Minority investment in an E-commerce Business (France, US): Structured and executed a 20% equity acquisition of a digital content and e-commerce production and distribution company (€12M revenue, €4.7 million EBITDA) at a €20 million valuation, 5xP/EBITDA and 1.74x P/S.

Spin-Off of a Romanian Content Creator Platform (US, Romania, Canada): Led the valuation, structuring, and execution of a $43.5M equity valuation spin-off of a Romanian business unit for a U.S.-based technology holding, facilitating the sale to a Canadian strategic buyer via a structured three-year 60%/15%/15% acquisition schedule.

Cross-Border Telecom Technology Acquisition (US, India, Canada): Structured, negotiated, and executed the 100% equity acquisition of a telecom technology firm at a US$60M equity valuation, 1.36x P/S and 10.94x EV/EBITDA (US$44M revenue, $5.48M EBITDA, 38% average 3Y historic revenue growth) for a U.S.-based digital transformation company.

Fintech services Acquisition (Canada, US): Led the valuation, structuring, negotiation and closing of a CA$11.3M revenue, CA$2.8M EBITDA fintech company acquisition at a CA$11.3M valuation: 1x P/S, 4xEBITDA for a U.S.-based digital transformation company.

Healthcare Technology Acquisition (Greece, US): Sourced, evaluated, structured, and negotiated a 100% acquisition of a Greek healthcare technology firm (€3.7M revenue, €0.88M EBITDA) at a €7.15M equity valuation or 1.93x P/S and 8.17x EV/EBITDA based on a 50%/50% valuation weighting of P/S 1.5x and EV/EBITDA 10x.

IT Outsourcing Company Acquisition (Ukraine-U.S.): Sourced, negotiated, structured, and executed the 100% acquisition of a Ukrainian IT outsourcing firm ($1.7M revenue, $0.3M EBITDA, $2.6M equity valuation, 1.5x P/S and 10.97x EV/EBITDA) for a U.S.-based IT consulting firm.

Minority early stage investments in AgTech, Climate Tech and HR Tech (Philippines): led structuring and execution for four equity investments in a fish farm, seaweed-based plastics manufacturing, seaweed production, greenhouses, and HR totalling US$15M for a conglomerate.

Bulgarian Agricultural Land Bank Investment: Led the sourcing, negotiation, execution, board service, and exit management for a $10M minority investment (13.3%) in a Bulgarian agricultural land bank and operator.

Mezzanine Debt Financing for Bulgarian Agriculture: Structured, negotiated, and closed a €17M mezzanine debt transaction for a Bulgarian agricultural land bank, enhancing its capital structure for expansion.

Ukrainian Insurance Sector Investment: Sourced, structured, negotiated, and executed a US$10M minority investment in a Ukrainian insurance company.

Ukrainian FMCG Investment: Originated, negotiated, executed, and managed a US$10M minority investment (6.7%) in a leading Ukrainian FMCG company, supporting its market expansion.

Georgian Wine Industry Investment: Sourced, negotiated, and executed a US$10M minority equity investment in a Georgian wine producer, providing growth capital for international market expansion.

Romanian Textile Manufacturing Investment: Structured, negotiated, and executed a US$5M minority investment in a Romanian textile producer, managing the investment through its growth cycle.

PIPE Investment in Romanian Bulk Port Terminal: Led the sourcing, negotiation, and execution of a US$15M PIPE transaction in a US$50M market cap Romanian bulk port terminal, acquiring a 7.5% equity stake leading to a 4x ROI over seven years.

PIPE Investment in Romanian Auto Parts Manufacturer: Structured and executed a US$10M minority PIPE investment in a US$50M market cap Romanian auto parts manufacturer.

Ukrainian Real Estate & Construction Investment: Sourced, negotiated, executed, and served on the Board of a US$50M market cap Ukrainian real estate developer, investor, and construction company holding with a US$10M investment.

Ukrainian Agriculture Operator Investment: Led the sourcing, negotiation, execution, and management of a US$10M minority investment in a Ukrainian agriculture operator, valuing the company at US$150M.

Ukrainian Real Estate Developer Investment: Sourced, negotiated, and executed a minority investment in a Ukrainian real estate development firm, overseeing post-investment management.

Private Cryptocurrency Placement (Dubai): Structured and executed a US$6.5M private coin placement for a Dubai-based cryptocurrency technology startup focused on edge computing power.

Norwegian Manufacturing Management Buyout: Structured, negotiated, and executed a management buyout of a Norwegian manufacturing company, facilitating a successful transition to new ownership.

Minority investment participation in a management buyout of a commercial bank (Georgia): Evaluated, structured, closed and managed a US$30M minority equity investment in a Georgian bank that resulted in a 10x ROI post listing on the main board of LSE.

Ovidiu Portariuc, former Mayor of Botosan, Romania
I worked directly with Elena when I was a Mayor. She worked for IFC at that time, and helped our city secure a very important loan for the central heating system development, being one of the most successful projects in the country. Elena listened to our needs and tailored a comprehensive package. She proved exceptional due diligence skills, real attention to detail, financial proficiency and obsession to our real needs as a city community.I highly recommend her high quality and brilliant services.

Owen Kemp, Board Member at Asteros
I have worked with Elena on the board of a large hi-tech company in Russia and sincerely enjoyed and appreciated Elena's dedication, enthusiasm and drive. She was always perfectly prepared for the meetings with deep insight into the facts and figures of the company and despite her charming personality was able to ask difficult questions and point out issue areas - thereby impressing her fellow-board members. She has great knowledge about the hi-tech / IT sector, emerging markets and financial aspects of large companies in this space. She is a great colleague, very good team player, humorous and sincere - it's a pleasure to work with her!

Dmytro Sholomko, Country Director, Google
Throughout our work together Elena demonstrated exceptional work ethic, business acumen, and tenacity... I highly recommend Elena as an employee, partner and advisor. Her ability to focus on goals, constant delivery, strong intellect and vast business experience makes her an excellent candidate for any ambitious company that strives to become successful internationally.
Ruslan Muhammadli, CFO, Allianz Entertainment
I rarely come across real talents who stand out like Elena. From the very beginning I was impressed by Elena’s ability to deal with such a tough client as us so effortlessly. That talent, combined with her outstanding presentation skills and diligent follow up, convinced us to become a client. Since then, I have been observing Elena’s career development and was not surprised to see her undertaking new challenges and succeeding in the investment industry. Elena’s global thinking and innovation mindset will drive her to new highs and as a team member or a leader, she will always earn my highest recommendation.

Viorel Panait, Director, Comvex
Elena is a great person, innovative and having the capability to adapt to various environments. While at Firebird, an institutional investor in Comvex, I remember the very efficient way she was analyzing our future projects and adapting to the specificity of our capital market. Congratulations Elena for your courageous and bold behaviour!

Eka Kamushadze, Chairwoman, Iberia Management
I worked with Elena in 2007-2009 when I was a Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of JSC Iberia Real Estate and Elena was a Member of the Supervisory Board representing the majority shareholder Firebird Avrora Fund. Her experience of serving on several boards helped our young board in many ways, for example with benchmarks for corporate governance. Based on my experience working with Elena, I strongly recommend her for any senior management position.

Yannick Pacquay, Analyst at IFC Infra:
I worked with Elena on a debt project restructuring. Her interpersonal skills and financial acumen allowed us to successfully manage the delicate situation. I appreciated the way she nurtured me. She trusted my analysis and encouraged me to go further when she felt I could do more. She gave me opportunities to present my ideas, and gave me exposure to clients and government representatives. On top of that, she was always a positive presence in the office. Elena is a great person to work with.

Zeynep Karaman, Analyst at IFC Infra:
It was wonderful to work together with Elena, who is a great supervisor, positive and forward thinker.  In the years that I worked as an Investment Analyst, we worked together on several projects, both new and portfolio investments, in the transportation sector. Throughout this time, she demonstrated strong leadership on achieving results. She is also transparent, delegates work effectively and ensures that the team members are kept in the loop. She always approaches work with a positive attitude and constructive manner. Elena’s ability to provide constructive feedback and mentorship was unlike any I’ve seen before and helped me to progress as an investment professional. During this time, she not only provided feedback but also continuously supported me to improve my skills, both deal specific and sector specific. She is intelligent, confident, respectful and is able to manage complex projects.  I was lucky to be a part of Elena’s team. I am available to provide any further references upon your request. My contact details are: Zeynep Karaman, +905333247404, zkaraman@gmail.com.

Akmal Karimov, Paralegal at IFC Istanbul:
Ms. Anfimova is a first class professional, energetic, very focused, who follows through delivering on various fronts. Her ability to be fully dedicated to her work, to take the best out of theory, practice and existing precedents were bringing efficiency into the team work. Elena was always eager to provide support to junior staff and help them with professional development. Elena also has outstanding interpersonal skills and is very pleasant, diligent and enthusiastic in nonbusiness discussions. She is very mature and personable, yet self-controlled. She treated all colleagues respectfully regardless of the rank and even years after her departure from IFC, former colleagues approached Elena to collect her views on specific business issues in select countries of the region.

Ekaterina Benjamin, Country Officer, Kazakhstan:
When I was nominated to the board of Eastcomtrans, I did not know what to expect. My twenty plus years of executive experience did not prepare me for the non-executive role. I felt as if I were in the open sea without the maps or coordinates. Working with Elena gave me the knowledge, the structure and the map to successfully navigate the boardroom. Her vast experience in both company fundamentals, all aspects of the board membership, and the stuff that nobody speaks about, were instrumental in helping me maximize my contribution, and retaining my position for multiple terms.

Kitron ASA – Board Member
Oslo, Norway | June 2007 – May 2012
Served two terms on the board and compensation committee of Kitron ASA (OSE: KIT), a €100M+ Nordic EMS provider with global operations. Represented Amber Trust (13% shareholder). Key contributions included: proposing a contingency plan that saved $15M during the 2009 crisis; supporting a shift to a sales-driven culture; and evaluating strategic moves including a German acquisition, greenfield expansions in China/USA, and Nordic site optimization.

TKS Management – Board Member
Lviv, Ukraine | Jan 2008 – Sep 2012
Represented Firebird and Vostok Nafta on the board of a leading vertically integrated real estate developer. Helped establish the advisory board; introduced green construction practices and governance reforms; and proposed a state-backed financing structure that unlocked $50M in funding during the 2010 liquidity crunch—later replicated by the Ukrainian government for Euro 2012 infrastructure projects.

Iberia Management – Board Member
Tbilisi, Georgia | Jan 2008 – Sep 2012
Board member for a Georgian real estate developer on behalf of a 40% shareholder (Firebird Management). Oversaw project investments and strategic expansion plans. Supported negotiations with OPIC for a $10M loan and engaged with government officials to advance real estate sector development.

Ceres AD – Advisory Board Member
Sofia, Bulgaria | Jun 2007 – Sep 2012
Advised one of Bulgaria’s largest agricultural landholders on behalf of Firebird Management (10% stake). Opposed a high-risk Ukrainian land deal pre-crisis, saving €4.6M (70% of cash reserves). Contributed to operational strategy and exit planning, with successful IRR realization in 2013.

Proven Expertise in Risk Management
Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated the ability to conduct independent risk assessments and manage complex portfolios. At Crelia Capital, I led the development of a real-time financial reporting platform that enhanced transparency and improved risk-informed decision-making for various asset classes, including private equity and private credit. My hands-on experience with innovative risk solutions equips me to contribute effectively to your risk management team.

Extensive Experience in Investment Analysis and Oversight
My role at International Finance Corporation (IFC) involved managing a $2 billion portfolio of credit and equity infrastructure assets, where I implemented IFC’s proprietary risk monitoring and mitigation strategies that maintained financial stability during market volatility. I conducted detailed risk assessments on private investments, identifying emerging risks and potential impacts, which directly aligns with the responsibilities of the Investment Risk Manager role.

Strategic Decision-Making and Risk Evaluation
As a Portfolio Manager at Firebird Management LLC, a $4.7 billion fund, I managed a $1.2 billion portfolio, performing in-depth risk assessments and leading deal negotiations for growth capital and private equity investments. This experience required a deep understanding of market dynamics and the ability to make strategic decisions that balance risk and return. I am confident in my ability to enhance your institution's investment and risk management processes.

Collaborative Approach and Quantitative Expertise
At UST, I played a key role in M&A activities, where I identified and mitigated risks in cross-border transactions. My collaborative approach and strong interpersonal skills enabled me to work effectively with diverse teams, ensuring successful integration and risk management. I am adept at using quantitative methods and developing alternative risk analytics to support data-driven decision-making.

Proven Ability to Engage with Stakeholders
In my various roles, I have worked closely with stakeholders, providing strategic insights and facilitating effective communication. My ability to build and maintain strong relationships at all levels will be instrumental in fostering collaboration and driving innovation within your organization.

StrongMinds
Treasurer, Trustee, Finance Committee Member
November 2018 - Present
I serve on the Board of Trustees and as Treasurer for StrongMinds, a data-driven NGO treating depression at scale in Africa. StrongMinds provides high efficacy group therapy, delivered by laymen, keeping 70+% of patients depression-free six months post-treatment. Recently, we treated 500,000th patient. Recognized by Time magazine as one of the top 100 most influential health leaders, Sean's team is world-class. To support, please donate at the link below or contact me for more information. Thank you for your support!

Razom for Ukraine
Grant Program Creator and Grant Manager
April 2022 - December 2023
During the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I leveraged my fund management skills to create a grant program for Ukrainian grassroots NGOs, supported by Razom for Ukraine. This program, Razom Relief, has deployed $10.2 million to 150+ NGOs, built a network of over 2,000 volunteers, and significantly impacted civil society in Ukraine by helping NGOs secure sustainable funding and support civilians.

KMBS, 2020 - Present

1. Introduction to Asset Management: main asset classes, markets, players.
2. Investment fund: Investment strategies.
3. Investment fund: Investment process.
4. Company valuation. Qualitative and quantitative.
5. DCF workshop.
6. How to attract an investment for a startup.
7. How to attract an investment for growth.
8. How to sell a business to a strategic (exit through M&A).
9. What is a roll-up, when and how to do iit.
10. Corporate governance. What does the board look like, the dos and the don’ts of a
successful board member.
11. How to build a future-proof business.
12. The ways to access the market: IPO, a secondary placement, a reverse takeover, a
SPAC.

THE WHARTON SCHOOL, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Master of Business Administration, Finance Major
August 2002 – May 2004

V.N. KARAZIN KHARKIV NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Kharkiv, Ukraine
Master of Science, Teacher of Biology and Chemistry
September 1992 – June 1997

INIKO SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
Kharkiv, Ukraine
Bachelor of Business Administration, cum laude
October 1994 – June 1996

Ukrainian
Russian
Turkish
English