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CFO Recruitment
in London.

Specialist search for Chief Financial Officers and Finance Directors who can lead the finance function, hold their own in the boardroom, and give the CEO a genuine partner, not just a set of accurate numbers.

1989 Founded in Mayfair
60%+ Roles Filled by Headhunt
4× FDs' Excellence Award Winner
Qualified Accountants on Every Search

Why It Matters

The Most Consequential Hire in the Finance Function

A CFO sets the tempo of a business. They own the numbers the board relies on, the relationship with investors and lenders, and the discipline that keeps a growing company in control of itself. When the appointment is right, it becomes one of the most valuable relationships the CEO has. When it is wrong, it shows up quickly: in slipping reporting, nervous investors, and decisions made without a clear financial picture.

Getting it right means looking past the CV. The technical qualification is a given; what separates a strong CFO is judgement under pressure, the ability to build and lead a team, and the presence to stand in front of a board or a group of investors and own the conversation. Those are the qualities we are built to assess.

How We Work

A Search Built on Firsthand Experience

Every consultant at Alexander Charles Associates is a qualified accountant drawn from a senior finance position. We have run the reporting cycles, managed the audits and sat in the board meetings, so we understand a CFO brief at a level a generalist recruiter cannot match.

We begin with a meeting, in person, to understand your organisation, its culture, the technical demands of the role and the character that will actually fit. We then give you access to candidates who are not on the market: more than 60% of our placements are headhunted, not advertised. We manage as much or as little of the process as you need, including first interviews, and our aftercare continues well past the offer to make sure the appointment beds in.

The ACA Difference

What You Get Working With Us

Technical Judgement, First-Hand

Your search is led by a qualified accountant who has held senior finance roles. Technical depth is assessed directly, not inferred from a CV.

Access to People Who Aren't Looking

Over 60% of our placements are headhunted. The strongest CFOs are rarely on a job board; we approach them directly and discreetly.

Boardroom-Ready Candidates

People who can present the numbers, and themselves, with confidence to a board, a lender or a room of private equity investors.

Aftercare That Lasts

Our follow-up service continues long after acceptance, protecting the appointment for both the business and the person who joins it.

Coverage

Senior Finance Roles We Place

Alongside CFO and Finance Director appointments, we recruit across the senior finance function for businesses in London, the UK and Europe.

  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  • Finance Director
  • VP Finance
  • Group Financial Controller
  • Financial Controller
  • Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
  • Treasury Director & Treasury Controller
  • Management & Financial Accountants

Common Questions

CFO Recruitment, Answered

What kind of CFO roles does Alexander Charles Associates recruit for?

We recruit Chief Financial Officers, Finance Directors, VP Finance and Group Financial Controllers for businesses that need a genuine finance leader rather than a senior number-cruncher. Our clients range from private equity-backed companies and financial services firms to privately owned and founder-led businesses, from pre-revenue through to FTSE 100 scale.

Most searches are for a first institutional CFO, a step-change hire as the business scales, or a replacement for a departing finance leader.

Why use a specialist CFO recruiter rather than a generalist agency?

Every consultant at Alexander Charles Associates is a qualified accountant who has held senior finance positions. We have sat in the roles we now recruit for, so we assess technical depth, commercial judgement and boardroom presence directly rather than relying on a CV screen.

That is also why our clients keep coming back: the firm has won the FDs' Excellence Awards, sponsored by the ICAEW, four consecutive times, ahead of Michael Page, Robert Walters, Robert Half, Reed Accountancy and Hays.

How does a headhunted CFO hire differ from an advertised one?

Over 60% of our placements are headhunted rather than advertised. The strongest finance leaders are rarely on job boards or actively looking; they are found through a targeted, discreet approach to a defined list of people.

That gives you access to candidates who would not otherwise see the role, and it keeps a sensitive senior hire confidential while it is under way.

How long does a CFO search take?

The timeline is set by your needs and priorities, and we agree it with you at the briefing.

Because the shortlist is built from active research and direct approaches rather than waiting on applications, a focused search moves at a predictable pace, and we run as much or as little of the interview process as you need.

Do you work on a retained basis, and how are your fees structured?

We work on a retained, fixed-fee basis. The fee is agreed at the outset and does not change with the candidate's salary, so you know the full cost of the search from the start.

Every search is also covered by a replacement guarantee.

Which sectors do you cover for CFO recruitment?

Private equity, hedge funds, alternative asset management, venture capital, asset and wealth management, family office, insurance, real estate, life sciences, energy, technology and professional services.

Our directors specialise in senior finance appointments across private equity, financial services and real estate in particular.

Do you recruit CFOs outside London?

Yes. We are based at 23 Berkeley Square in Mayfair and most of our work is in London, but we search across the UK and Europe for clients who need it.

The People Behind Every Search

Your CFO Search, Led in Person

Kelvin Trott, Chief Executive Officer of Alexander Charles Associates

Kelvin Trott

Chief Executive Officer

Kelvin began his career in finance before moving into recruitment over 35 years ago. He founded Alexander Charles Associates and leads the firm today, specialising in senior finance appointments across private equity, financial services and real estate.

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Alexander Trott, Finance Recruitment Director at Alexander Charles Associates

Alexander Trott

Finance Recruitment Director

Alexander spent 15 years in finance roles, progressing to Finance Director at a marketing agency, before moving into recruitment. He is ACCA qualified and now FCCA, and specialises in senior finance appointments across private equity-backed companies, financial services and real estate.

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Related Specialisms

Sector-Specific Finance Search

Private Equity Finance Recruitment Financial Services Finance Recruitment Real Estate Finance Recruitment Executive Search

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