Interim CFO Netherlands & Europe · direct senior ownership
An interim CFO temporarily takes full CFO ownership: cash, forecasting, EBITDA drivers, board reporting, finance leadership and stakeholder confidence. The role is designed for situations where waiting for a permanent hire or adding another adviser would be too slow.
CFO Excellence is Erik Gruwel's independent platform. You engage the CFO shown on this site directly — not a bench, search firm or junior delivery team.
An interim CFO is a temporary Chief Financial Officer who takes senior finance ownership for a defined period. The model fits when the business cannot safely wait for a permanent CFO or needs a heavier level of CFO leadership through a transition, performance reset or transformation.
| Period | Priority | Expected output |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–30 | Stabilise facts and risk | Cash visibility, credible baseline, stakeholder map, first EBITDA/forecast bridge and 30/60/90-day priorities. |
| Days 31–60 | Restore control and cadence | Forecast rhythm, owners on value drivers, board-ready reporting, working-capital actions and clear escalation. |
| Days 61–90 | Embed execution | Management accountability, finance operating model, transformation roadmap and clean handover to the next phase. |
In a PE-backed business the CFO connects the investment thesis to operating cadence: EBITDA bridge, cash conversion, forecast reliability, value-creation initiatives, integration and exit or refinancing readiness.
Erik's recent operating contexts include Solo Group, a Platinum Equity-backed international B2B platform, and Landal / Roompot in a KKR-backed post-merger environment, following Group CFO ownership at HousingAnywhere.
The person you speak with is the person who performs the mandate. No CV shortlist and no hand-off to another consultant.
Group CFO experience and PE-backed operating roles, alongside global finance leadership at Danone and Mars.
From cash and forecast to board reporting, team leadership, M&A/integration and finance transformation.
Selected career outcomes: EBITDA transformation from roughly -20% to +20% within 18 months at HousingAnywhere; revenue growth accelerated to 20%+ YoY; €26m debt financing secured during the CFO tenure; global productivity and transformation experience at Danone; performance and business-control leadership in KKR- and Platinum-backed contexts.
| Model | Best used when | Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Interim CFO | Urgent CFO gap, PE/value creation, cash pressure, integration, turnaround or major transformation. | Full temporary CFO ownership. |
| Fractional CFO | More stable business needs recurring senior CFO input but not full-time coverage. | Recurring part-time leadership. |
| Finance Director | Finance execution, team, reporting and control are central while board/investor ownership sits elsewhere. | Senior finance leadership under CFO/CEO. |
Within two to four weeks the organisation should have better visibility on cash, forecast, critical risks and priorities. Not everything will be solved, but control and decision quality should already be visibly improving.
Often three to nine months. A short stabilisation can be faster; integration, performance improvement or bridging to a permanent CFO can take longer.
Rates vary materially with complexity and seniority. See the Netherlands cost guide for current market benchmarks and total mandate economics.
Yes. A strong interim mandate stabilises the business while making the permanent role clearer, so the successor starts with a stronger fact base and operating rhythm.
The first question is usually not “do we need an interim CFO?” but “which financial risk or outcome cannot wait?” A short conversation can clarify whether interim ownership, fractional support, advisory or another profile is the right answer.
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