Finance Leadership
Private Equity CFO Search in London
Portfolio CFOs for sponsors and the businesses they back
Phoenix Search runs retained executive search for CFOs in private equity and venture capital backed businesses, and for the finance leaders of the funds themselves. We work with sponsors, deal teams and operating partners hiring in London and across the UK, as well as in Ireland and the US.
The portfolio CFO brief has changed. Holds are longer, exits are harder to time, financing costs more and boards want answers faster. Sponsors hiring a CFO into a portfolio company are not looking for a strong controller. They want a partner to the deal team who can run the plan, protect the cash and get the business ready to sell.
The backdrop makes the hire harder to get right. Our Global CFO Survey 2026 found that only 26.6% of CFOs expect the global economy to improve in the first half of 2026, down from 49.5% a year earlier, while 75.5% are confident in their own organisation’s ability to navigate uncertainty. AI adoption among CFOs rose from 73.9% to 82.2% in a year. Sponsors now expect a portfolio CFO to have a clear view on where automation cuts cost and speeds up the close, and on the controls needed when it does.
How we run a PE CFO search
We start with the investment case. The brief is built from the value creation plan: the KPIs, the financing structure, any buy and build strategy and the likely exit route. That tells us whether the business needs a builder, a turnaround CFO or a finance leader to take it to sale.
We map finance leaders by ownership model. We look at CFOs who have worked under private equity ownership by sector, deal size and stage of the hold, so the shortlist reflects the business you own, not just the title.
We assess properly. Candidates are tested on cash discipline, reporting to a sponsor’s cycle, technical depth and commercial judgement. Our process pairs interviews with executive assessment and psychometrics.
We plan around the deal timetable. Many sponsors need the CFO in place at or shortly after completion. We start searches during the deal process where possible and build notice periods, commonly three to six months for senior finance roles, into the plan.
We close the hire. We benchmark compensation and incentives so offers land at market, and manage the move from accepted offer to start date.
PE CFO and finance roles we search for
- CFOs and Finance Directors for PE and VC backed portfolio companies
- First-time and repeat private equity CFOs
- Combined CFO and COO roles
- CFOs, COOs and Heads of Finance for private equity, private debt and venture capital firms
- Heads of Tax, Financial Reporting and Fund Accounting
- Transformation and integration leaders for buy and build strategies
- Non-executive directors and board chairs for portfolio companies
Where we work: London and the wider UK, Ireland and the US. We search across all three markets, so a London shortlist can be tested against the wider pool of finance leaders who have worked under private equity ownership. See our private capital executive search practice, our financial officers practice and, for Irish portfolio companies, CFO executive search in Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
What does a private equity CFO search involve?
A retained search that starts from the investment case. We agree the profile with the deal team and operating partners, map the market, assess candidates and manage the process through to an accepted offer and a start date.
Should we hire a first-time or a repeat PE CFO?
A CFO who has been through a full private equity cycle, from completion to exit, shortens the learning curve and reduces risk. A strong first-time candidate can bring more energy and sector depth but needs support from the sponsor’s operating team. Decide which risk you would rather carry before the search starts, because it changes the shortlist.
When should we start the search?
As early as possible, ideally during the deal process. Notice periods for senior finance roles are commonly three to six months, and the first 100 days should go on delivery, not on a search.
Do you hire finance leaders for the funds as well as portfolio companies?
Yes. We hire CFOs, COOs and Heads of Finance for private equity, private debt and venture capital firms, including combined CFO and COO roles at a private equity firm and a venture capital fund manager.
