# Daniel Vautrin — Full Site Content

> Independent deal maker specializing in international financial structuring and complex M&A operations. Sciences Po Paris alumnus, former IBM executive, active in 15+ countries across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

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## Homepage (https://www.danielvautrin.com/)

### Identity

**Daniel Vautrin** — Deal Maker Indépendant & Structuration Financière Internationale

Daniel Vautrin structures financial solutions where banks no longer go. For complex operations, atypical situations, and high-stakes challenges.

**Key statistics:**
- 20+ years of experience
- 150M€+ in operations
- 15+ countries

### The 9 Laws of Money (Les 9 Lois de l'Argent)

Non-negotiable principles guiding every operation:

**I. Loi de la clarté (Law of Clarity)**
Money doesn't like ambiguity. An effective financial strategy rests on a clear vision of objectives, risks, and means.

**II. Loi de la patience (Law of Patience)**
Time is the best ally of value creation. Rushed decisions always cost more than calculated waiting.

**III. Loi de l'asymétrie (Law of Asymmetry)**
The best opportunities arise where others don't look. Advantage is built in the market's discomfort zones.

**IV. Loi de la structure (Law of Structure)**
A good financial arrangement is invisible. It serves the objective without creating friction, while protecting against the unexpected.

**V. Loi de la discrétion (Law of Discretion)**
Great fortunes make no noise. True wealth protects its peace more than its image.

**VI. Loi de l'alignement (Law of Alignment)**
Misaligned interests always explode eventually. True value creation comes from shared objectives.

**VII. Loi de la liquidité (Law of Liquidity)**
An asset you can't sell has no value. The ability to exit is as important as the opportunity to enter.

**VIII. Loi de la réversibilité (Law of Reversibility)**
The best decisions are those that can be undone. Preserving options is a form of wealth often overlooked.

**IX. Loi de la vérité (Law of Truth)**
Money is a revealer. It shows what words hide, exposes true priorities, and tests characters.

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## About Page (https://www.danielvautrin.com/about)

### Biography

Daniel Vautrin is a deal maker — a facilitator of complex financial operations where traditional banks no longer go.

**Philosophy:** "L'argent ne ment jamais" (Money never lies). Over the years, he developed a deep conviction: money never lies. It reveals true priorities, exposes structural weaknesses, tests characters. That is why he works only on operations where this truth can emerge.

He does not sell financial products. He does not manage assets. His role is to structure, negotiate, create arrangements that serve his clients' interests while remaining robust in the face of the unexpected.

The situations that interest him are those where conventional approaches have failed — where thinking differently, acting with discretion, and building custom solutions is required.

### Core Values

**Absolute Discretion**
Important operations make no noise. Confidentiality is not an option, it is the foundation.

**Alignment of Interests**
He works only on missions where he can create real value. If he cannot help, he says so.

**Long-Term Vision**
Arrangements that hold are those that anticipate the future. He structures for duration, not for the moment.

**Uncompromising Excellence**
In international finance, details make the difference between success and failure. Rigor is non-negotiable.

### Career Timeline

**1990–2000 — International Beginnings**
Starting in Paris and London, developing financial expertise and risk management, reinforced by collaborations within major groups such as Dunlop, SNCF, and IBM.

**2000–2010 — M&A & Restructuring**
Leading complex mandates for major financial institutions. Specialization in crisis situations.

**2010–2026 — Independent Deal Maker**
Creating his own structure. Supporting private investors and entrepreneurs on atypical operations.

### Vision

His approach is founded on duration. The arrangements he structures are designed to withstand the test of time, regulatory changes, and market evolutions.

He selects his missions with rigor. Quality of the relationship takes precedence over volume. He prefers to carry out a few significant operations rather than multiply mandates without real impact.

### Frequently Asked Questions (About)

**Q: Who is Daniel Vautrin and what is his specialty?**
A: Daniel Vautrin is an independent deal maker specialized in international financial structuring. Graduated from Sciences Po Paris and a former IBM executive, he has been operating for more than 20 years in the field of complex financial operations (M&A, LBO, Private Equity, external growth) in 15+ countries.

**Q: What is Daniel Vautrin's philosophy?**
A: His philosophy rests on the conviction that "L'argent est un outil de vérité" (Money is a tool of truth). He structures his interventions around 9 fundamental laws of deal making: clarity of intentions, structured patience, and mastery of information asymmetries between parties.

**Q: What are Daniel Vautrin's professional values?**
A: He founds his activity on three cardinal values: alignment of interests (working only when he can create measurable value), absolute discretion (confidentiality of mandates and stakeholders), and total independence (no affiliation with any financial group or bank).

**Q: What is Daniel Vautrin's academic and professional background?**
A: Daniel Vautrin graduated from Sciences Po Paris. He then built a career of approximately two decades at IBM as an executive, before creating Lumen Finances and dedicating himself exclusively to independent deal making and international financial structuring for SMEs, mid-caps, family offices, and investors.

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## Expertise Page (https://www.danielvautrin.com/expertise)

### Hero

"Je n'apporte pas des solutions. Je réduis l'aveuglement."
(I don't bring solutions. I reduce blindness.)

Three decades of experience in zones where traditional finance doesn't go. Where the stakes are too high, situations too complex, deadlines too short.

### Areas of Expertise

**1. Financial Structuring & Investment Strategies**
Designing optimized financial arrangements for complex situations: holdings, investment vehicles, international structuring.
- Legal and ethical tax optimization
- Multi-jurisdictional arrangements
- Asset holding structures

**2. External Growth & Complex Operations**
Support in acquisitions, disposals, and mergers. Negotiation and deal structuring to maximize value created.
- Strategic due diligence
- Negotiation and closing
- Post-acquisition integration

**3. Entrepreneurship & Scale-up**
Advising founders to structure their growth, prepare fundraising, and optimize exit strategies.
- Capital structure
- Fundraising preparation
- Exit strategies (M&A, IPO)

**4. Technological Innovation**
Identifying and valuing technological assets. Supporting tech companies in their strategic positioning.
- Technology assessment
- Licensing strategies
- Technology partnerships

**5. Applied Artificial Intelligence**
Concrete AI applications for decision-making, automation, and value creation in organizations.
- AI strategy for executives
- Data sovereignty
- High-ROI use cases

**6. Blockchain & Digital Assets**
Navigating the crypto-asset and tokenization ecosystem. From strategy to implementation.
- Asset tokenization
- Crypto strategies
- Regulatory framework

### Target Clients

- Private investors seeking unconventional opportunities
- Company executives facing complex financial situations
- Entrepreneurs preparing a fundraising or major exit
- Family offices seeking to diversify off the beaten path
- International decision-makers with multi-jurisdictional stakes

### Working Process

Each collaboration begins with an exchange to understand your situation and objectives. No commercial pitch, no slides. A direct conversation to determine if and how he can help.

1. **First exchange** — Understanding your context
2. **Diagnosis** — Identifying the real issues
3. **Proposal** — Defining the collaboration framework

### Frequently Asked Questions (Expertise)

**Q: What is an independent deal maker and how does he differ from an investment banker?**
A: An independent deal maker like Daniel Vautrin intervenes without conflict of interest linked to a banking institution: he has no financial products to place nor balance sheet to optimize. His mandate is exclusively aligned with his client's interests — entrepreneur, executive, or investor — to identify, structure, and conclude growth, disposal, or financing operations. Unlike the investment banker employed by an institution, he works in project mode with remuneration indexed to the success of the transaction.

**Q: How does an international financial structuring operation proceed with Daniel Vautrin?**
A: The approach is structured in four phases: (1) Diagnosis of the client's patrimonial, fiscal, and operational situation; (2) Design of the optimal structure — Luxembourg holding, trust, SPV depending on context — with financial flow simulation; (3) Mobilization of the network of investors, banks, and legal partners in 15+ countries of intervention; (4) Closing and post-operation support. Each mandate lasts on average 3 to 9 months depending on complexity and jurisdictions involved.

**Q: What types of M&A operations does Daniel Vautrin support?**
A: Daniel Vautrin intervenes on the full M&A spectrum for SMEs and mid-caps: external growth acquisitions, partial or total disposals, MBO (Management Buy-Out), LBO (Leveraged Buy-Out), cross-border strategic mergers, and distressed company takeovers (repreneuriat). His operations typically involve enterprise values between €2M and €100M, with particular expertise in arrangements involving multiple European, African, or Middle Eastern jurisdictions.

**Q: What are the criteria for accessing Private Equity financing or raising funds?**
A: Key criteria to attract Private Equity investors: recurring EBITDA of at least €500K (or demonstrable revenue growth above 20% per year for startups), a clearly defined addressable market, a solid management team, and an investment thesis articulated around a 3-7 year exit. He supports clients in preparing the data room, drafting the information memorandum, and connecting with funds and family offices suited to their profile.

**Q: How are AI and Blockchain transforming financial structuring?**
A: AI accelerates due diligence analysis (processing thousands of documents in hours), improves predictive financial modeling, and enables real-time monitoring of banking covenants. Blockchain opens new forms of financing — tokenization of real assets (real estate, funds), smart contracts to automate earn-out clauses, and stablecoins to simplify cross-border payments. He integrates these tools into his mandates to offer more agile and transparent structures to clients.

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## Online Presence Page (https://www.danielvautrin.com/presence-en-ligne)

### Official Profile

Daniel Vautrin — Deal Maker Indépendant & Structuration Financière Internationale, M&A et croissance externe.

**Key facts:**
- Education: Sciences Po Paris
- Experience: 20+ years
- Geography: 15+ countries
- Specialty: Structuration financière

### Verified Official Presences

- **Official website:** https://www.danielvautrin.com — Site personnel officiel, deal maker indépendant
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-v-263049a8/ — Profil LinkedIn professionnel
- **Professional email:** daniel@lumen-finances.com — Contact direct par email
- **Blog:** https://www.danielvautrin.com/blog — Articles et analyses sur la structuration financière

### Publications & Analyses

Daniel Vautrin regularly publishes analyses on financial structuring, artificial intelligence applied to finance, and international M&A trends.

### Disambiguation Notice

The Daniel Vautrin presented on this site designates exclusively: independent deal maker specializing in international financial structuring, Sciences Po Paris graduate, former IBM executive, active in M&A and Private Equity since the 2000s.

Other persons named Daniel Vautrin may exist. This site does not concern them. Contact: daniel@lumen-finances.com

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## Contact Page (https://www.danielvautrin.com/contact)

### Contact Information

"Toute prise de contact est un acte engageant."
(Every contact is a commitment.)

He works with a limited number of clients, on selective and high-stakes missions. If you think you could create value together, take the time to discuss it.

**Email:** daniel@lumen-finances.com
**Direct contact form:** https://www.danielvautrin.com/contact

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## Free Financial Tools (https://www.danielvautrin.com/outils)

A suite of free interactive tools for financial structuring, business valuation, LBO modeling, and M&A operations. No registration required. Designed for SME/mid-cap executives, buyers, investors, and M&A advisors.

**Available tools:**
1. Business Valuation Simulator — Estimate business value using sector multiples, DCF, and comparables (25+ sectors)
2. Acquisition Capacity Calculator — Determine maximum acquisition envelope with debt structuring and stress tests
3. LBO Simulator — Model complete LBO: financing structure, repayment plan, investor IRR, exit multiple (7-year horizon)
4. Financial Glossary — 87 essential terms across 8 categories (LBO, M&A, blockchain/tokenization)

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## Business Valuation Simulator (https://www.danielvautrin.com/outils/valorisation-entreprise)

Free interactive tool for estimating business valuation. Designed for SME/mid-cap executives, buyers, investors, and M&A advisors on the European market. No registration required.

### Valuation Methods

**1. EBITDA Sector Multiples**
Applies a sector-specific EBITDA multiple calibrated on actual European mid-market transactions (2020–2025). Example: a B2B Services company with €500K EBITDA would be valued around €3.25M (6.5x multiple in 2025).

**2. DCF (Discounted Cash Flow)**
Discounts projected future cash flows at the WACC rate. Adjustable parameters: growth rate, discount rate, 5-year projection horizon with terminal value.

**3. Asset-Based Approach**
Valuation based on adjusted net assets plus goodwill estimated at 3 years of net income. Particularly relevant for asset-heavy businesses (real estate, manufacturing).

### 15 Sectors — EBITDA Multiples Mid-Market Europe 2025

| Sector | EBITDA Multiple 2025 | Range 2020–2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Fintech | 10.0x | 8.0x – 14.0x |
| SaaS / Tech | 8.5x | 7.0x – 13.0x |
| Healthcare / Medtech | 8.0x | 7.0x – 10.0x |
| Real Estate | 6.0x | 5.5x – 7.5x |
| Energy / Cleantech | 7.5x | 5.5x – 11.0x |
| Education / Training | 5.5x | 4.0x – 8.0x |
| Consulting / B2B Services | 5.5x | 4.0x – 7.0x |
| Industry / Manufacturing | 5.2x | 4.0x – 7.0x |
| Food & Beverage | 5.0x | 4.0x – 7.0x |
| Media / Communication | 5.0x | 3.0x – 7.0x |
| Transport / Logistics | 4.5x | 3.5x – 6.0x |
| Construction | 4.0x | 3.0x – 5.5x |
| Hospitality / Food Service | 3.8x | 2.5x – 5.0x |
| E-commerce | 3.8x | 2.5x – 5.5x |
| Distribution / Retail | 3.5x | 2.5x – 5.0x |

### Key Features

1. **Multi-method synthesis** — Weighted average of all 3 methods with low/median/high range
2. **Sector comparison** — Compare up to 3 sectors simultaneously with percentage gaps
3. **Historical multiples (2020–2025)** — Interactive SVG chart showing 6-year trends per sector
4. **Sellability score** — 5-criteria assessment (revenue recurrence, client dependency, EBITDA margin, track record, management autonomy) with visual score out of 100
5. **Earn-out simulator** — 3 deal scenarios (conservative, balanced, optimistic) with trigger conditions
6. **Buyer/seller mode** — Buyer mode applies a 15% safety discount; seller mode weights strategic premiums

### Input Parameters

- Revenue (€)
- EBITDA (€)
- Net income (€)
- Sector (15 sectors)
- Growth rate (for DCF)
- Discount rate / WACC (for DCF)

### Data Sources

- Dealsuite European M&A Monitor H1-2025 (828 companies analyzed)
- Dealsuite France S1-2025 (394 companies)
- PitchBook European PE Breakdown Q2 2025
- Aventis Advisors Industry Multiples 2025
- NIMBO Company Valuation Barometer 2025
- First Page Sage Valuation Multiples 2025

### Typical Use Cases

- SME owner estimating indicative valuation before a sale
- Buyer comparing target valuations across sectors
- M&A advisor needing a quick pre-valuation tool for a first meeting
- Investor estimating acquisition price range
- Entrepreneur preparing a fundraising and understanding sector multiples

### Limitations

- Indicative valuation only — does not replace a full professional assessment
- Multiples based on sector averages — actual valuation depends on many company-specific factors
- European mid-market data — multiples may differ significantly for large companies or non-European markets

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## Business Acquisition Capacity Calculator (https://www.danielvautrin.com/outils/capacite-acquisition)

Free interactive tool for estimating business acquisition capacity. Designed for entrepreneurs, managers, and investors planning LBO or external growth operations. No registration required.

### How It Works

The calculator crosses your financial data with standard banking ratios used by French institutions for external growth operations:
- **Debt/EBITDA ratio**: max 3.0x–4.5x depending on sector
- **DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio)**: minimum 1.2x, ideally 1.5x
- **Minimum equity**: 15%–30% of acquisition price depending on profile
- **Senior debt duration**: 5 to 7 years amortizable
- **CAF coefficient**: 3x to 5x depending on sector stability

### Two Modes

1. **Acquirer mode** ("I have a budget"): Enter your available equity to find out the maximum target size you can acquire.
2. **Target mode** ("I have a target"): Enter the target company's value to find out the minimum equity required.

### 15 European Sectors

| Sector | EBITDA Multiple | CAF Coefficient | Max Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fintech | 10.0x | 5x | 4.5x |
| SaaS / Tech | 8.5x | 5x | 4.5x |
| Healthcare / Pharma | 8.0x | 4.5x | 4.0x |
| Real Estate | 8.0x | 4x | 4.0x |
| Luxury / Fashion | 7.5x | 4x | 3.5x |
| Energy / Environment | 7.0x | 4x | 4.0x |
| Education / Training | 7.0x | 4.5x | 4.0x |
| B2B Services | 6.5x | 4x | 3.5x |
| Food & Beverage | 6.0x | 3.5x | 3.5x |
| Media / Communication | 6.0x | 3.5x | 3.5x |
| Industry | 5.5x | 3.5x | 3.5x |
| Hospitality / Food Service | 5.5x | 3x | 3.0x |
| Distribution / Retail | 5.0x | 3x | 3.0x |
| Transport / Logistics | 5.0x | 3x | 3.0x |
| Construction | 4.5x | 3x | 3.0x |

### 3 Acquirer Profiles

| Profile | Min Equity | LBO Type |
|---|---|---|
| Individual buyer | 25% | LBI / MBI |
| Corporate acquirer | 20% | LBO / LBU |
| Manager / MBO | 15% | LMBO / BIMBO |

### Key Features

1. **Multi-constraint calculation** — Equity, CAF capacity, and leverage constraints applied simultaneously
2. **Optimal financing structure** — Senior debt, vendor credit, mezzanine, equity breakdown with pie chart
3. **Banking ratios** — Real-time DSCR, leverage, and equity ratio with visual indicators
4. **Holding cascade** — EBITDA → IS → Capex reserve → Distributable dividend → Debt service → Residual cash
5. **3×3 Stress test** — EBITDA ±15% × Interest rate ±1% sensitivity matrix
6. **Amortization schedule** — Year-by-year senior + mezzanine repayment table
7. **LBO type recommendation** — Automatic suggestion based on profile and equity ratio
8. **Text export** — Downloadable structuring note (.txt)

### Data Sources

- BPI France (transmission lending parameters 2025)
- Banque de France (average professional rates 2025)
- Dealsuite European M&A Monitor H1-2025 (828 transactions)
- PitchBook European PE Breakdown Q2 2025

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## LBO Simulator (https://www.danielvautrin.com/outils/simulateur-lbo)

Free interactive tool for modeling complete Leveraged Buy-Out operations. Designed for entrepreneurs, managers, investors, and M&A advisors. No registration required.

### How It Works

The simulator models a full LBO structure over a 7-year horizon:
1. **Enterprise Value** — Set by EBITDA × sector multiple (15 European sectors)
2. **Financing Structure** — Senior debt (60-70%, 5-7 years amortizable, ~4-5%), mezzanine (optional, bullet/PIK, ~8-12%), vendor credit, and equity
3. **Debt Repayment Plan** — Year-by-year amortization schedule with DSCR covenant monitoring (threshold < 1.0x triggers warning)
4. **Exit Modeling** — Exit multiple, distribution waterfall, investor IRR and money multiple (MOIC)

### Key Parameters

| Parameter | Default | Range |
|---|---|---|
| EBITDA | €1,000K | €100K – €50,000K |
| Sector multiple | 5.5x | Varies by sector (3.5x – 16x) |
| Senior debt ratio | 60% | 40% – 80% |
| Senior rate | 4.5% | 2% – 10% |
| Senior duration | 5 years | 3 – 7 years |
| Mezzanine ratio | 10% | 0% – 30% |
| Mezzanine rate | 9% | 5% – 15% |
| EBITDA growth | 3% | -5% – 15% |
| Exit multiple | Same as entry | Adjustable |
| Holding tax rate | 25% | 15% – 33% |

### 15 European Sectors

Same sector database as the Valuation Simulator: Fintech (10.0x), SaaS/Tech (8.5x), Healthcare (8.0x), Energy/Cleantech (7.5x), Real Estate (6.0x), Education (5.5x), B2B Services (5.5x), Industry (5.2x), Food & Beverage (5.0x), Media (5.0x), Transport/Logistics (4.5x), Construction (4.0x), Hospitality (3.8x), E-commerce (3.8x), Distribution/Retail (3.5x).

### Key Features

1. **Debt repayment schedule** — Year-by-year table showing senior and mezzanine amortization, remaining balance, and annual DSCR
2. **DSCR covenant monitoring** — Visual indicators (green/amber/red) with automatic warnings when DSCR falls below 1.0x
3. **Distribution waterfall** — Shows how exit proceeds flow: senior repayment → mezzanine repayment → equity distribution
4. **Investor returns** — IRR calculation and money multiple (MOIC) for equity investors
5. **Reverse solver** — Find the entry multiple needed to achieve a target IRR
6. **Sensitivity analysis** — Impact of EBITDA growth and exit multiple on returns
7. **Text & CSV export** — Downloadable structuring note and full amortization table
8. **Holding cascade** — EBITDA → Corporate tax → Capex → Available cash flow → Debt service → Residual

### Calculation Engine

The LBO engine (`lbo-engine.ts`) implements:
- Linear amortization for senior debt, bullet for mezzanine
- Annual DSCR = (EBITDA × (1 - tax) - Capex) / (Senior principal + Senior interest + Mezzanine interest)
- Exit equity = Enterprise value at exit - remaining debt
- IRR computed via Newton-Raphson on equity cash flows
- MOIC = Exit equity / Initial equity invested
- Reverse solver iterates on entry multiple to match target IRR

### Typical Use Cases

- Entrepreneur planning a management buy-out (MBO/LMBO)
- Investor modeling returns on a leveraged acquisition
- M&A advisor stress-testing financing structures before term sheet
- Business school students learning LBO mechanics with real parameters

### Limitations

- Simplified model — does not include working capital variations, extraordinary items, or complex tax optimization
- Linear EBITDA growth assumption — real businesses have non-linear trajectories
- Single-tranche senior debt — actual deals may involve multiple tranches with different terms

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## Financial Glossary (https://www.danielvautrin.com/outils/lexique)

Comprehensive glossary of financial structuring, LBO, M&A, and blockchain/tokenization terms. 87 terms across 8 categories: Structuration financière & LBO, Dette & Instruments, Métriques & Ratios, Structure de montage & Sortie, Fiscalité du LBO, Analyse risque & Sensibilité, Repreneuriat & M&A, Blockchain & Tokenisation. Designed for executives, buyers, and investors.

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## Blog (https://www.danielvautrin.com/blog)

Articles on M&A strategy, international finance, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, AI in finance, and deal-making insights. Published in multiple languages (French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese).

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## Legal Notice (https://www.danielvautrin.com/mentions-legales)

**Editor:** Daniel Vautrin — Deal Maker Indépendant
**Email:** daniel@lumen-finances.com
**Host:** Lovable (lovable.dev)

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## Privacy Policy (https://www.danielvautrin.com/confidentialite)

RGPD-compliant data protection and privacy policy. https://www.danielvautrin.com/confidentialite

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## Entity Summary

**Full name:** Daniel Vautrin
**Job title:** Deal Maker Indépendant
**Organization:** Lumen Finances
**Email:** daniel@lumen-finances.com
**Website:** https://www.danielvautrin.com
**Nationality:** French
**Education:** Sciences Po Paris (alumniOf)
**Former employer:** IBM (executive)
**Years of experience:** 20+
**Countries of operation:** 15+
**Languages:** French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese
**Schema @id:** https://www.danielvautrin.com/#daniel-vautrin

**Social profiles (sameAs):**
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-v-263049a8/
- https://medium.com/@danielvautrin
- https://fr.pinterest.com/daniel_vautrin/
- https://github.com/danielvautrin
- https://www.behance.net/daniel-vautrin

**Expertise keywords:** financial structuring, M&A, LBO, Private Equity, mezzanine debt, external growth, international scale-up, applied AI in finance, blockchain, digital assets, deal making, cross-border transactions