Is interim CFO only for distressed situations?

No. Interim CFO is frequently used for positive transitions too: accelerated growth, professionalisation, funding events, and integrations—any situation where the business needs a step-change in CFO capacity quickly.

Interim CFO Services

Immediate CFO capacity for critical transitions

Interim CFO leadership for companies facing change: a sudden CFO vacancy, restructuring, integration, accelerated growth, or a funding / transaction event. The focus is fast stabilisation of cash, control and reporting — and driving the few actions that unlock value quickly.

Typical profile: businesses that need CFO leadership now, not in 3 months.

Typical triggers: cash surprises, weak close/reporting rhythm, finance leadership gap, stakeholder pressure.

How it works Book a 30-minute call

When interim CFO is the right choice

Interim CFO is designed for moments where the business needs a decisive step-up in CFO leadership immediately — to protect cash, restore control, and keep decisions moving.

CFO vacancy or sudden departure and you cannot pause decision-making.
Reporting and governance are not reliable (close, KPIs, board packs).
Stakeholders demand confidence (banks, investors, board, auditors).
Transition events: restructuring, integration, carve-out, funding.

If your situation is stable and you mainly want periodic sparring or decision support, CFO Advisory may be the better fit. If you need sustained CFO leadership 1–3 days per week for a longer build-out, see Fractional CFO.

What “good” looks like

Leadership has a cash view they trust — daily/weekly, not monthly.
Close and reporting have an owner, deadlines and quality standards.
Board/investor communication becomes proactive and structured.
The finance team has clarity: priorities, roles and decision rights.

Interim CFO should never be “keeping the seat warm”. The goal is stabilise → improve → transition with a clean handover.

The first 30 days: stabilise fast

In an interim situation, speed matters. The first month is about creating confidence through a small set of tangible outputs — starting with cash visibility.

Primary outcome

Cash command

No surprises. One version of truth.

13-week cash forecast with owners and cadence.
Immediate cash levers: collections, payables, inventory, capex gating.
Liquidity scenarios and decision thresholds.

Control and close

Make reporting dependable and fast enough to act.

Close calendar with responsibilities and minimum quality bar.
Key reconciliations, risk areas, and “stop the bleeding” controls.
Clean KPI definitions and single-source reporting where possible.

Stakeholder confidence

Board/investors/banks get clarity and cadence.

Reset expectations and establish communication rhythm.
Board pack structure: narrative + KPIs + actions.
Funding or covenant visibility where relevant.

How an interim CFO assignment works

Interim CFO work needs structure. The cadence below keeps delivery tight, transparent and measurable.

Phase

Typical duration

What we do

1) Rapid intake & diagnosis
Understand reality quickly and define priorities.

Days 1–10

Cash reality check, reporting gaps, stakeholder expectations, biggest risks and decision backlog. Set a 30/60/90-day plan with 3–5 priorities.

2) Stabilise cash & control
Build confidence through immediate outputs.

Weeks 2–6

Implement cash cadence, close calendar, minimum controls, KPI definitions, and board-ready reporting rhythm.

3) Improve performance
Move from stabilising to value creation.

Weeks 6–16

Focus on working capital, margin, cost discipline, forecasting maturity and decision-making rhythm. Align owners and accountability.

4) Transition & handover
Ensure continuity after the assignment.

Last 4–8 weeks

Support recruitment/onboarding of permanent CFO (if needed) and transfer context, standards, and routines to internal leadership.

Typical scope of interim CFO leadership

Interim CFO scope depends on the situation, but these areas are commonly owned end-to-end during the assignment. The principle is: stabilise first, then improve, then transition with a clean handover.

Leadership & governance

Sets priorities, cadence, and confidence across stakeholders.

Own the CFO agenda and decision cadence with CEO/ExCo.
Board/investor/bank communication rhythm and materials.
Risk, controls, and priorities that keep the business safe.

Performance & planning

Forecasting and scenarios that drive actions.
Working capital, cash discipline, and margin/cost levers.
Pragmatic KPI set with owners and thresholds.

Finance team stabilisation

Clarify roles, responsibilities and “what good looks like”.
Stabilise close and reporting with clear standards.
Hiring plan for key gaps (FP&A, control, finance ops) where needed.

Best for: transitions where speed matters: CFO vacancy, restructuring, integration, urgent cash focus, or stakeholder pressure.

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Frequently asked questions

The questions that typically come up when you consider interim CFO leadership.

What is an interim CFO?

An interim CFO is a temporary, hands-on CFO who steps in to lead finance during transitions—such as a sudden vacancy, restructuring, integration, or funding event—while stabilising cash, control and reporting.

How quickly can an interim CFO create impact?

Typically within 2–4 weeks you should see better cash visibility, clearer priorities and an initial reporting cadence. Within 60–90 days the goal is stable control, reliable forecasting and momentum on value-creation actions.

How long does an interim CFO assignment last?

Many assignments run 3–9 months, depending on the situation: vacancy bridging, transaction readiness, turnaround, or integration support.

Do you also help recruit a permanent CFO?

Yes. Interim work often includes defining the role, supporting selection, and ensuring a clean handover to the permanent CFO (or to strengthened internal leadership).

What’s the difference between interim and fractional?

Interim CFO is typically full focus during a transition for a defined period. Fractional CFO is sustained CFO leadership part-time (often 1–3 days/week) to build a scalable finance function over time. See Fractional CFO.

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