Independent Advisory
Bring the proposal. Examine the assumptions.
An external view can help you see what needs resolving before a fund concept or investment proposal moves forward.
I review proposals, examine financing structures and support discussions with decision-makers. My experience of institutional investment helps connect the proposition with the questions a DFI, investor or committee will ask.
Working together
A contribution you can use.
A focused review, a working discussion with your team or advisory support as a fund concept develops. Scope and outputs are agreed around the decision at hand.
- A written independent assessmentFindings on a concept, strategy or proposal, with the material assumptions and open questions made explicit.
- Comments on decision papersSpecific observations on the investment case, financing structure and risks that need closer attention.
- A structured discussionA working session with sponsors, an investment team or committee to examine concerns and consider the available choices.
01 / Independent assessment
Fund & investment review
What needs to be true for the investment case to work?
I review fund strategies, investment proposals and portfolio approaches, looking at their commercial logic, risk assumptions and development rationale. This includes whether a fund’s size, costs, geographic scope and investment approach are consistent.
Questions worth examining
- Is the investment thesis supported by the underlying economics?
- Are costs and diversification realistic for the proposed fund size?
- Which risks are being accepted, mitigated or transferred?
- What does catalytic or concessional capital contribute?
The review identifies the issues that could materially affect the decision. In an advisory engagement, the appointed decision-makers retain responsibility for taking it.
02 / Fund design
Fund structuring & blended finance
Does the structure work for the assets and for the people providing the capital?
I advise on the commercial and institutional design of debt and equity funds: capital structures, investor roles, risk allocation, return expectations and governance. Where relevant, this includes currency mismatches and local-currency financing.
For blended finance, the review examines the constraint that public or concessional capital is intended to address, who benefits from its protection and whether incentives match the fund’s objectives.
My contribution can include examining alternative structures, reviewing an emerging fund concept and helping sponsors prepare a coherent proposition for investors.
Strategic and commercial structuring, alongside legal, tax and regulatory specialists where needed.
03 / Institutional understanding
DFI & investor engagement
How will the proposition be assessed by the institution you are approaching?
I help sponsors and institutional partners examine a proposal against different investor mandates, considering additionality, development impact, commercial sustainability and investment risks.
This may involve reviewing investor materials, identifying gaps in the investment case or preparing for due diligence and committee discussions. The aim is to make the proposition and its trade-offs clear enough for an informed assessment.
A brief outline of your question is enough to start a conversation about a possible engagement.
Discuss a mandate