Manuel Roman

Go-getter
DISC Type : d

Chief Financial Officer at Emotion

Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Overview

As Group CFO at Emotion, Manuel Roman utilizes over 18 years of global finance experience to scale the PE-backed SaaS platform. He focuses on M&A execution, exit preparation, and strategy, drawing on his INSEAD MBA and his prior success in scaling OLX to a $9 billion valuation.

Driven by a search for purpose, Manuel pivoted from investment banking and, after a startup failure, moved his family to Singapore for his MBA. This transformative journey led him to a more meaningful career in technology, highlighting his resilience and commitment to personal growth.

He was the recipient of the INSEAD LOreal Scholarship for Creativity, Diversity and Entrepreneurship.

Personality Overview

Challenger

Self-Confident

Decisive

They care equally about the product and its potential impact.  They don’t always try to control the conversation but neither do they like yielding it fully. They can be nudged to make faster decisions by offering what they value.

Topics They Care About

SaaS Scaling
His current mandate at Emotion is to build the finance function and the company for its next growth phase in the enterprise SaaS mobility space.
M&A Execution
A key focus of his role is executing and integrating M&A, a skill he utilized to help scale his previous company, OLX.
PE-backed Growth
He operates within a private equity-backed environment (PSG Equity) with a clear focus on preparing the company for a future exit.

Media Appearances

Manuel has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2026
Chief Financial Officer at Emotion
4-2023 - 12-2025
VP of FP&A at OLX
10-2020 - 4-2024
Board Director at Carsmile
4-2020 - 3-2023
CFO - OLX Motors (business unit) at OLX
8-2019 - 4-2020
CFO, Board Director - OLX Portugal (olx.pt, Imovirtual.com, Standvirtual.com) at OLX

Education

2016 - 2016
Master of Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD
2002 - 2007
Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA from Universidad Pontificia Comillas

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 7 Location : Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Financial Officer at Emotion
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Insights For Selling To Manuel

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Ask them questions confidently while doing discovery, don’t be apologetic
  • Get to the point quickly instead of spending too much time on pleasantries
  • Make sure that they have the necessary authority, they could present false stature sometimes

DONT's

  • Don’t try to be an alpha salesperson, give them equal space
  • Don’t expect them to change their mind quickly if they say no once
  • Don't try too hard to get friendly, let it happen with time

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Manuel is

  • Belief in the product plays an important role, followed by objective proof and testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Manuel

  • They may hesitate slightly, but if they are not convinced, they will say no.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Manuel move?

  • Their decision making speed is somewhere in the middle.
  • Can Manuel take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks only after they have analyzed the advantages and disadvantages.

You And Manuel

Personality Compatibility


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