Executive search
CFO. Finance-led governance. Succession.
We partner with boards, founders and investors to appoint CFOs, senior finance leaders and finance-literate Chairs and NEDs in lower mid-market sustainable and investor-backed businesses.
Our work is retained, partner-led and evidence-based. We define the role in context, map the market with discipline, and evaluate judgement under pressure. The result is an appointment that holds up to board scrutiny, investor questions and operational reality.
Executive appointments shape capital confidence, governance discipline and the pace of execution. We treat search as a strategic decision, not a rush to market.
Before outreach begins, we align on what the next stage demands and what “good” looks like in practice. That means clarity on outcomes, trade-offs and decision rights. It also means designing the role for where the organisation is going, not where it has been.
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Growth stage, priorities and operating constraints
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Board dynamics and investor expectations
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Capital structure, risk profile and scrutiny level
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Culture, leadership gaps and decision rights
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We define the role for where the organisation is going, not where it has been.
Strategic Search, Not Transactional Recruitment
Typical process
Every engagement follows a clear, staged process from role definition to onboarding, with decision criteria agreed upfront.
You get structured updates, documented assessment, and a process you can explain to the board and defend with investors.
Our commitment continues beyond the start date through onboarding support and early check-ins.
How We Build an Effective Search
Led by experienced advisers who understand boards, capital providers and executive accountability. We assess how leaders make decisions under pressure, allocate capital, build trust and influence governance.
Deep market mapping, strengthened by AI-enabled research, combined with structured interviews, scenario testing and reference triangulation. Insight precedes outreach. Evidence precedes recommendation.
Trusted relationships across investor-backed businesses and scaling organisations, strengthened by disciplined research. This widens reach beyond visible candidates to those not actively on the market.
Access to Senior Networks
Research and Structured Evaluation
Consultant-Led Judgement
Establishing search priorities
We define the role in context and agree explicit decision criteria before outreach begins.
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Context review: strategy, capital plan and governance expectations
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Stakeholder interviews: board, investor and leadership inputs
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Success profile: outcomes for the first 12–18 months
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Search brief: clear scope, must-haves and trade-offs
Determining a search strategy
We build a search plan that balances reach, relevance and discretion, with a clear candidate narrative.
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Market mapping: target sectors and adjacency thinking
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Research-led longlist: breadth without noise
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Value proposition: why this role, why now, why you
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Outreach plan: sequencing, messaging and confidentiality
Attracting and evaluating candidates
We engage candidates carefully and test what matters for the next stage, not just past roles.
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Targeted outreach: clear narrative and expectations
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Structured evaluation: interviews and scenario-based testing
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Motivation and trajectory: why this move, why now
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Evidence-based shortlist: built on data, not familiarity
Presenting qualified candidates
We give you a shortlist you can compare objectively and discuss credibly with the board and investors.
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Written assessment: against agreed decision criteria
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Evidence-led comparison: strengths, risks and development areas
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Targeted referencing: aligned to specific hypotheses
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Decision support: clear rationale and recommendation
Completing the search
We protect the appointment through final diligence, careful offer shaping and a strong start plan.
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Final diligence: referencing and background checks as agreed
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Offer shaping: scope, incentives and expectations
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Onboarding plan: aligned to the first 90 days and first year
Snapshot
96%
Search mandate success rate
68 NPS
Highly recommended by candidates
85%
Appointments in place after 12m
14
Pro-bono searches for non-profits
1/2
Profits shared with colleagues and clients
Our commitment to diverse leadership
Diverse leadership improves decision quality. It reduces blind spots and strengthens challenge. We build balanced longlists through disciplined market mapping, consistent evaluation criteria and active mitigation of bias in outreach and assessment.
We do not treat diversity as a separate workstream. It is built into how we define the role, search the market and make decisions. The standard is the same: appoint leaders who can deliver, influence, and hold up under scrutiny.