When and Why Companies Hire a CFO
Most high-growth companies hire their first CFO later than they should. The inflection points that trigger the search — an upcoming Series C, a potential M&A process, a board that has requested GAAP-compliant financials, or a CEO who has realised they are making capital allocation decisions without the financial modelling they need — are moments when the CFO hire is already overdue. Running the search quickly is less important than running it correctly.
Majhi Group places CFOs at high-growth companies from Series B through pre-IPO. Every search begins with a structured assessment of the company's financial maturity, the board's expectations, and the specific demands of the CFO mandate at this stage.
CFO Profile by Stage
What the CFO Role Requires
CFO Assessment Dimensions
Fundraising and investor relationship experience
The CFO who has not been in the room during a fundraise — preparing the data room, managing investor questions, defending the financial model — is not the same as one who has. For Series B and C companies, this experience is often the most critical dimension of the CFO profile.
Team-building vs. individual contribution
Many early CFO hires are effectively VP of Finance candidates who are managing the financial operations individually before building a team. The distinction between a CFO who builds a finance function and one who manages an established department matters — and the search brief needs to reflect the actual requirement.
CEO operating partnership
The CFO is the CEO's primary strategic partner on capital allocation, resource planning, and financial risk. The operating relationship between these two executives is consequential — and the assessment includes an explicit exploration of how candidates have navigated CEO relationships in previous CFO roles.
Board and audit committee confidence
The CFO presents to the board and manages the audit committee relationship. Candidates who have not operated at this level of board interaction before may need significant coaching — and may underperform against the expectations of a sophisticated board.
"The right CFO hire changes how the board reads the company, how investors approach the next fundraise, and how the CEO makes resource decisions. The wrong CFO creates compliance risk, board frustration, and strategic paralysis. The stakes justify a rigorous search."
Majhi Group CFO Search Track Record
Majhi Group closes CFO searches in 30–45 days. The 90-day replacement guarantee is in writing — and reflects the degree of assessment rigour applied to every CFO candidate before they are presented to the CEO and board.