Recruiting a CFO
FD Capital are specialist CFO recruiters. We place Chief Financial Officers into businesses of every stage — from founder-led SMEs preparing for their first institutional raise, to PE-backed portfolio companies navigating exit. If you need a CFO, we know where to find the right one.
What sets us apart is straightforward: our team includes current CFOs and FDs themselves. We’ve held the roles we recruit for. That means we ask better questions at brief stage, make more accurate assessments at shortlist, and give you honest advice when the brief needs refining — not just a long list of CVs.
Our Track Record
Numbers matter in recruitment. Here is what ours look like:
Over 160 CFO placements made
8 Days avg. brief to shortlist
4,700 Candidates in active network
“Adrian worked with us as our Fractional CFO for six months and we are genuinely grateful for the contribution he made. His financial expertise and calm, professional approach gave us confidence in our numbers and supported better decision-making across the business. I would recommend Adrian and FD Capital without hesitation.” — Josh Haugh, MAS Technicae Group (International) Ltd, West Sussex”
How We Get CFO Recruitment Right
About Our Founder
FD Capital was founded by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Chartered Accountant with over two decades of experience in finance leadership and executive search. Adrian holds a BSc from Queen Mary College, University of London and is a Fellow of the ICAEW. Before founding FD Capital he worked across private, listed, owner-managed and PE-backed organisations, giving him direct experience of the finance challenges and hiring decisions that CFOs are appointed to solve. He personally leads our most senior CFO searches and conducts candidate interviews himself — which is why our assessment process goes substantially deeper than a standard recruiter screen. Every brief Adrian takes is informed by having sat on both sides of the table. See his ICAEW registered firm.
FD Capital operates in accordance with recognised executive search standards and professional recruitment best practices. We support the principles outlined in the UK government’s executive search code of conduct.
A CFO recruitment can fail at the brief stage. A client describes the CFO they think they need, a generalist recruiter matches keywords, and three months later everyone is wondering why the hire isn’t working. The CFO who was brilliant at restructuring a distressed business is a poor fit for a high-growth SaaS scale-up, and vice versa.
Because our team includes current CFOs, we challenge briefs early. We ask whether the role needs a strategic CFO or an operational one. Whether the company needs someone who has done an exit before or someone who can build the finance function from scratch. Whether a full-time hire is genuinely justified or whether a fractional CFO would deliver better value at this stage. That conversation — before we ever pick up the phone to a candidate — is where good CFO recruitment starts. The majority of our candidates are ICAEW qualified.
A typical example is an Insure Tech client who came to us wanting a full time CFO at a salary of £160K After speaking with them we recommended a fractional CFO instead — we placed one within 5 days and saved £60K Insure Tech Three years later, the same fractional CFO remains in post.
How Our CFO Recruitment Process Works
We run a structured process, but we move quickly. Most clients receive a shortlist within 8 working days of a confirmed brief.
Our CFO Process
1 Brief & Scoping Call
We spend time understanding the role properly — not just the job description but the context. What has the business just been through? What does it need to do in the next 18 months? What does the CEO need from a finance partner, not just a finance function head? This call typically takes 45–60 minutes and replaces the need for lengthy written briefs.
2 Candidate Identification
We draw on our active candidate network first — CFOs and senior FDs who we know, have spoken to recently, and can vouch for. For specialist roles we run a targeted search rather than relying on job board responses. We are looking for candidates who have done the specific things your business needs, not candidates who score well on a generic competency framework.
Our network includes over 4,600 pre-vetted FDs and CFOs across a wide range of sectors; we have a core team we speak to on a regular basis many of whom are exclusive to FD Capital or not actively seeking roles.
Executive Search Specialists
3 Screening & Assessment
Every candidate we present has been interviewed by a member of our team before you see them. Because our interviewers include currents CFOs themselves, such as Adrian Lawrence FCA our founder, these conversations go deeper than a standard recruiter screen. We probe for specific achievements, not job descriptions. We look for evidence of commercial judgement, not just technical competence. We also assess cultural fit against what we know about your business from the scoping call.
4 Shortlist Presentation
We typically present 3 candidates, each with a detailed profile that goes beyond the CV — our assessment of their strengths, any areas to probe in interview, and why we believe they fit this specific role. We do not send long lists. If we cannot find the right candidates we tell you, and we explain why.
5 Interview Support & Offer
We help structure interview stages and can advise on assessment approaches for CFO-level roles. We manage candidate communication throughout and handle offer negotiation, which at CFO level often involves package complexity beyond base salary — equity, bonus structures, pension, and for interim roles, day rate and contract terms.
Streamline your recruitment process
6 Post-placement
We stay in contact after placement. For permanent roles we offer a 12-week rebate guarantee. For interim and fractional placements, we remain available as a point of contact for both client and candidate throughout the engagement.
Finance Director Services from FD Capital
FD Capital was founded by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW with over 25 years of experience working with senior finance professionals, boards and business owners across the UK. He holds an ICAEW practising certificate in his own name. FD Capital has been providing Finance Director services since 2018. FD Capital is accredited by the Good Business Charter and is a recognised Living Wage Employer.
To discuss your Finance Director requirement, call 020 3287 9501 or complete the form on this page.
Full-Time, Part-Time, Fractional and Interim: Getting the Structure Right
One of the most common — and costly — mistakes in CFO recruitment is defaulting to a full-time permanent hire when the business does not yet need one. A business turning over £3m does not require the same CFO capacity as one at £30m. We help clients think clearly about what structure actually fits their stage and budget before committing to a hire type. We also place Finance Directors.
Full-time permanent CFO: Appropriate when the finance function needs consistent senior leadership and the business has sufficient complexity to justify the overhead. Typically, businesses from £15m+ revenue or those that have completed a significant funding round.
Part-time or fractional CFO: The fastest-growing segment of the market. Gives businesses access to CFO-level capability without full-time cost — typically 2 or 3 days per week or month. Particularly effective for businesses preparing for fundraising, acquisition, or an exit where a full-time hire would be premature.
Interim CFO: Used to cover a defined period — a gap between permanent hires, a specific transaction or restructuring, or a maternity/long-term absence cover. Our interim network includes CFOs available at short notice, many within 5 working days of instruction.
Where We Have the Deepest Experience
Our Culture
We recruit CFOs across most sectors, but the following represent areas where we have placed repeatedly and where our candidate networks are strongest:
PE-backed businesses
Venture capital & scale-ups
SaaS & technology
E-commerce & retail
Financial services
Manufacturing
Professional services
Family office
Hospitality & leisure
Not-for-profit & charity
Education & schools
AIM & listed companies
What to Expect from a CFO We Place
The CFOs in our network are operational as well as strategic. At the level we recruit, you should expect your CFO to be doing all of the following from day one — not after a six-month settling-in period they can take ownership of Corporate Governance and also:-
- Own the numbers: Reliable management accounts, meaningful KPI reporting, accurate cash flow forecasting. If the basics are broken, that gets fixed first.
- Advise on structure: Debt versus equity, dividend policy, working capital management, group structure. The CFO should have a view and be willing to defend it.
- Lead transactions: Fundraising, acquisition due diligence, sale preparation, refinancing. A CFO who has not led a transaction before is a risk in businesses where transactions are likely.
- Be a genuine business partner: Your CFO should be challenging the commercial assumptions of the business, not just reporting on them. If the CEO is the only one asking hard questions in the boardroom, the CFO is not doing their job.
- Develop the finance team: The CFO is responsible for the quality of the team beneath them. A strong CFO raises the capability of everyone around them.
Recruitment is what we do best!
Private equity–backed SaaS business, £18m revenue, UK-based.
Needed a CFO to professionalise reporting, support international expansion, and lead investor relations ahead of a planned Series B fundraise. We placed a full-time CFO within 7 weeks. Outcome: financial reporting was rebuilt, investor confidence strengthened, and the company successfully completed a £22m fundraise, enabling expansion into two new international markets. British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association is a useful resource.
Manufacturing business, £45m turnover, Midlands-based.
Required an experienced CFO to stabilise cash flow, improve working capital management, and lead negotiations with lenders following a challenging trading period. We placed an interim CFO within 3 weeks, later transitioning to permanent. Outcome: renegotiated banking facilities, improved cash visibility, and restored profitability within 12 months, positioning the business for long-term stability.
High-growth e-commerce company, founder-led, £6m revenue.
Needed a CFO to prepare the business for exit, implement financial controls, and support due diligence with potential acquirers. We placed a fractional CFO within 4 weeks. Outcome: finance function was professionalised, EBITDA visibility improved, and the company completed a successful trade sale to a strategic buyer, achieving a premium valuation.
Beyond the core CFO brief, we have particular experience recruiting for the following situations:
CFO for PE-backed businesses
Private equity-backed CFOs operate under specific pressures: tight reporting cycles, covenant compliance, investor relations, and the ever-present preparation for exit. We have placed CFOs into PE-backed businesses at every stage of the investment cycle, from initial platform acquisition through to exit. We understand what PE houses look for in a CFO and can advise on profile, package, and process.
CFO for fundraising and growth
A CFO appointment timed around a fundraise needs to move fast and land right first time. We know what investors want to see in a CFO candidate and we have supported businesses through Series A, B, and later-stage raises. If your CFO appointment is linked to a funding round, tell us the timeline — we will structure the process accordingly.
CFO for exit preparation
A business preparing for trade sale or PE exit needs a CFO who has done it before. The quality of financial reporting, the state of the data room, and the credibility of the CFO in front of acquirers or investors all directly affect valuation. We have placed CFOs specifically for exit preparation mandates and can move quickly when timelines are tight.
Interim CFO at short notice
If your CFO has resigned, been signed off ill, or the business has reached a point of crisis requiring immediate senior finance leadership, we have interim CFOs available at very short notice. Call us directly on 020 3287 9501 — we can often have someone available for an initial call the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does CFO recruitment typically take?
For most permanent briefs, we present a shortlist within 5 working days of a confirmed brief. Total time from brief to offer accepted is typically 1-3 weeks, depending on interview process length and notice period. For interim placements, we can often present candidates within 5 working days.
What are your fees?
Permanent CFO recruitment is charged as a percentage of first-year base salary. Interim and fractional placements are charged as a margin on the day rate or a fixed arrangement fee. We are transparent about fees at the start of any engagement.
Typically, we charge 20-25% for permanent placements.
Fractional and Interims – Our fees are straightforward and including both the candidate and our costs are typically in the range of £750 to £1,500 per day plus VAT.
What guarantee do you offer?
For permanent placements we offer a 12-week free replacement guarantee. Full terms are provided in our client agreement. We have a strong placement retention record — the majority of CFOs we place remain with the business well beyond the guarantee period.
50% or more of our permanent placements are still in post after 2 years
Do you work on retained or contingency basis?
We work on both, depending on the nature and seniority of the brief. For the most senior or specialist CFO searches we recommend a retained arrangement, which allows us to run a more thorough search rather than relying solely on our existing active network. We are happy to advise on which approach suits your requirement.
Can you recruit a CFO for a business outside London?
Yes. While we are London-based, we recruit nationally and have placed CFOs across the UK including Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Oxford, Cambridge and beyond. For fractional and remote roles, geography is rarely a constraint.
What Clients Say
Matt Quigley CEO, Yoga Hub an EU based Leisure client
“FD Capital introduced us to an FD/CFO who immediately strengthened our financial reporting and gave us confidence in the numbers. The quality of candidates was really strong, and the process was handled with professionalism throughout. Within months, we were operating with far greater financial clarity and strategic focus.”
Fortuna – Falkland Island Client
“We needed a CFO who could relocate to the Falklands. FD Capital quickly understood our requirements and introduced candidates with exactly the right blend of technical strength and commercial insight. The CFO we appointed played a key role in helping us secure our next phase of Development”
Ian Simmonds, Managing Director, Manufacturing Group (150 employees, UK)
“Our business was going through a period of change, and we needed an experienced CFO who could improve controls and support growth. The team quickly produced a shortlist of high-quality candidates; The CFO we hired has made a real difference, improving the accuracy of our Management Information improved team cohesion.”
Tell us about your CFO requirement
We respond to all new enquiries within one working day. If your need is urgent, call us directly on 020 3287 9501.
Why FD Capital for CFO Recruitment?
There are many CFO recruiters in the UK. Most of them recruit across a wide range of finance roles and treat CFO mandates as the senior end of a generalist finance desk. We do not. CFO recruitment is the core of what we do, and it has been since we were founded. Our team brings firsthand CFO experience to every brief, which changes the quality of the conversation at every stage of the process.
If you are looking for a CFO — full-time, part-time, fractional or interim — talk to us. We will give you an honest assessment of the market, a clear view on timelines and cost, and a process that is built around your business rather than around our workflow.
FD Capital Recruitment Ltd is registered at Companies House (no. 13329383) and has been providing CFOs and Finance Directors since 2018.
Call 020 3287 9501 or use the form above to tell us about your requirement. We will be in touch within one working day.
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