Member Team Credit Analyst

NICHOLAS M. GILANI

********.******@*****.*** 949-***-****

www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasgilani

Senior finance and investments executive with demonstrable track record of transforming the financial standing of firms through effective working capital, EBITDA and debt management. Solid experience in strategic planning and M&A (deal sourcing, valuation, structuring and closing). Reliable “go-to” partner/advisor to the CEO and the board on fund raising, acquisitions, divestments and other strategic initiatives. A quick study of diverse business models, industry drivers and economies. Deep understanding of privately-owned and PE- owned (portfolio) companies. Management and leadership experience across domestic and international geographies.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Equity, bank debt & high

yield bonds fundraising

• M&A (deal sourcing, valuation,

pricing and structuring)

• ESG & Green initiatives,

including sustainability-linked

(CO2 emissions) frameworks

• Cash, FX, inventory &

EBIDTA management

• SPV formations and multi-entity

consolidations

• Strategic Planning & Budgeting

EDUCATION

MBA, Corporate & Real Estate Finance; The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania MA, International Relations; The University of Chicago BA, Political Science; University of Illinois

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel (www.jindalshadeed.com) 2021 – April 2022 Chief Financial Officer, Middle East & Africa Dubai, UAE The largest privately-owned integrated steel manufacturer in the Middle East, owned by the Indian industrialist, Naveen Jindal. Hired by Mr. Jindal and compensated against five KPIs, all of which were achieved:

• Streamlined the finance and treasury operations of the 15-member team to improve standing with a consortium of seven banks.

• Prepared, guided and led the debut issuance of a $500 million Reg S, Rule 144A “sustainability-linked” high yield bond across several workstreams (legal, audit, rating and investor presentations).

• Trained the Finance team and led interactions with analysts at rating agencies Fitch and Sustainalytics (a unit of Morningstar).

• Obtained conventional rating of BB- from Fitch and “Highly Ambitious” from Sustainalytics. The “Highly Ambitious” rating designated the Firm as a “green” steel producer, the first and the highest ever rating for a steel producer in the Middle East and one of the highest among global steel producers.

• Refinanced a two-tranche $450 million eight-bank syndicated loan facility & a $400 million working capital facility. CYAL Advisors, LLC 2014 – 2020

Co-Founder & Managing Partner Dubai, UAE

Financial and legal advisory firm providing CFO and balance sheet restructuring services. Select mandate included:

• Retained by the CEO/founder of Tenderd (tenderd.com) a startup incubated at Y-Combinator and funded by Peter Thiel, Paul Graham and others. Tenderd is the “Uber” of heavy construction equipment rentals with operations in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, the world’s leading construction hubs.

• Retained by the of board of Bin Fadel Holding (binfadelholding.ae), a multi-sector family conglomerate, to restructure the balance sheet including bank loan refinancing, streamline cashflow budgeting, and initiate multi-entity consolidations and ERP.

• Retained by vice chairman of Ajlan & Brothers (ajlanbros.com), a multi-billion-dollar Saudi family conglomerate, to formulate greenfield hotel investment strategy by identifying land sites and devising optimal capital structure (debt and equity) to fund construction of three- and four-star hotels in the former Soviet Union republics. Commissioned and directed JLL (us.jll.com) the global real estate consultancy, to produce a comprehensive hospitality market study of Central Asia to build and own three and four-star products and managed by a global hotel brand.

• Conducted market entry strategies for Al Futtaim (alfuttaim.com), a multi-billion-dollar Dubai family conglomerate, engaged in multi-brand and category automotive (Toyota, Honda, Volvo and Chrysler) and consumer (IKEA, Marks

& Spencer, Zara) retail distribution.

NICHOLAS M. GILANI

First Abu Dhabi Bank (bankfab.com) 2009-2014

Managing Director & Investment Banking Head Dubai, UAE The Middle East’s second largest bank in terms of assets ($280 billion) with credit rating of AA.

• Formed and led a large team of professionals in origination and execution of client mandates across corporate finance/M&A, real estate finance, debt advisory and project finance.

• Led successful merger of Abu Dhabi-based Aldar and Sorouh Properties, forming largest real estate development company ($4.5 billion).

• Exclusive project finance advisor regarding commercial viability and financing of Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi

(KIZAD), an inter-modal industrial port, owned and operated by the government of the UAE.

• Sectors included healthcare, manufacturing, real estate development, infrastructure, oilfield services and specialty gases marine transportation.

AB Capital (arabbank.com) 2007-2009

Executive Director, Investment Banking Dubai, UAE

The DIFC-headquartered investment banking subsidiary of Jordan-based Arab Bank.

• Led team of investment bankers executing M&A and capital raising in diverse sectors such as cable manufacturing

(Ducab, UAE government-owned cable manufacturer) and construction materials (Mammut Group, global leader in pre-cast concrete) with coverage extending from UAE to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Swicorp (swicorp.com) 2005-2007

Director, Investment Banking Geneva, Switzerland

Swiss investment banking firm with operations in Tunisia, UAE, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

• Advised Saudi Arabia’s largest listed food manufacturer, Savola, in the acquisition of leading Middle Eastern edible oils manufacturer.

• Originated, structured and closed JV between France’s leading cheese manufacturer, Groupe Bel and leading Middle Eastern dairy manufacturer.

RSM McGladrey (rsmus.com) 2000-2005

Vice President, Investment Banking Irvine, CA

Initially joined EquiCo, a mid-market M&A boutique, founded by the late Richard Rodnick, later acquired by McGladrey.

• Led team of 15 investment bankers in originating and executing sell side M&A transactions across the US ranging in sectors from manufacturing and construction to business services .

• Completed valuations and M&A mandates with aggregate enterprise value of approximately $4 billion. Stavros Niarchos Private Family Office (snf.org) 1996-1998 Principal, Alternative Assets New York, New York

The late Stavros Niarchos was a pioneering shipowner and global investor across all asset classes.

• Provided screening of club deals on their investment merits.

• Represented the principal at real estate funds (Rockwood Capital) and PE funds (Morgan Stanley’s Princes Gate.)

• Represented the principal in the 1996 syndicated buy-out of Rockefeller Center Properties private REIT, then owned by Mitsubishi.

Kidder, Peabody & Co. 1994-1996

Credit Analyst, High Yield Bonds New York, New York Founded in 1865, Kidder was a full-service investment bank, acquired by PaineWebber in 1995.

• As "buy-side" analyst, analyzed and made buy/sell recommendations on US and global primary and secondary high yield corporate bonds.

Contact this candidate