Mackenzie is the Managing Partner of Kalos LLP and co-founded the firm to fulfill her vision of adding value to the mid-market. She has advised on 350+ deals and over $60 billion in transaction value.
She has executed deals throughout North America, Europe and Asia in the energy, healthcare, industrial, retail and technology sectors. In 2021, Mackenzie was recognized as one of the Top 100 Finance Professionals in the world by The Top 100 magazine based out of New York City.
Prior to founding Kalos, Mackenzie was a Global Investment Banker at Scotiabank and a lead Financial Due Diligence Manager at Ernst & Young LLP (EY”).
How has the CBV Program supported your career development?
I pursued the CBV designation while launching Kalos, so I haven’t been traditionally employed since earning it. That context makes this question a bit different for me, but the designation has been a major influence in shaping how I operate as an entrepreneur.
The CBV designation has been instrumental in building Kalos’ credibility in the market and elevating our work as trusted advisors in the transaction space. We place great value on our ability to tailor our approach to each client’s unique situation, especially in today’s fast-paced and evolving market.
With CBV designation holders across our team, we are able to leverage both our technical expertise and broad experience to approach transactions from multiple perspectives. This empowers us to incorporate professional valuation insights that inspire the confidence necessary to close deals. Bringing a valuation mindset to our work allows us to emphasize the “so what” of our findings and ensure we consistently deliver value to our clients.
The CBV program prepares you with foundational knowledge that applies across fields, giving you the tools to approach any type of analysis or challenge with an elevated mindset. That kind of perspective is invaluable, especially when running a business.
Can you share a particularly challenging yet interesting valuation analysis that made you realize you had chosen the right career path?
There was one particular transaction that involved a greenfield project with a significant amount of uncertainty. It was in an emerging industry, and the project itself involved newly developed intellectual property.
Often in deals, there’s a focus on normalizing history, with the underlying assumption that the past equals the future. But in this case, we were required to value intangible assets with no true comparable or past earnings on which to rely.
Being able to apply valuation principles alongside financial diligence expertise underscored the versatility of the profession in my mind. Ultimately, that approach helped provide the comfort needed for the project to move forward.
I truly appreciate how the fundamentals of valuation can guide you, even in uncharted territory.
What differences do you see in your current role as compared to your previous role?
As mentioned, I completed my CBV concurrently with launching my company. So, technically speaking, I haven’t been employed in a traditional role since earning my CBV.
That said, my life has changed significantly since becoming an entrepreneur compared to any previous role I’ve had. One of the biggest differences I’ve noticed is that the CBV program prepares you for all aspects of your role as it provides a framework from which to approach uncertainty.
It provides a solid foundation and core fundamentals that allow you to approach any type of analysis or challenge with a more elevated mindset, regardless of the field you’re in.
Do you have any tips for people looking to become a CBV?
One of the most important things I would recommend is getting involved in the valuation community. Valuation is a broad field with many different facets and having a network of professionals you can turn to when you have questions or face challenges is incredibly valuable.
This sense of community is helpful not just when you’re studying and working toward the CBV designation, but also after you’ve become a member. Building those connections early on can really support your success throughout your career.
#FunFact: A fun fact about me is that I’m a former competitive hockey player. I served as the starting goaltender representing Canada in international competition.