MKA Insights

About Wai

Wai co-founded MKA Insights in 2017 and serves as the firm’s CFO and Managing Partner. Over the past eight years, he has built the financial infrastructure that supports the firm’s operations—managing budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and financial planning as MKA has grown into a specialized consulting practice serving mid-market life sciences companies. His disciplined approach to financial management and operational rigor has been foundational to the firm’s ability to scale sustainably and invest in long-term client relationships.

Before founding MKA, Wai spent 20 years in corporate finance roles across public companies, venture-backed startups, and private equity-backed businesses—giving him exposure to diverse business models, growth stages, and financial challenges. At iRobot (NASDAQ: IRBT), Wai was part of the finance team during a period of explosive growth—revenue expanded from $300M to $500M and the stock price tripled from $12 to over $30 per share. He managed the company’s budget consolidation, calculated EPS and EBITDA guidance for quarterly earnings calls, and served as the finance lead for the Evolution Robotics acquisition and the launch of Ava Robotics (a proprietary telepresence technology). His work helped shift Wall Street’s perception of iRobot from a consumer goods company to a technology company—driving better analyst coverage and improved valuations.

At Alex Brands (a PE-backed retail consumer goods company), Wai oversaw all aspects of finance and accounting—including the 3-statement model, debt covenant monitoring, cash management, and strategic profitability reviews with PE operating partners. His ability to build scalable financial systems and communicate financial performance to investors and board members became a core strength that he has carried throughout his career.

At Sovereign Health System, Wai created standardized management reporting for a portfolio of 60+ independent healthcare businesses, implemented a consistent annual operating plan (AOP) process, and built de novo financial models to support business development and M&A activities. This work required building financial discipline across decentralized organizations—a challenge that taught him how to create clarity and accountability in complex operating environments.

Wai started his career in tax advisory at KPMG and McKinsey & Company, where he developed a strong foundation in financial analysis, business modeling, and strategic problem-solving. His transition from advisory work to operating roles gave him a deep appreciation for the realities of implementation—understanding that financial strategy is only valuable if it can be executed in practice.

At MKA, Wai brings this operating experience to the firm’s financial leadership and occasionally supports client engagements that require expertise in FP&A system design, M&A integration planning, cash flow optimization, and financial due diligence. His focus is on ensuring that MKA operates with the same financial discipline and strategic clarity that the firm brings to its client work—building a sustainable, client-focused business that can deliver long-term value.