News & insights

How founders, CEOs and boards should think about board composition as sustainable businesses raise capital, scale, pursue deals and prepare for exit.

A practical guide on when to hire a first CFO, how the role differs from a Finance Director, and what changes when investors, debt and governance demands increase.

A practical explanation of how CFO and Finance Director roles differ, when the distinction matters, and what growing businesses need at each stage.

What experienced investors and boards really want from a CFO, and why accurate reporting alone is not enough in a scaling business.

Why governance is one of the core responsibilities of a CFO, and how strong finance leadership builds board confidence without slowing the business down.

When a growing business needs stronger financial challenge at board level, and what an effective finance-literate NED or Audit Chair actually adds.

Why finance becomes decisive as sustainable businesses scale: A guide for building finance functions that support growth, purpose and long-term value

Foreword and executive summary from the 46-page report on finance functions, CFO leadership and responsible business growth.

How finance moves from basic financial control to better decisions, cash visibility and leadership judgement.

What boards, investors and lenders expect, and how capital structure shapes financial decisions.

The modern CFO's responsibilities and how Finance Directors, Controllers and FP&A teams evolve.

How finance leadership requirements change around capital events, expansion, M&A and succession.

Emerging CFO capabilities and practical frameworks for finance, governance, capital and impact.

At the 2025 Co-operatives UK Practitioners Forum, our Partner Steve Gillan led a session on a topic often treated as routine: member participation.

A board search for one of the UK’s leading LGBT charities. Strengthening governance and advancing inclusive leadership at a historic milestone

Succession planning is one of the most quietly consequential decisions an organisation can make. When approached as governance, not reaction, it becomes a lever for resilience, alignment and long-term value.

As B Corps expand across sectors and regions, the next stage of growth will depend on whether their leadership structures can match their purpose, pace, and complexity.

A board search for a pioneering inclusive employment charity, enhancing governance through targeted fundraising expertise during a pivotal transition

For growing B Corps, success creates a new kind of complexity. As leadership roles evolve and expectations stretch, the question becomes not just who should lead next, but how leadership should work at all.

For founder-led businesses entering private capital, the biggest shift often isn’t control or direction. It’s how leadership must evolve to protect what made the business valuable in the first place.