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 CFO is rarely the last finance hire. After investment, during a GCC build or ahead of a listing, companies typically need a Head of Finance, an FP&A Head, a Controller and often a transformation lead within the same year. Hiring them one agency at a time costs more, takes longer and produces a team that was never designed together.
What a Finance Team Build is
One partner hires your finance leadership team over six to twelve months, against a single plan agreed with your CFO or CEO. Instead of a separate negotiation and a separate fee for every role, you get:
- One hiring plan. Which roles, in what order, at what level and pay, based on what the finance function has to deliver.
- One market map. We map the finance talent in your market once, then reuse it across every role, which makes the second and third hires faster.
- Priority and continuity. The same founder runs every search and knows your business, your CFO and your culture by the second hire.
- Lower cost per hire. A modest monthly retainer plus a reduced success fee per hire, typically cheaper than separate agency fees once you are hiring three or more roles.
- A written update every Friday across all open roles, and a 90-day replacement commitment on every hire, subject to the terms of the engagement.
Who it is for
- GCCs and India finance hubs building finance leadership for a UK, US or Gulf parent. India’s capability centres are on track for more than 5 lakh hires in 2026, with finance and accounting about 6% of that hiring (Business Today, July 2026).
- Companies after PE or VC investment, where the investors expect a stronger finance function within the first year. 71% of PE portfolio companies hire a new CFO after investment (Russell Reynolds), and the team beneath usually changes too.
- Companies preparing to list, which need a Controller and FP&A team that can run a quarterly reporting calendar.
- Gulf groups institutionalising finance, moving from founder-led bookkeeping to investor-grade reporting.
Typical roles in a build
CFO or Finance Director (if needed), Head of Finance, Head of FP&A, Financial Controller, Treasury or tax lead, and finance systems or transformation lead. See finance leadership roles and 2026 pay bands.
How it starts
- A 30-minute call on what the finance function must deliver in the next 12 months.
- A short outline of the roles, sequence and indicative pay, free of charge. The detailed hiring plan and named market map are delivered once the engagement starts.
- Agreement on the retainer, the per-hire fee and a minimum term, usually six months.
- The first search starts with the Approved Map; the rest follow on the agreed sequence.
Frequently asked questions
How many hires make a Finance Team Build worthwhile?
Usually three or more finance leadership roles within six to twelve months. For one or two roles, a standard retained search is better value.
Is it exclusive?
Yes, for the roles in the plan. That is what lets us reuse one market map across the team and commit the founder's time.
Can we add or pause roles?
Yes. The plan is reviewed monthly; roles can be added, re-ordered or paused within the agreed term.
Does it cover roles below leadership level?
Selectively, where they sit in the same finance team, such as senior FP&A or controllership managers. It is not a volume hiring service.
Hiring more than one finance leader this year?
Tell us what the finance function must deliver. We will come back with an outline of the roles, sequence and indicative pay before you decide anything.
Confidential · A personal reply from the founder, the same business day