Knowledge Hub – Finance Recruitment & Accountancy Insights

A £30M retail group required a Finance Director to stabilise performance, strengthen controls and improve cash flow. A targeted search produced a strong shortlist and a successful placement within six weeks. The hire delivered rapid improvements in cost discipline, inventory management and lender confidence.

The ICAEW poll shows 74% of finance professionals expect the Budget to harm their organisation. Many foresee job cuts, price rises and reduced investment. ICAEW says the government missed a key opportunity to boost growth and must change course to restore business confidence.

In every Budget cycle, noise rises and uncertainty grows, but finance professionals bring the clarity others seek. Their grounded understanding of shifting numbers steadies discussions, guides decisions, and quietly shapes direction — proving why financial minds lead the room, whatever the market.

The Autumn Budget 2025 maintains headline tax rates but increases pressure through threshold freezes, higher taxes on non-wage income, tighter business rules and new sector charges. Finance teams face greater demand for forecasting, tax planning and strategic modelling as fiscal drag intensifies.

Finance teams are shifting from large transformation projects to practical, short-term tech investments that free capacity, improve consistency and streamline workflows. With standardised processes and accessible tools, organisations prioritise quick efficiency gains, shaping hiring needs around adaptability, digital confidence and process improvement.

Businesses face widening finance skills gaps as roles now demand strategic thinking, digital capability and data insight alongside technical skills. Employers struggle to train teams due to time, cost and limited resources, requiring joint action from organisations and government to build a modern, resilient talent pipeline.