How building a high-impact finance team fuels transformation and value creation

In the world of private equity, value creation isn’t just about capital injection or operational turnaround it’s about building the infrastructure that allows businesses to scale with control, clarity, and agility. At the core of this infrastructure sits the finance function. Yet, in many portfolio companies, finance is often overlooked until inefficiencies, bottlenecks, or capability gaps start to hinder performance.

This article explores why an effective finance function is critical to success in PE-backed businesses, what makes it high-impact, and how a thoughtful recruitment strategy illustrated through our work with OUTCO Group can accelerate transformation.

Finance: From Compliance to Commercial Value

Traditionally seen as the team responsible for bookkeeping and reporting, finance has rapidly evolved into a strategic partner. Leading firms like McKinsey argue that next-generation finance teams are expected to deliver real-time insights, power commercial decisions, and automate transactional tasks reducing manual effort in areas like FP&A by as much as 65% (McKinsey & Company, 2023).

Private equity environments amplify this need. PE-backed CFOs are expected to manage not only reporting and compliance but also integrate acquisitions, lead digital transformation, and ensure the business is positioned for exit readiness. As EY notes, “the finance leader is one of the most critical roles in a PE-backed business central to identifying and unlocking value” (EY, 2023).

The OUTCO Example: Finance Transformation in Action

When Savant partnered with OUTCO Group, a private equity-backed estate compliance provider, the company was undergoing a period of significant change. Following multiple acquisitions and organic growth, OUTCO needed a stronger, more agile finance function to support operational expansion and long-term strategic goals.

Rather than immediately hiring permanent staff, the company led by Finance Director Alistair Miller engaged Savant to place an interim Financial Controller. This move provided immediate support while allowing time to assess the ideal team structure, define key roles, and benchmark salaries against the market.

Savant’s Associate Director, Richard Alborough, advised not only on candidate selection but also on team architecture, task allocation, and seniority levels. This culminated in:

• The interim FC being appointed as Group Financial Controller
• The hiring of a new Senior Financial Accountant
• A further interim placement focused on systems and process improvements

“OUTCO was going through a period of extensive change driven by organic growth and acquisitions,” said Miller. “Richard's thoughts on the structure of the team, the allocation of tasks within it, and the seniority/salaries of the individuals were invaluable. He was knowledgeable, diligent and always willing to be flexible. I would be happy to recommend Savant to anybody looking to recruit into their finance department at the senior level.”

The result? A streamlined, future-ready finance team aligned with both day-to-day operations and long-term value creation.

Interim Appointments: A Smart Starting Point

OUTCO’s approach underscores the power of interim finance professionals—an often underutilised tool in private equity transformation. Interim appointments allow businesses to:

• Fill critical gaps without rushing into permanent hires
• Trial new team structures in real time
• Gain immediate access to specialist skills (e.g., ERP migration, post-M&A integration)

According to Deloitte, finance functions that adopt agile, sprint-based change models—starting with flexible talent—outperform static teams in transformation environments (Deloitte, 2023).

Digitisation and Scalability

Building a high-impact finance function also means embracing technology. Research shows that while 93% of finance teams use some form of automation, only 50% of repetitive tasks are actually automated and just 23% of organisations use generative AI to support decision-making (CFO Dive, 2023).

For PE firms, this presents both a risk and an opportunity. Investing in finance talent that can lead digitisation efforts is essential to unlocking scale, improving reporting speed, and generating insight from complexity.

What PE Firms Should Look for in a Recruitment Partner

For private equity firms looking to build or upgrade finance teams within their portfolio companies, working with the right recruitment partner is key. This partner should offer:

• Deep sector and market knowledge
• Strategic advice on organisational design, salary bands, and job scoping
• A robust interim-to-perm solution
• A network of proven candidates at senior and mid-senior levels

At Savant, our experience with OUTCO and other PE-backed businesses shows that recruitment is not a transactional activity it’s a strategic lever. We work alongside finance leaders to ensure hires are aligned with business objectives, future-proofed for change, and culturally attuned to the pace of private equity.

Conclusion: From Tactical Hiring to Strategic Value Creation

Building a high-impact finance function is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s a necessity for private equity-backed businesses pursuing transformation, efficiency, and value growth. As the OUTCO case demonstrates, when PE firms take a strategic approach to finance recruitment—starting with interim leadership, followed by thoughtful team design and hiring, they set their portfolio companies up for scalable, sustainable success.

Refrences avaialble here.