Interim CFO in London

Company Overview

When a business needs a Chief Financial Officer quickly – to cover a sudden departure, lead a transaction, or stabilise through a period of financial pressure — an interim CFO is the fastest and most effective solution available. FD Capital specialises in placing interim CFOs with UK businesses across all sectors. Our candidates are experienced operators with track records at CFO level, available at short notice, and able to make an immediate impact. Most engagements begin within one to two weeks of instruction. For businesses whose need is ongoing rather than intensive, a fractional CFO or part-time CFO may be the more appropriate model.

Client Testimonial

“Adrian worked with us as our Interim 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

Role Overview

Our interim CFOs are embedded executives, not advisors at a distance. From day one they take ownership of the finance function and work alongside the leadership team. Scope varies by situation but typically covers:

• Cash flow management and short‑term forecasting
• Board pack preparation and investor reporting
• Management accounts and financial controls
• Banking and lender relationship management
• Finance team leadership and stabilisation
• Budgeting, planning and variance analysis
• Fundraising support — debt and equity
• PE and VC reporting and covenant compliance
• Statutory accounts and audit management
• Systems implementation oversight
• Handover planning for permanent successor

Interim CFOs frequently identify gaps in the FP&A function during an engagement. Our financial planning and analysis recruitment can support a parallel search for analyst or manager‑level appointments. In some cases the right permanent appointment is at Financial Controller rather than CFO level — our financial controller recruitment covers both interim and permanent appointments at this tier.

Required Experience & Qualifications

Adrian Lawrence FCA, who has personally led senior finance recruitment at FD Capital since 2018, observes that Interim CFO engagements are commercially distinct from fractional or portfolio arrangements. “Interim CFOs are typically full‑time for a defined period — three months at minimum, often six to twelve. The businesses engaging them are usually larger than fractional clients, frequently PE‑backed or institutionally funded, and the brief is almost always specific: cover this gap, deliver this transformation, manage this transaction.”

A typical recent example: a £6m revenue PE‑backed tech business engaged us for an Interim CFO following the unexpected departure of their permanent CFO three weeks before a scheduled bank refinancing. The Interim CFO took ownership of the refinancing process, completed the bank package within five weeks, stabilised the monthly reporting cycle, and managed the handover to a permanent CFO appointment we made eight months later. The business never missed a board reporting deadline through the transition.

Day rates across our 2025 Interim CFO placements ranged from £900 to £1,800, with the upper end concentrated in PE‑backed transformation work and IPO preparation roles. Total monthly cost typically runs £18,000 to £36,000 reflecting the full‑time commitment. While the day rate looks higher than fractional engagements, the model is genuinely different — the Interim CFO is dedicated to one business full‑time for the period of the engagement, not splitting attention across multiple clients.

Key Benefits

• Candidates available for immediate start
• CFOs and FDs only – no other disciplines
• Deep turnaround and transaction network
• Shortlist in 3–7 working days
• PE, VC and family business experience
• UK‑wide coverage from London base
• No placement, no fee
• Support throughout the engagement

How to Hire One

We do not require lengthy written briefs before starting. A short call is enough to understand the situation and begin searching the same day.

• Brief – We take the time to understand the situation, the urgency, the specific skills required, and any sector experience that matters. We can usually begin searching immediately after this call.
• Shortlist – We present a curated shortlist of candidates within 3–7 working days. Each candidate is specifically matched to the situation, not drawn from a generic pool.
• Interviews – We arrange candidate meetings at your convenience, provide detailed briefing notes on each candidate, and support the assessment process.
• Appointment – Once you have selected your interim CFO, we support the contracting process and remain in contact throughout the engagement to make sure it is working for both parties.

If you need an interim CFO — whether in the next few days or the coming weeks — call our senior team for a no‑obligation conversation about what is available and how quickly we can move.