Cynthia L. Taylor
Global institutional investment professional and portfolio manager with broad experience in fixed income investments ranging from mezzanine and high yield to investment grade risk. Extensive experience as well, in alternative investments and private equity. Previously employed for 16 years in London and 8 years in New York, as an investment banker and fund manager.
Achievements
- Sourced, structured and managed $2 billion of mezzanine, high yield and high grade investments, as well as private equity fund investments, across a wide range of legal jurisdictions for MetLife Investments Limited.
- MetLife European Investment Approval Committee member.
- Completed an IPO of Carador Plc, an alternative investment fund, on the London Stock Exchange. Member of Investment Approval Committee of the Fund.
- Analysed and negotiated value added, complicated debt and equity transactions, including legal documentation.
- Sold/distributed Fixed Income products to US and European institutional investors.
- Private Placement experience at MetLife Investments, Prudential Capital and Barclays Capital.
- Financial Writer of a wide variety of financial publications and documents.
- Trained Art Historian and comprehensive Patron of the Arts.
Career Employment
2014- Present Perfect World Capital Group, Global
Founder and CEO
- Perfect World Capital is a financial consulting firm exclusively focused on managing and advising Impact and Sustainable Investment funds.
2014- Present Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA
- Adjunct Professor of Economics.
2012- Present Lasso Education, Los Angeles, CA
Co-Founder
- Lasso Education is a social enterprise focused on creating a bridge for young Americans from university to a successful career and sustainable future by aligning their education, interests, and passions with not just gainful, but meaningful employment.
2010-2011 Milken Institute, Santa Monica, CA
Director of Special Projects, Non-Profit Think Tank
- Development Projects, Financial Innovations and Capital Markets Research.
2007- 2010 Bank of Scotland, Corporate, London, England
Director
- Portfolio Manager of the leveraged loan warehouse program, which included sourcing, performing credit analysis and warehousing investments for targeted client base.
- Syndicated leverage facilities for mezzanine funds to European banks and institutional investors.
- Negotiated restructuring of distressed investments.
- Managed a team of junior investment professionals.
2005- 2007 Washington Square Investment Management, London, England
Managing Director
- Head of business development, fundraising, and investor marketing.
- Member of the Investment Approval Committee overseeing Carador Plc, a London Stock Exchange listed Alternative Investment and Structured Credit fund.
- Completed IPO of Carador Plc for $50 million.
- Managed the Board of Directors and the fund’s relationship with the Irish Regulator.
2003- 2004 Sabbatical, Obtained MA in Art History from Courtauld Institute, London
1996- 2003 MetLife Investments Limited, London, England
Director
- Member of European Investment Approval Committee in London authorizing fixed income investments for the US insurance company, general account.
- Sourced, structured and managed $2 billion of mezzanine, high yield and high grade investments, as well as private equity fund investments across a wide range of legal jurisdictions.
- Performed fundamental analysis and provided on going buy/sell/hold recommendations for a portfolio of broad based investments, including corporate and sovereign investment grade and high yield bonds, leveraged loans, mezzanine debt, as well as private placements.
- Portfolio Manager of Central European investment portfolio, which invested in securities issued by corporates in Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia.
- Managed and trained a team of junior investment/research analysts to assess credit quality and risk profile of corporate and sovereign issuers.
1993- 1996 Barclays Capital, London and New York
Director-Debt Capital Markets
- Originated Private Placement debt securities from UK and European corporate issuers for distribution to US institutional investors.
- Performed credit analysis on unrated corporates and determined their suitability as potential issuers in the US Fixed Income markets.
- Advised potential issuers on achievable terms and recommended strategy for approaching US debt markets, including the use of derivative products.
1988-1992 Prudential Capital Corporation, Newark and New York
Vice President- Private Placement Group
- Originated, negotiated and managed Private Placement investments.
- Performed comprehensive, fundamental credit analysis.
Education
UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- BA, Economics.
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
- MBA.
Courtauld Institute of Art, London, England
- Masters in Art History.
- Specialized in Italian Renaissance painting.
- Completed a dissertation titled Titian’s Jewelled Women.
- Completed a thesis titled Early Warhol Portraits: Celebrity Icons or Objects of Mass Consumption
Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business, Malibu, California
- Certificate in Film and Television Finance (CIFTF).
Directorships/Committees
- Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management, current member of Board of Visitors.
- Ford Theatre Foundation, current member of Board of Directors.
- UCLA Hammer Museum, current member of KAMP Kids Committee.
- Honolulu Biennial, current member of the Advisory Board.
- Previous Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of Richardson House, a London based mother and baby hostel.
- Previous Chairman of the Board of 17 Cadogan Square Management, representing owners of the property, and listed in Companies House UK.
- Previous member of Steering Committee of the Lobby Gallery Associates of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
- Former Patron of the Whitechapel Gallery London.
Other Attributes
- American/British Citizen.
- French and Italian languages.
- Finra Series 7 Registered.
- Member of The Queens Club, London.
- Avid contemporary art collector.
- Cross-country horse riding, show jumping, tennis, skiing and beach walker.