PE-backed SME | Lancashire
The Brief
Our client had recently taken private equity investment and was entering a new phase of growth, with a clearly defined M&A strategy forming a core part of their forward plan. The existing finance team was lean, effective, and high quality, but leadership recognised that additional capability was required to support the technical demands of future acquisitions. In particular, they needed an ACA-qualified finance professional with strong technical grounding who could support due diligence, integration, and reporting requirements as the business executed its strategy. The brief was precise: technical strength was essential, but cultural fit was equally important in a close-knit, high-performing team.
The Approach
Time was spent upfront to fully understand the investment thesis, the acquisition roadmap, and how the role would interact with senior leadership and external advisers. This ensured the search was tightly aligned to both the immediate technical requirements and the longer-term strategic direction of the business. A targeted search was conducted, focusing on candidates with strong ACA backgrounds and relevant experience supporting transactions, change, and growth environments. A shortlist of four high-quality candidates was delivered within the agreed timeframe, each carefully assessed against the brief.
The Result
All four shortlisted candidates met the brief well and received highly positive feedback. Two candidates were considered fully appointable. An offer was made and accepted by the preferred candidate; however, as can happen in competitive markets, they subsequently accepted a counter-offer.
Thanks to the strength and depth of the shortlist, the business was able to move quickly and confidently to their second-choice candidate, who accepted the role and joined the business shortly thereafter. The successful candidate has since settled in extremely well and is performing strongly, providing exactly the technical support required to underpin the group’s acquisition strategy.
Summary
This assignment demonstrates the importance of building depth into senior finance shortlists, particularly in PE-backed environments where momentum matters. By delivering multiple appointable candidates aligned to both the technical and cultural brief, this ensured continuity and success even when circumstances changed. The result was a high-quality appointment that continues to add value as the business executes its growth and M&A strategy.