Michael Desai
Description

I am a financial analyst with 3.5 years of experience in credit analysis and transaction due diligence, primarily in the midstream energy and utilities corporate sectors, as well as project finance exposure in renewable energy and transportation. I have trained as a data scientist and data visualization developer in graduate school, and am now seeking to combine my coding and financial analysis experience to augment financial analysis processes and research on the buy-side.

New School University - Parsons School of Design
August 2019 - June 2020
Masters of Science in Data Visualization
  • Data Structures: fundamentals of databases (SQL and NoSQL), arrays, trees, and graph data structures, web scraping semi-structured and unstructured data, basic search and sort algorithms, web API querying and data storage, deployment via AWS, Netlify, and Heroku, middleware routing and front-end querying via Express.js. Final projects included the creation of three dashboard full-stack applications with middleware, dynamic front-end querying of databases, and displays to users.
  • Machine Learning: foundation course covering the creation of supervised and unsupervised algorithms using scikit-learn in Python, as well as other fundamental Python libraries such as pandas and matplotlib, utilizing a variety of statistical models in addition to multi-step decision-tree algorithms. Final assignments deal with computer vision and unstructured text data for natural language processing and sentiment analysis.
  • Visualizing Uncertainty: design course focusing on creating graphical/UI representations for dealing with uncertain probabilistic outcomes. Final project protoyped a visualization that expresses sampling error in the context of COVID-19 testing.
  • Advanced JavaScript: covering base JavaScript and major libraries including Node, D3, React, jQuery, and others. Created projects using Webpack, Socket.io, SVG, and implemented mobile-first designs as well as device querying.
  • Advanced Quantitative Methods: covering advanced statistical concepts and models including logistic and ridge regression, factor analysis, and mediation and moderation. Created statistical models for assignments and projects using stats-focused code packages in R.
  • Data Visualization and Information Aesthetics: design course covering essential concepts underlying effective data visualization, with projects focused on representation of unique datasets and live data using certain graphical techniques only in code, utilizing JavaScript.
  • Studio 1-2: these classes are project-based learning experiences, utilizing data sources from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and United Nations as data partners. Second semester of studio focuses on development of student thesis, where I scraped SEC data from XBRL data, and created a UI and visualization method for income statements.
  • Check out the Portfolio section for detailed project descriptions.
  • Proficiency with JavaScript and Python for front-end engineering and data science applications.
  • Python libraries experience: pandas, numpy, matplotlib, seaborn, scikit-learn, scikit-image, scikit-time.
  • Javascript libraries experience: node.js, d3.js, Vue.js, React.js, Vuex, Nuxt, Redux, p5.js, jQuery, Lodash, three.js, Leaflet, Mapbox.
  • Experience creating and deploying full-stack web applications in AWS.
  • Proficiency in using basic search and sort algorithm techniques.
  • Database creation and querying using SQL, PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, MongoDB.
  • Experience using Jupyter Notebooks and Jupyter Lab for creating data science applications.
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
December 2016 - August 2019
Analyst - Senior Analyst
  • Performed corporate credit analysis on US utilities, power, gas, midstream, refining, and MLP's. Responsible for direct coverage of a portfolio of small and mid-cap companies within coverage areas spreading across both investment-grade and high-yield profiles.
  • Supported senior analysts on larger corporate credit families.
  • Direct Coverage Portfolio: Cheniere Energy Partners LP, Cheniere Energy Inc, Teekay Offshore Partners LP, Dynagas LNG Partners LP, Elba Liquefaction LLC, Delek US Holdings Inc, CONSOL Energy Inc, Sabal Trail Transmission LLC.
  • Support Coverage Portfolio: Kinder Morgan Inc, TransCanada Corporation / TC Energy, MPLX LP, PG&E Corporation, FirstEnergy Corporation, Brookfield Infrastructure LP, TransAlta Corporation.
  • Built financial models to forecast pro forma cash flows and capital structure impacts to assess credit quality and recovery prospects for corporate creditors adapted to a variety of transactions and scenarios, including mergers, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, spin-offs, bankruptcies, and other special situations.
  • Wrote credit assessment presentations, which include analysis on corporate strategy, liquidity, and capital structure, industry peer comparison, organizational structure, potential M&A, loss-given-default analysis, and other due diligence and industry analysis.
  • Researched fundamental energy sector topics. Gathered, maintained, structured, curated, and analyzed datasets on natural gas, oil, condensate, and NGL pricing and supply/demand fundamental indicators, responsible for creation of models and dashboards used by the Fitch corporates team.
  • Led analysis and team effort on Cheniere Energy Partners LP initial credit rating for issuance of over $1 billion in unsecured bonds. Met with senior management at Cheniere and Blackstone on strategy, financing, and operational plans. Responsible for leading analysis on two Cheniere-focused transactions in September 2017 and May 2019. Created a bespoke financial and LNG industry model, wrote and presented credit assessment memo, led Q&A, and acted as management liaison.
  • Led analysis and team on Teekay Offshore Partners LP initial credit rating - a $610 million buyout and recapitalization by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners - met with senior management at both entities on strategy, financing, and operational plans while analyzing Brookfield investment thesis and financial models to provide new rating on "B" rated senior unsecured notes issued in July 2018. Created a bottom-up DCF financial model, industry peer comps, and loss-given-default bankruptcy analysis, wrote and presented credit assessment presentation to rating committee and led Q&A session.
  • Participated in Fitch working group on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and built a global industry supply-demand model to compute pricing assumptions on LNG-related corporate and project finance entities.
  • Wrote Leveraged Finance Spotlight Series Report on Cheniere Energy Partners LP as sole author, published November 2018.
  • Created a comparables financial model to benchmark rated companies' credit metrics against its peers in similar peer groups using Excel, VBA, and SQL.
Coleman Research Group, Inc.
January 2014 - May 2016
Research Associate - Senior Research Associate
  • Performed primary market research, industry and company due diligence for investment management clients on buy-side for an expert network providing research products based on access to industry experts and executives.
Brown University
Class of 2013
B.A. Political Science
Skills, Qualifications, & Interests:
  • Passed CFA Level I Exam, CFA Level II Candidate
  • Achieved certification in credit analysis at Fitch Credit Academy, a firm-wide training initiative that requires taking courses in fundamental concepts of credit analysis for corporates, structured finance, municipal & government finance, and sovereign debt.
  • Extensive experience creating, updating, and maintaining complex financial models in Excel.
  • Model examples: DCF, trading comparables, precedent transaction analysis, LBO, project finance performance modeling, mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcies, recapitalizations.
  • Sectors covered: upstream oil & gas, midstream energy, regulated utilities, competitive generation, renewable and hydrocarbons project finance and infrastructure projects.
  • Conversant in Russian.
  • Proficiency with JavaScript and Python for front-end engineering and data science applications.
  • Python libraries experience: pandas, numpy, matplotlib, seaborn, scikit-learn, scikit-image, scikit-time.
  • Javascript libraries experience: node.js, d3.js, Vue.js, React.js, Vuex, Nuxt, Redux, p5.js, jQuery, Lodash, three.js, Leaflet, Mapbox.
  • Cycling
  • Fishing
  • Travel
  • Art & Visual Design
  • Investing