The programme, named CFO’s CFO, has been developed and implemented by The CFO Centre, and will see fractional CFOs act as mentors for incumbent Chief Financial Officers at businesses with a £100m+ turnover. Rather than replacing existing CFOs, the service aims to retain C-suite talent by providing them with the opportunity to grow their skillset whilst being supported by a fellow industry expert.
According to Russell Reynolds Associates, CFOs are staying in their roles for a shorter amount of time, with the average tenure now lasting just 5.6 years. The industry is also experiencing an increase in staff turnover, with 25% of FTSE 100 CFOs leaving their jobs.
“For C-suite professionals, the shopping list of desired skillsets has expanded,” says Sara Daw, Group CEO of The CFO Centre. “Chief Financial Officers used to be responsible for the numbers but are now heavily involved in other areas of organisations such as ESG, digital transformation and business strategy.
“The CFO’s CFO recognises this changing face of the C-suite and will help corporate CFOs navigate this new landscape, by providing additional resource, knowledge and expertise in areas such as risk management, compliance and optimised profitability.”
Finding the right fit
The decision to bring a fractional CFO into a business is often a strategic one, driven by a clear and growing need. One organisation that recently adopted this approach had been facing increasing demands on its finance function after the retirement of a founder. While operations were running well, the team at Premier Partnership was under mounting pressure, particularly as they transitioned toward greater automation in both processes and reporting.
The introduction of a fractional CFO, recommended by the company’s bank, provided a flexible, cost-effective way to reinforce financial leadership while aligning with the business’s growth trajectory. Their chosen fractional CFO brought not only deep technical knowledge, but also experience leading finance in larger, more complex organisations - perfectly complementing the existing team.
“The onboarding process was key,” said Chris Mouatt, Premier Partnership’s Finance Director. “It wasn’t just about skills, as we needed to find someone who worked well with us culturally and could integrate seamlessly. Our fractional CFO, Nicola, brought strategic insight, leadership, and the ability to accelerate our output in a way that has really strengthened our financial operations.”
They highlighted several benefits of the fractional CFO model, including:
- Increased output: With an additional senior leader in place, the team could move faster and handle greater volume.
- Strategic guidance: Fresh perspectives and seasoned advice have proved invaluable to shaping long-term financial direction.
- Access to expertise: Experience from larger-scale finance operations has helped instil best practices.
- Constructive challenge: Having another senior professional in the room has led to more robust, well-rounded decision-making.
- Cost-efficiency: The business has gained high-level expertise without committing to a full-time executive hire.
While challenges were minimal, early success hinged on open communication, clear objectives, and a mutual understanding of strengths and goals. “We set a structured routine and quickly established how to get the most value from our time together,” Chris noted.
For businesses considering fractional support, Chris offers this advice: “Be rigorous in selection, and treat it like any other senior hire. Invest in the relationship early on and make sure your objectives are aligned from day one. When you get the fit right, the results speak for themselves.”
The CFO’s CFO service offers a tailored solution to the evolving challenges of the modern finance function - helping today’s CFOs grow, adapt and thrive in increasingly complex business environments.
For more information, please visit: cfocentre.com/gb