercial restructuring. I administered the family’s equity investments comprised of an Indian fund and a Swiss equity portfolio that achieved a return of 117% and 7%, respectively, since their inception. I selected and worked with an external legal consultant on developing a new corporate structure for the business in less than three months.

Director

Lesha Bank

I assisted the Head of Investment Banking in establishing the bank’s investment banking practice in the region. I worked on raising $190 million in Shariah-compliant facilities for Fleetcorp in Turkey, $70 million for a real estate fund in Dubai, and provided M&A advisory services for Al Meera Group in Qatar. These achievements demonstrate my ability to collaborate with the top management in achieving the organization’s vision and goals and my unique competence to drive success in both originating and executing deals.

Senior Associate

anb capital

I successfully led the execution of the US$500 million stock-for-stock merger between Saudi White Cement and Riyadh Cement, taking ownership of financial modeling, valuation, negotiation of the exchange ratio, liaising with third-party advisors on the due diligence, drafting definitive agreements, and securing the necessary approvals. I also provided advisory services to Arab National Bank on a US$160 million loan restructuring, Northern Region Cement on its US$240 million IPO, and Hail Cement Company in co-underwriting its US$65 million IPO. In this role, I demonstrated a solid ability to navigate complex financial transactions while providing exceptional guidance to clients on optimal financing solutions.

Assistant Manager

Credit Suisse

I played a key role in Credit Suisse’s M&A team in advising Al-Othaim family on divesting 70% of their stake in L’azurde with an enterprise value of US$300 million to Investcorp. Developed the deal’s valuation model, populated the required documents for the virtual data room, liaised with prospective buyers, and collaborated with legal advisors to draft and negotiate the SPA. Successfully closed the deal and achieved the seller’s target. I also provided strategic financial advice to Savola Group in acquiring a sugar plant valued at US$230 million in Egypt. Facilitated the due diligence process, assessed the potential risks and opportunities, and created comprehensive financial models to support the acquisition decision. I played a key role in advising Hadia Abdul Latif Jameel Company on their investment in the largest automotive dealer in MENA. Conducted a thorough financial analysis of the investment opportunity, developed financial models, and provided valuable insights to the client, leading to a successful investment decision.

Associate

Saudi Fransi Capital

I assumed a key role in executing six successful ECM transactions with a total value of over US$200 million. I coordinated with senior management, led the deal team, and managed the entire transaction process, from origination to closing. Contributed to developing marketing materials, conducting due diligence, creating financial models, and communicating with investors. Demonstrated my ability to thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment while delivering outstanding client results.

Senior Financial Analyst

Jordinvest

I started my investment banking career in Jordan with Jordinvest in early 2005, where I gained a solid investment banking and financial analysis foundation. Worked on multiple transactions, including M&A, ECM, and DCM, honing my skills in financial modeling, due diligence, and client management

Manager

With over a decade in the investment management and banking realm, my journey has been marked by a distinctive blend of strategic advisement and operational excellence, primarily within the vibrant GCC and Middle Eastern markets. At Strategic4, my focus lies in shaping robust business models and fostering strong investor relations, all aimed at catapulting startups to success.

My analytical prowess, coupled with a CFA Charter and an MBA distinction, serves as a bedrock for guiding companies through intricate capital structures and fundraising endeavors. The team and I pride ourselves on streamlining processes to enhance profitability, always striving for cost efficiency and sustainable growth.

taplio

The Battle

David Sade, CFA

Mohammad As'ad, MBA, CFA

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