Proof so far
Completed appointments: CFO, Head of Finance, Finance Director, Country Head, Head of Operations, Data Science Lead and Sales Leadership — across 20+ leadership and specialist mandates for 10+ clients, including 2 leadership hires in the USA. Client names are withheld; references are available on request. Read the case studies →
A new investor usually means a new finance brief. Russell Reynolds found that 71% of PE portfolio companies hire a new CFO after investment, and more than 80% of portfolio CFOs come from outside the company (source). The CFO who got the business to the deal is not always the one who takes it to exit.
What investors usually want from the CFO
- The value-creation plan, owned. Monthly reporting against the plan, with the drivers explained rather than just the variances.
- Board and lender reporting. Covenant tracking, cash forecasting and a board pack the investors trust.
- Controls and audit readiness. Clean books, a fast close and no surprises in diligence.
- Exit readiness. Either a sale process or an IPO; 82% of investors prefer a CFO with IPO experience, yet only about 15% of portfolio CFOs have it (source).
The first 100 days: where finance hiring fits
The CFO decision often comes in the first 100 days, sometimes alongside an FP&A Head or Controller to build the reporting the investors need. We work with the CEO, the CHRO or the investor's operating partner, and keep the search confidential while an incumbent is still in role.
How Talfino runs it
- A brief that starts from the investment thesis, not a generic CFO job description.
- A target map of finance leaders who have worked in investor-backed businesses at your stage — approved by you before anyone is approached.
- A written update every Friday, so the board and the investor see progress.
- Assessment against what the next three years require: reporting discipline, cash, growth or exit.
Not every business needs a new CFO after investment. Sometimes the right move is to keep the CFO and hire a strong FP&A Head or Controller beneath them. We will say so if that is our view. See finance leadership search.
Frequently asked questions
Who do you work with: the fund or the company?
Either. Most often the company's CEO or CHRO, with the investor's operating partner involved in the brief and the shortlist.
Can you run the search while the current CFO is still in role?
Yes. Confidential replacements are run on a need-to-know basis, with anonymised briefs to candidates until there is mutual interest.
Do you also hire for VC-backed startups?
Yes, typically from Series B onwards, when the business needs its first real CFO or a finance leader ready for the next raise.
Just closed an investment round?
Tell us what the investors expect from finance in the next 12 to 36 months. We will tell you whether the answer is a new CFO, or a stronger team beneath the current one.
Confidential · A personal reply from the founder, the same business day