Finding the CFO to stabilise and build

A UK industrial multi-site business operating in the circular economy. Recently emerged from financial restructuring under new investor ownership. A CFO appointment that would set the tone for the next three years.

The situation
The business had come through a difficult restructure. Foundations were improving. The next phase was harder.
It needed to move from owner-led and entrepreneurial to disciplined and data-driven. The market was shifting at the same time. Customer expectations, sustainability, operational complexity, all moving at once.
The CFO role was not a technical finance hire. It was the spine of the next chapter.

The challenge
The initial instinct was a turnaround CFO. Restructuring credentials, strong on controls.
What the business needed was different. A finance leader who could stabilise without slowing the business down. Visible across sites. Comfortable in ambiguity.

The real challenge was not finding a technically capable CFO. It was finding someone who could stabilise, influence and build trust while helping the business scale.
CEO

 

The process
We searched across operationally intensive manufacturers where finance had worked shoulder to shoulder with operations.
Every candidate was assessed for behaviour under pressure and how they built trust. The appointed candidate came from a structured global manufacturer. Years inside the operation, not above it.

The outcome
The business now has a finance leader who can run the controls and walk the sites. Investor confidence lifted across a three-year horizon.
If your business is post-restructure and the next phase is building, this is the appointment that has to be right.