Delivering Financial Clarity, Value Creation, and Sustainable Growth

At Talentstone Advisory, our Financial Advisory practice empowers organizations to make data-driven decisions, optimize performance, and drive enterprise value. We serve corporates, financial institutions, investors, and government agencies with rigorous financial analysis, hands-on execution, and embedded expertise to help them navigate financial complexity and build future-ready capabilities.

We combine industry insight with deep functional expertise across capital strategy, financial transformation, performance management, and financial operations. Whether supporting a critical decision or stepping into a leadership role, our advisory and contracted leadership engagements are designed for measurable, lasting impact.

1. Capital Structure & Liquidity Optimization

Unlocking balance sheet flexibility and funding resilience

We support clients in optimizing their capital structure, strengthening liquidity positions, and aligning funding strategies with long-term objectives.

Capabilities include:

  • Capital structure advisory and scenario modeling

  • Liquidity assessment and cash flow forecasting

  • Debt refinancing and covenant analysis

  • Working capital improvement

  • Treasury function transformation

Select Consulting Engagements:

  • Corporate Liquidity Stress Test: Designed and implemented a 12-month cash flow modeling tool for a mid-market logistics firm during a liquidity crisis, enabling weekly treasury visibility and avoiding covenant breaches.

  • Debt Refinancing Strategy: Advised a West African infrastructure group on restructuring a $50M project finance facility, optimizing interest expense and extending maturities by 3 years.

  • Treasury Transformation: Helped a regional bank centralize treasury operations across four subsidiaries, reducing trapped cash by 25%.

  • Working Capital Program: Led a working capital optimization initiative for an FMCG client, identifying $8M in cash release through inventory and AR levers.

  • Capital Adequacy Planning: Developed a multi-scenario capital plan for a Tier II bank under regulatory scrutiny, aligning it with Basel III requirements.

Embedded Leadership Engagements:

  • Provided an interim Treasury Director to lead liquidity planning at a commercial bank during a merger.

  • Deployed a VP-level Capital Strategy Lead to develop and execute a refinancing roadmap for a pan-African energy company.

  • Assigned a Senior Manager, Cash Optimization, to embed working capital disciplines across procurement and finance at a listed consumer goods company.

2. Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

Driving smarter decisions through structured planning and insight

We partner with CFOs and finance teams to build robust, data-driven planning frameworks that support strategic execution and performance tracking.

Capabilities include:

  • Annual budget and forecast process design

  • Scenario planning and long-range planning (LRP)

  • Rolling forecasts and dynamic planning models

  • Integrated financial planning (IFP)

  • Board reporting and KPI dashboards

Select Consulting Engagements:

  • Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB): Introduced ZBB across 12 business units for a government enterprise, aligning resource allocation to strategic priorities.

  • Rolling Forecast Model: Built a quarterly rolling forecast model for a manufacturing group, increasing forecast accuracy by 30%.

  • Long-Range Strategic Plan: Developed a 5-year financial plan for a private equity-backed services firm ahead of a Series B raise.

  • Budget Governance Framework: Re-engineered budget governance for a multinational NGO, ensuring greater accountability and variance analysis.

  • KPI and Performance Dashboards: Delivered board-level dashboards for a tech scale-up to track burn rate, runway, and revenue metrics.

Embedded Leadership Engagements:

  • Seconded a Director of FP&A to support a Fortune 500 client through a global budgeting redesign.

  • Appointed a Manager, Corporate Planning to act as finance business partner during the restructuring of a telecom division.

  • Supplied an Executive Director, Strategic Finance, to lead scenario planning through a high-growth period at a fintech firm.

3. Finance Transformation & Operating Model Design

Building high-performing, future-ready finance functions

We support clients in designing and transforming their finance operating models to improve efficiency, scalability, and strategic impact.

Capabilities include:

  • Finance operating model redesign

  • Shared services and process automation

  • Chart of accounts redesign and standardization

  • ERP and financial systems advisory

  • Finance function benchmarking and maturity assessment

Select Consulting Engagements:

  • Finance Operating Model Redesign: Overhauled the finance function of a regional airline to support centralized processing, governance, and reporting.

  • Process Automation: Enabled RPA-driven transformation of invoice-to-pay cycle for a retail chain, reducing processing time by 40%.

  • ERP Implementation Support: Acted as PMO and finance SME for an SAP rollout at a $300M agribusiness.

  • Chart of Accounts Redesign: Simplified and standardized the chart of accounts for a diversified group across 5 countries.

  • Shared Services Transition: Facilitated transition to a finance shared services center for a multinational pharmaceutical company.

Embedded Leadership Engagements:

  • Appointed an interim Director of Finance Transformation to lead post-merger integration efforts across finance processes.

  • Provided a Senior Manager, Finance Operations, to build out a shared services capability for a pan-African conglomerate.

  • Embedded a VP, Systems & Controls, to support ERP migration and financial close automation for a real estate firm.

4. Performance Improvement & Cost Optimization

Turning insight into measurable bottom-line results

We work closely with management teams to identify cost-saving opportunities, eliminate inefficiencies, and drive operational and financial excellence.

Capabilities include:

  • Cost reduction strategy and implementation

  • Profitability analysis and cost-to-serve modeling

  • SG&A optimization

  • Margin improvement and pricing analytics

  • Value driver trees and performance diagnostics

Select Consulting Engagements:

  • SG&A Cost Optimization: Delivered $10M in recurring savings through a lean SG&A redesign for a regional bank.

  • Cost-to-Serve Analysis: Conducted a cost-to-serve study for a B2B logistics provider, leading to revised pricing strategy and improved gross margins.

  • Pricing Diagnostics: Identified 12% margin opportunity through pricing optimization for a SaaS business.

  • Profitability Analytics: Created product-level P&L models for a diversified group, enabling rationalization of underperforming SKUs.

  • Value Driver Mapping: Implemented performance management dashboards that tracked strategic value drivers across divisions.

Embedded Leadership Engagements:

  • Embedded a Director of Performance Management to lead margin improvement initiatives across product lines.

  • Appointed a Manager, Strategic Costing, to design and monitor cost-saving initiatives within a health tech startup.

  • Seconded a VP, Finance Excellence, to act as turnaround lead for a business unit under performance pressure.

Why Talentstone Advisory?

We bring more than advisory—we bring ownership, continuity, and execution. Our embedded staffing model provides clients with the ability to augment their teams with top-tier finance professionals who understand your business and stay long enough to deliver real change.

Key advantages of our Financial Advisory model:

  • Deep, cross-sector financial expertise

  • Rapid deployment of experienced professionals (Manager to Executive Director level)

  • On-demand support tailored to short-term initiatives or long-term transformation

  • Hands-on leadership during periods of transition, crisis, or growth

Ready to Build Financial Strength from Within?

Talentstone Advisory is your partner in financial clarity, capability building, and value creation. Whether you need a full project team or an embedded finance leader, we deliver the results you need—when you need them.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your financial agenda.