Why CFO-To-CFO Handovers Are Getting Shorter, And What That Says About Boards
CFO handovers are shrinking from months to weeks. Here is what shorter transitions reveal about board readiness, succession planning and finance risk.
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Hiring a CFO
Practical guidance on hiring a Chief Financial Officer for a mid-market or PE-backed business: when to hire, what good looks like, and how to run the search. Written by the team that places CFOs.
31 articles
What Boards Now Ask On CFO References They Didn't Ask A Year Ago
Boards are asking sharper CFO reference questions than a year ago. Here are the exact prompts now separating strong hires from expensive mistakes.
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The One Board Preparation Habit That Makes A New CFO Look Ready
The single board prep habit that makes a new CFO look ready: brief the board before the meeting, not during it. Why it works and how to coach it.
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What Family Businesses Should Actually Test For In A Non-Family CFO
How family and founder-led businesses should assess a non-family CFO: the real tests for trust, judgement and change beyond the CV.
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CASE STUDY: £90m PE-Backed Group Where The First Interim CFO Got The Permanent Seat
How a £90m PE-backed group turned its first interim CFO into the permanent hire, and the conditions that made it work.
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Why PE Portfolio CFOs Now Move In Threes, Not Ones
Portfolio CFOs increasingly arrive with a controller and an FP&A lead. Here is why PE-backed boards now hire finance leadership as a small team.
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When To Let An FD Run Finance For A Year Instead Of Hiring A CFO
When a strong FD can run finance for a year instead of hiring a CFO, and the signals that tell a board it is time to search properly.
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The Most Under-Hired Finance Role In The Mid-Market Right Now
The Head of FP&A is the most under-hired finance role in the mid-market. Here is why it matters, when to hire, and what good looks like.
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CASE STUDY: £40m Fintech Where The CFO Left After Six Months, And What The Board Learned
A £40m fintech lost its CFO after six months. Here is what went wrong in the hire, and the four lessons the board took into the next search.
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The Interview Question That Separates Operators From Reporters
The one finance leadership interview question that reveals whether a CFO candidate drives the business or just describes it. Advice for hiring boards.
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Why 'Cultural Fit' Ends Up Meaning 'Founder Fit' In 90 Percent Of CFO Hires
Cultural fit in CFO hiring often collapses into founder fit. Here is why that happens, why it costs boards, and how to hire for the business instead.
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Why The Best Finance Function Redesigns Start With The CFO Job Spec
The strongest finance function redesigns begin with the CFO job spec. Here is why the spec sets the ceiling for every hire, system and process below it.
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What Great Chairs Do Differently In A CFO First 60 Days
How the best chairs set up a new CFO to succeed in their first 60 days, from clear mandates to board access and early wins.
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Boards That Rehire From The Interim Seat Almost Always Get Burned
Why converting an interim CFO into the permanent hire without a proper search usually backfires, and how boards should test the seat instead.
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The Mid-Year Board Review Question Every CFO Fails On
The mid-year board question that trips up most CFOs is about the forecast they no longer believe. Here is how strong finance leaders answer it.
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CASE STUDY: £150m Manufacturing Business Where The New CFO Redesigned The Team In 30 Days
How a new CFO at a £150m manufacturer restructured the finance function in 30 days, and what the board learned about hiring for change.
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Why Governance-First CFOs Are Now A Distinct Hiring Track
Governance-first CFOs are now a separate hiring track. Learn why boards and PE firms are prioritising control, assurance and reporting discipline in finance leaders.
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Why The Best CFO Hires Start With The Outgoing CFO
The strongest CFO hires begin with a proper handover from the departing finance chief. Here is how boards turn an exit into a better appointment.
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The Hidden Signal In Every CFO Cover Letter Boards Miss
The strongest signal in a CFO cover letter is not achievement. It is how a candidate frames ownership. Here is what boards routinely overlook.
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CASE STUDY: £180m Distribution Business Where The CFO Rehire Cost More Than The Original Miss
A £180m distributor lost more on rehiring its CFO than on the first bad hire. Here is what went wrong and how the board could have avoided it.
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Why Founders Keep Underestimating What A First CFO Costs In Total
The true cost of a first CFO is rarely the salary. Here is what founders miss on bonus, equity, hiring fees and the cost of a wrong hire.
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The Two Reference Questions That Predict CFO Success Best
The two reference questions that predict CFO success: how they handled bad news, and whether the referee would hire them again in a crisis.
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The Interim CFO Trap Boards Keep Falling Into
Interim CFOs solve short-term gaps but boards often mistake stability for a permanent solution. Here is how to avoid the trap.
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CASE STUDY: £75m Healthcare Group Where The Board Hired Interim, Then Realised Why
A £75m healthcare group hired an interim CFO to bridge a gap, then discovered what the role actually needed. The lesson for boards and PE operating partners.
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The Two Weeks After A CFO Signs An Offer That Predict Retention
The fortnight after a CFO signs, not the first 90 days, predicts whether they stay. Here is what board members and CEOs should do in that window.
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CASE STUDY: £65m SaaS Group Where The Internal FD Beat Four External CFOs
How an internal FD outperformed four external CFO candidates at a £65m SaaS group, and what the board learned about promoting from within.
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The Boardroom Question That Reveals A CFO's Real Strategic Depth
The one question that separates a strategic CFO from a capable accountant. What to ask, why it works, and how to read the answer.
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The New CFO Search Timeline That Actually Works
A realistic CFO search runs 12 to 16 weeks from brief to signed offer. Here is the timeline that works, and where most boards lose momentum.
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Why Boards Now Interview For The Second CFO Hire, Not The First
Smart boards hire a CFO who can survive their own succession. Here is why the second-hire lens produces better first appointments.
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CASE STUDY: £120m PE-Backed Services Group Where The Chair Reversed A CFO Decision
How a chair overturned a CFO's call at a £120m PE-backed services group, why it happened, and what boards should learn about authority and hiring.
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The Investor Meeting Style That Kills Second-Time CFO Applications
Why the presentation habits that impressed one board can sink a second-time CFO's next application, and what hiring boards actually watch for.
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