How to Research a CFO Before You Approach Them

A cold, generic approach to a senior finance leader rarely lands. A researched, specific one does. Here's how to build a complete picture before the first call.

Start with the filings

A company's annual report is the richest single source: it discloses remuneration, board committees, tenure and the financial story the CFO is managing. This is more reliable than self-reported profiles.

Establish the weight class

Understand the scale of the balance sheet, the revenue, the leverage and the growth trajectory. This tells you whether the person is a fit for your mandate and gives you something specific to talk about.

Read the move signals

Tenure, recent compensation shifts and the arc of a career hint at whether someone is open to a change. You want to spend your time on the ones who might actually move.

Assemble it in one place

Doing this by hand for every name is slow. A structured CFO dossier pulls compensation, career history, KPIs, debt profile and board influence together so you walk into the conversation already informed.

See what a full dossier includes on the pricing page.