Search process
From role definition to appointment confidence, a search process should protect the decision, not just fill the role.
We run retained searches for CFOs, senior finance leaders and finance-led board appointments where the outcome must stand up to board, investor and candidate scrutiny.
Every stage is designed to clarify criteria, widen the market, test judgement and support the appointment beyond acceptance.
Before the market is approached
The first decision is what the role must improve.
Weak searches often start with an old job description.
The title is familiar, but the next stage has changed. Growth is more complex. Capital is under greater scrutiny. Governance needs more challenge. The board needs stronger evidence before committing.
Before outreach begins, we define the appointment against the business context, not only the vacancy.
We clarify:
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what the next stage demands from finance leadership
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what decisions the role must improve
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what trade-offs the board needs to understand
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what criteria candidates will be assessed against
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what evidence will be needed before recommendation
The result is a search brief that reflects where the organisation is going, not where it has been.
The five-stage search process
1. Agreeing the appointment criteria
We start by aligning the brief with the business model, capital plan, governance expectations and next-stage risks.
This includes stakeholder conversations with founders, CEOs, Chairs, investors and leadership teams where relevant.
The output is a clear appointment brief, decision criteria and success profile for the first 12 to 18 months.
What this protects: the search is not shaped by assumptions, legacy structure or the loudest voice in the room.
2. Mapping the market
We build the search strategy before outreach begins.
That means defining the target market, adjacent sectors, candidate narrative, confidentiality approach and long-list criteria.
Trusted networks matter, but they are not enough. We use research-led mapping to widen the field beyond familiar names, visible candidates and recycled shortlists.
What this protects: boards get a clearer view of the market before deciding who is credible.
3. Engaging and testing candidates
Senior candidates need clarity, discretion and a credible process.
We engage candidates with a clear narrative: why this role, why now and what the next stage demands.
Assessment starts early. We test motivation, judgement, relevant experience and fit with the decisions the role will face.
What this protects: candidate confidence is built on substance, not persuasion.
4. Presenting a defensible shortlist
A shortlist should help the board make a better decision.
We present candidates against the agreed criteria, with clear evidence, risks, trade-offs and questions still to test.
That includes structured assessment, comparison against the role context and targeted referencing aligned to specific hypotheses.
What this protects: the board can compare candidates objectively and explain the decision to investors, advisers and internal stakeholders.
5. Completing the appointment
Offer acceptance is not the end of the search.
We support final diligence, offer shaping, expectations, transition planning and early integration.
The aim is to protect the appointment through the first months in role, when confidence, control and working rhythm are being tested.
What this protects: the appointment has a stronger chance of converting into performance, not just acceptance.
Trusted when appointments carry consequence.
Used by founders, boards, investors and advisers when finance leadership affects growth, capital, governance and control.
What clients can expect
Clear evidence at each stage.
Most retained searches typically take 8 to 12 weeks from engagement to placement, depending on role complexity, market conditions and decision pace.
Throughout the process, clients receive structured updates, market insight and clear recommendations.
You can expect:
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agreed appointment criteria before outreach
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disciplined market mapping
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regular progress updates
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structured candidate assessment
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clear shortlist rationale
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targeted referencing
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offer and transition support
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post-appointment check-ins
The point is not more process. It is better judgement at the moments where the decision can go wrong.
What we need from clients
Search works best when decisions stay clear.
A strong search depends on timely access to the right decision-makers.
We ask clients to stay close to the criteria, give prompt feedback and make trade-offs explicit when the market evidence develops.
That helps protect momentum without rushing judgement.
Good client input improves:
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role definition
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candidate engagement
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market calibration
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assessment quality
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final decision confidence
Why the process matters
Poor appointments rarely fail at offer stage.
They fail because the role was misdefined, the criteria were unclear, the market was too narrow or the risks were not tested early enough.
For CFO and finance-led board appointments, those failures create commercial consequences.
Forecasts lose credibility.
Boards lose confidence.
Capital decisions become harder to defend.
Leadership attention moves from growth to recovery.
Our process is designed to reduce those risks before the appointment is made.
