Member Thought Leadership
MEMBER:
Odgers
Private equity firms increasingly need CFOs who can do more than manage finance, especially as exits slow and portfolio companies stay in hold periods longer than planned. The article argues that the strongest portfolio CFOs act as operational leaders who stabilize the business, drive the value creation plan, and protect performance through volatility, capital constraints, and shifting market conditions. Success depends not just on hiring this kind of CFO, but on embedding them with real authority, aligned incentives, and clear accountability across growth, cash, and risk metrics. In this environment, operational CFOs are positioned as a key source of competitive advantage and portfolio value creation.
