Senior Investment Analyst (Brazil)

Founded in 2017 through the combined initiative of Caisse des Dépôts and Agence française de développement (AFD), STOA S.A. (an impact investment company) is building on the successful deployment of its initial endowment of €900 million to take a new strategic step through its transformation into an LP/GP type structure, with the launch of an ad-hoc management company on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the raising of a new infrastructure investment fund, open to third-party investors with a targeted total size of of US$650 million.

Therefore, the recruitment of a Senior Investment Analyst to be based in STOA’s the São Paulo office comes at a key moment: the candidate will join the team right before the first closing of STOA’s second fund, offering a unique opportunity to participate from the outset in the deployment of this new pool of capital.

STOA’s purpose is to finance and support the development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure in Africa and Latin America. In the sectors in which we invest, namely energy, transport, telecoms, environment, social infrastructure, we aim to address the essential needs of local populations across these two regions.

Our objective is to generate a satisfactory financial return that corresponds to the risk/return ratio typically expected for the targeted type of asset, while generating positive impacts relating to key social and climate issues, as we consider that the integration of ESG dimensions is essential to ensure sustainable development.

The sought candidate will work on a V.I.E. contract. They will work in the STOA office in São Paulo (Brazil), in close collaboration with the investment team and under the supervision of the Latin America Regional Director. Their main missions are as follows:

Business Strategy and Origination

• Assist the Regional Director and the Investment Team in the upstream analysis of strategic market segments, new sectors or regulatory barriers in Brazil and Latin America.
• Contribute to deal origination and local sourcing efforts by mapping market opportunities and by ensuring rigorous sector monitoring.
• Carry out initial financial and strategic analyses of opportunities and decision-making supporting material to be presented to STOA’s Investment Committee (go – no go).

Model, execute and contribute to the structuring of investments

• Contribute to due diligence in all their dimensions (market/commercial, strategic, legal, social, insurance, technical, financial and fiscal, operational), from advisor selection to report finalization.
• Contribute to the preparation of investment notes ahead of investment committees.
• Build, if necessary, and run the financial model with the main workstreams being the review of underlying assumptions to the business plan, the development of a base case, and the running of sensitivities to assess the robustness of the underlying asset and potential improvements or upsides.
• Review financing assumptions and, if necessary, the implementation of the selected financing solution.
• Participate in the negotiation of legal documents during transactions.

Coordination with internal support teams

• Ensure smooth and coordinated liaison with internal support teams (legal, compliance, ESG) based at headquarters or in regional offices throughout the deal process.
• Participate in the identification and prioritization of specific transaction risks (including by supporting compliance reviews, top-level AML/CFT analyses and assessment of environmental and social issues).

Monitor portfolio holdings

• Assist the directors/investment officers in the management of portfolio holdings, which involves very regular monitoring such as periodic reporting, updating financial models, and the periodic valuation of portfolio assets (twice a year).
• Prepare the notes to the internal committees dedicated to the monitoring of the holdings (sale, follow-on, etc.). Participation in cross-cutting tasks.
• Maintain and update the database of investment projects analyzed by STOA: collect information from investment managers, monitor the evolution of opportunities, develop pipeline monitoring presentations, use of reporting tools, such as Efront.
• Participate in the creation and revision of STOA’s communication materials (review of press releases, preparation of STOA’s corporate presentations – teaser, kakemono, onepager, website).

Education

Degree from a high-ranking Grande Ecole/Top engineering school (X, CentraleSupélec, Mines, Ponts, ENSTA) or business school (HEC, ESSEC, ESCP), or from an international university of equivalent rank.

Experience

2-3 years of experience in an investment bank, investment fund or consulting firm specialized in M&A/TS/Project Finance, ideally with a first experience in an international context.

Interpersonal skills

The candidate demonstrates availability, proactiveness, open-mindedness, responsiveness and intellectual rigor.

Know-how

• Command of technical aspects of infrastructure financing and financial engineering (valuation, project financing, and corporate finance, etc.).
• Command of financial, tax and accounting analysis.
• A strong command of financial modeling tools (ability to create models “from scratch” is appreciated).
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills, as well as written and oral expression skills.
• Fluent in French and English; an advanced level in Portuguese and/or Spanish will be valued.
• A strong interest or demonstrated first experience in the infrastructure sector and its underlying economic mechanisms.

Please send your CV and cover letter to this address: thomas.eysseric@stoainfraenergy.com