CFO - Private Equity Investor - Case Study

Chief Financial Officer

Sector: Retail / E-Commerce

Location: Melbourne, VIC

Our client has an annualised turnover of $150m gross revenue and has experienced +50% growth year on year. In 2019, the founders underwent a capital raise and, through various discussions, ended up selling down 55% of the organisation to a highly respected private equity firm based in Australia.

Once financial closure was achieved on the transaction, it was clear that a senior finance leader would be needed to help with both a transition of ownership structure as well as a significant new capital regime within the group.

Issue

EIM were appointed to swiftly turnaround a CFO requirement for the private equity firm. We were given a 48 hour window to introduce our key executive to run this assignment. The main issue for the new investment business was understanding the numbers and operating under a more rigorous ‘mature’ business thinking approach. There was a need to immediately appoint someone who could ‘hit the ground running’ with a proven track record working with private equity and at the pace required to achieve desired results.

Solution

EIM are known for their experience in private equity. We quickly identified an executive who was both known to the new investment partner, and whom also had high level credentials working in the retail and e-commerce sector as a CFO and CEO. Critical to the success of this appointment was finding someone who felt comfortable to operate within a sub $200m business but that was of the growth mindset nature required to expand the size of the platform threefold over the next few years. The EIM interim manager also supported the founders in this new transition with the identification and appointment of a suitable long-term permanent hire.