About Us
Grey Matter is a business advisory platform offering a wide array
of strategic and financial advisory services to large corporations, family businesses, as well as small and medium enterprises throughout every phase of the economic cycle.
Grey Matter services different clients in Lebanon and the MENA region and is an approved consultant to world-class corporations.
Our emphasis on family businesses and SME segment stems from our understanding of our region’s businesses and the opportunities that they can capitalize on when provided affordable access to premium advisory services.
Our role starts with helping the clients originate innovative investment opportunities, to structuring and execution. Our services include: Corporate Finance, Asset Management, Franchising, Budgeting and Research, Outsourced CFO Services, Accounting.
Our services
CORPORATE FINANCE
CORPORATE FINANCE
CORPORATE FINANCE
- Preparing feasibility studies / business plans and advanced financial modeling for all kinds of projects and industries.
- Managing the financial due diligence process of any business transaction.
- Structuring joint venture partnerships and advising on mergers and acquisitions transactions.
- Structuring of corporate transactions and putting together sale purchase agreement, shareholders, agreement, etc.
- Completing valuations of all types and all sizes of businesses using different valuation methods.
- Providing fairness opinion on valuation reports and independent business reviews and presenting stress scenarios (sensitivities).
ASSET MANAGEMENT
CORPORATE FINANCE
CORPORATE FINANCE
- Structuring of financial reporting.
- Monitoring o f financial reporting and suggested areas of improvements.
- Providing strategic and financial guidance including but not limited to opening/closing branches, entering/exiting markets, franchising business, etc.
- Modeling cash-flows for determining robust and efficient capital structures.
- Managing short-term cash flow and working capital needs.
- Assessing operational issues and improving decision making process.
- Analyzing operational business drivers to evaluate efficiencies, synergies and economies of scale opportunities.
franchising
CORPORATE FINANCE
OUTSOURCED CFO SERVICES
- Determining the franchisability capabilities.
- Defining the franchise model and help clients overcome red tapes facing their ways.
- Assisting clients in simplifying difficult processes to be more manageable as a franchised business.
- Developing and adapting franchise manuals (marketing, operation, HR, training, finance).
- Assisting the clients in the legal/business conditions of the franchise as well as protection of trademarks and IP rights.
- Determining which franchises fits the clients’ choices and needs and coordinating, on behalf of the clients, with industry experts (legal advisors, financial advisors, other franchisees).
OUTSOURCED CFO SERVICES
OUTSOURCED CFO SERVICES
OUTSOURCED CFO SERVICES
- Developing the financial strategy of the company and providing strategic recommendations to the executive management team.
- Recommending changes to the financial structure aiming to better boost profitability (including implementation of cost cutting strategies).
- Building the reporting structure for CEOs including the KPIs that are deemed required for the business.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the company.
- Managing the processes for financial forecasting and budgets.
- Assure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Negotiating acquisitions and supervising acquisitions' due diligence.
- Implementing and reviewing the financial and accounting procedures.
- Establishing and developing relations with shareholders, stakeholders, banks, auditors, ministry of finance and social security representative.
- Negotiating material business and partnership contracts.
Budgeting & RESEARCH
OUTSOURCED CFO SERVICES
Budgeting & RESEARCH
- Assisting companies in putting in place accurate budgets in accordance with industry and market trends.
- Performing comprehensive market and industry researches.
ACCOUNTING
OUTSOURCED CFO SERVICES
Budgeting & RESEARCH
- Developing and implementing various accounting procedures.
- Maintaining full accounting records as per the generally accepted Lebanese accounting principles and company procedures.
- Preparing VAT forms and other fiscal declarations, including social security.
- Preparing payroll and registering employees at the ministry of finance and the social security.
- Preparing monthly financial statements and detailed quarterly financial statements.
- Preparing audit files.
team experience
Dr. Jad C. Najem
- Dr. Jad Najem is the managing partner of Grey Matter, a Beirut based advisory platform he incorporated in 2017 to offer financial and strategic consultancy services companies in Lebanon and the Middle East.
- Jad comes from the private equity industry with over 12 years of experience at Colony Capital, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, as well as Edge Capital and Telegraph Capital Partners.
- Throughout his career, Jad has been involved in different transactions in various sectors and his expertise covers markets in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and Europe. Prior joining the private equity industry, Jad worked in the banking sector at HSBC and Byblos Bank.
- Jad sits on the Board of Directors of several companies in Lebanon and the region and was appointed as a member of the board of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (“NCLW”) and the Head of the Economy, Labor, and Sustainable Development committee at NCLW and is NCLW’s National Coordinator representing Lebanon (coordinating with World Bank and IFC) on the Mashreq Gender Facility program.
- Jad is a lecturer in finance giving courses in Commodities, Financial Analysis, International Financial Reporting, and Private Equity at Toulouse Business School and in EM Normandie in France. Moreover, Jad gives Financial Management and Financial Analysis courses at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik(USEK) and Wealth Management course and Corporate Finance coaching at École Supérieuredes Affaires (ESA). Jad is a strategy and finance coach at Smart ESA, an accelerator and incubator for start-ups.
- Jad gives courses in Company Valuation, Financial Management and Financial Analysis at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) as well as a Wealth Management course and Corporate Finance coaching at École Supérieure des Affaires (ESA). Jad is a strategy and finance coach at Smart ESA, an accelerator and incubator for start-ups.
- Jad has completed a doctorate degree at Toulouse Business School in France with a thesis focused on the investment environment in the Middle East.
- Jad earned a bachelor degree in management from Saint Joseph University and Masters degree in Management from École Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) in Lebanon, and a Masters in International Affairs from Poitiers University in France. He is also CVA accredited (Certified Valuation Analyst) and member of the International Association of Consultants, Valuators, and Analysts (IACVA).