Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Private Equity Backed | International B2C Business | Exit in 24 Months
Location: London (Hybrid)
Salary: £170,000–£200,000 + Equity + Benefits
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer
IH2807
The Opportunity
Our client is a Private Equity-backed international consumer business with revenues of approximately £20 million, operating across the UK, Spain and France. Having delivered significant growth, the business is entering the final phase of its investment cycle, with an anticipated exit within the next two years.
The Board is seeking an outstanding Group CFO with a proven track record of leading a successful Private Equity exit. This is a pivotal executive appointment, partnering closely with the CEO, Board and investors to maximise enterprise value, drive commercial performance and lead all financial aspects of the transaction process.
This opportunity will suit a commercially astute CFO who has successfully navigated the complete PE lifecycle and understands what is required to prepare a business for a premium exit.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Act as a strategic partner to the CEO, Board and Private Equity investors.
- Shape and execute the Group's financial strategy to maximise shareholder value.
- Lead strategic planning, financial modelling and capital allocation.
- Provide commercial insight to support growth initiatives and investment decisions.
Exit Leadership
- Lead all financial aspects of the planned Private Equity exit.
- Ensure the business is fully prepared for vendor due diligence.
- Develop a compelling equity story supported by high-quality financial reporting and robust KPIs.
- Manage relationships with corporate finance advisers, legal counsel, tax advisers, auditors, lenders and prospective investors.
- Lead financial workstreams throughout the sale process through to completion.
Financial & Commercial Leadership
- Own Group budgeting, forecasting and long-range planning.
- Deliver accurate and insightful Board and investor reporting.
- Drive EBITDA growth, cash generation and working capital optimisation.
- Improve financial performance through rigorous commercial analysis.
- Develop reporting and KPI frameworks that support data-driven decision making.
International Finance
- Oversee finance operations across the UK, Spain and France.
- Ensure strong financial governance, statutory compliance and tax oversight across all jurisdictions.
- Manage external audit and regulatory reporting.
Leadership
- Lead and develop a finance team of five.
- Build a high-performing, commercially focused finance function.
- Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Candidate Profile
This role requires an accomplished CFO with direct experience of successfully delivering a Private Equity exit.
Essential Experience
- Previous CFO experience within a Private Equity-backed business.
- Must have successfully led at least one completed Private Equity exit or sale process as CFO.
- Demonstrable experience managing Board and investor relationships.
- Strong track record of delivering EBITDA growth and value creation initiatives.
- Experience leading financial due diligence, vendor due diligence and transaction processes.
- Experience within B2C, consumer, retail, leisure, digital consumer or e-commerce sectors.
- Experience overseeing international operations across multiple jurisdictions.
- Proven ability to build and lead high-performing finance teams.
Qualifications
- ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified.
- Degree educated or equivalent.
Personal Attributes
- Commercially driven with exceptional strategic capability.
- Highly credible with Boards, investors and external advisers.
- Hands-on leader with strong operational execution skills.
- Calm and decisive under pressure.
- Excellent communicator with the gravitas to influence at Board level.
- Entrepreneurial mindset, capable of thriving in a fast-paced, Private Equity environment.
Package
- Base Salary: £170,000–£200,000
- Equity Participation: Significant management equity opportunity aligned with the exit event.
- Competitive benefits package.
