The role of the Chief Financial Officer has evolved fundamentally. Today’s CFO is not simply the guardian of the balance sheet but a strategic partner within the leadership team—equally focused on growth, transformation and decision-making as on control and risk management.
At Odgers, we help organisations strengthen their leadership by identifying CFOs who excel analytically and demonstrate genuine strategic and interpersonal acumen. Our executive search approach for CFOs and financial leadership is designed to meet the demands of today and anticipate those of tomorrow.
We look for CFOs with vision beyond the numbers: leaders who not only model financial scenarios but also contribute to strategic discussions around mergers, ESG policies and digital transformation. They remain steady in complexity, cultivate stakeholder alignment and reinforce organisational culture.
Leveraging our global network and deep understanding of the Dutch market, we uncover financial leaders who contribute to long-term resilience—across every level of the finance function.
Increasingly, the CFO serves as the bridge between financial data and corporate strategy. While the role once centred on compliance and control, the emphasis now lies in forward-looking leadership. CFOs are central to decisions on investment, sustainability, digitalisation, supply chain and international growth.
They identify risks, monitor performance and ensure strategic initiatives are financially viable and executable. In private equity, listed companies or family enterprises, the CFO provides a steady hand—especially when the organisation undergoes significant change.
Expectations for CFOs have grown substantially in recent years. Financial leaders must provide direction while maintaining oversight in a dynamic environment of technological, societal and strategic shifts. This demands a blend of numerical insight, stakeholder engagement and capacity for change.
For organisations, conventional hiring methods no longer suffice. An effective CFO must fit the culture, keep pace with change and navigate between the boardroom and operational reality. It is about more than matching qualifications on paper: only with deep insight into leadership competencies, contextual fit and future-readiness can a lasting appointment be achieved.
Get in touch to discuss your executive search or leadership development needs.
Find a consultant Make an enquiryHiring a CFO involves far more than ticking technical boxes. Vision, leadership style, integrity and cultural compatibility are equally critical. A mismatch at this level can directly impact performance, trust and continuity. Therefore, executive search for CFO positions is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
Only through profound market knowledge, structured assessment and a keen understanding of context can you build a sustainable financial leadership team. At Odgers, we look beyond the résumé. We evaluate motivations, leadership potential and a candidate’s influence on the broader team.
Our experience with strategic transformations in sectors such as finance, technology, healthcare and government reveals what financial leadership requires at each phase—from scale-up to multinational.
The added value we bring lies in our ability to detect undercurrents: unspoken expectations, team dynamics and latent challenges. We translate these into profiles that meet current needs and anticipate future demands. In doing so, we create financial capability with enduring impact.
Odgers specialises in identifying, selecting and supporting financial leaders. Our consultants bring extensive executive search experience within the financial domain—from CFOs and finance directors to group controllers and chief risk officers.
We understand what it takes to succeed in these key roles: not only technical expertise but also leadership behaviours, communication style and visible impact. Our experience teaches us that the most successful financial leaders combine boldness, composure and strategic vision.
We work with clients across diverse sectors—private equity, scale-ups, publicly listed companies and government bodies. In every engagement, context is paramount: strategy, governance, culture, market dynamics and team composition guide our approach. The result is placements that do more than provide stability: financial leaders who drive growth and change.
Recruiting a CFO is rarely a straightforward process. The pool of leaders with proven experience in strategic financial management is limited—especially when additional requirements such as international exposure, digital expertise or ESG familiarity are in play.
Moreover, cultural fit is crucial: a CFO must not only demonstrate technical prowess but also earn the trust of the CEO, the board and external stakeholders.
Such complexity demands customised solutions. At Odgers, our extensive candidate network ensures we know where top talent resides and how to engage them discreetly, purposefully and convincingly.
A successful CFO search begins with the right questions. What does your organisation truly need in its next financial leader? At Odgers, we start from context rather than the CV: your strategy, governance structure, growth phase and culture form the foundation of our approach.
Only once that context is fully understood do we develop a search profile that transcends job specifications. We explicitly outline soft skills, leadership style and future challenges so that the profile is both directional and discerning.
Next, our consultants conduct a thorough market analysis. We blend local market intelligence with international benchmarks and explore alternative paths when the profile or market demands it. This yields a longlist of candidates who not only meet the technical criteria but also possess the ability to make an impact in complex environments.
Following interviews, assessments and reference checks, we present a shortlist of candidates who fit both the role and the culture. Our support does not end there: we remain engaged during onboarding and through the first months to bolster sustainable performance within the leadership team.
Our methodology is built on three core phases: Identify, Build and Develop.
Identify: We map out more than just the role. We analyse strategic objectives, team dynamics, cultural attributes and external trends. This produces a profile that is more than a job description—it is a guiding beacon for sustainable selection.
Build: In this phase, we identify candidates who not only possess the necessary expertise but also strategically complement the leadership team. We consider experience, behavioural style and how individuals might enhance the team’s collective capability.
Develop: During onboarding, we provide executive coaching and support the long-term growth of financial leadership within the organisation. In doing so, we ensure that leadership strengthening endures, rather than simply filling a vacancy.
Top-tier selection requires more than experience and intuition—it demands objective substantiation. Accordingly, we combine our years of practical experience with data-driven methodologies.
Through structured interviews, behavioural analysis, psychometric models and benchmark data, we mitigate bias and enhance the predictability of success. This enables us to identify leaders who not only fit the role but also align with the team, processes and aspirations of your organisation.
Our tools are grounded in academic research and continually refined through real-world application. We assess candidates against both hard and soft criteria: expertise and track record, as well as cultural fit and leadership potential. The result? CFOs who don’t just fit, but make a difference.
Big enough to matter, small enough to care: that is how Odgers makes a difference. We combine the reach of a worldwide network with the personal dedication of a local partner.
Our consultants operate with deep sector expertise, intimate knowledge of the Dutch landscape and the agility to respond swiftly. We are large enough to handle complex C-level CFO searches, yet small enough to truly listen, think alongside you and stay close throughout the process.
Whether you are a listed company, a family business or a rapidly scaling start-up, we understand the context and deliver bespoke solutions. From our base in Amsterdam, we cultivate enduring relationships with clients and candidates—discreetly, substantively and with an eye on the future.
Odgers covers the full spectrum of financial leadership. From CFOs in publicly traded companies to finance directors in family-owned businesses, private equity portfolios and scale-ups. We also recruit finance managers, group controllers, risk officers and audit professionals—provided they combine strategic leadership with deep technical expertise.
Our clients operate in sectors such as financial services, technology, manufacturing, healthcare and government. What unites these industries is the need for financial leaders who think ahead, embrace digitalisation and generate value both financially and socially.
Demand for leaders with the capacity to drive change continues to grow. Professionals who do more than simply report—they provide direction. They understand ESG criteria, stakeholder dynamics and governance challenges, and can steer accordingly. It is at this level that the difference between a good and an exceptional match becomes evident. That is why we delve into the role, growth phase and sector-specific challenges, ensuring each placement results in lasting reinforcement of financial leadership.
Whether you need an immediate replacement, are entering a strategic growth phase or aim to professionalise your financial leadership, we combine speed with depth and discretion with determination.
Our approach is always bespoke, because no CFO and no organisation are the same.
If you are looking for a CFO or finance leader who will guide your organisation into the future—or if you want to discuss your finance team’s composition—our consultants are ready to help.
Get in touch for an initial conversation. Together, we will build sustainable financial leadership.
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