Knowledge Hub – Finance Recruitment & Accountancy Insights

A global engineering group appointed a Finance Director to lead during a critical transition. Within six weeks, we delivered a candidate who strengthened control, improved board reporting, and partnered strategically—positioning the business for long-term growth with greater financial clarity.

Nearly 50,000 UK firms face critical financial distress in 2025, according to Begbies Traynor’s Red Flag Alert. SMEs are under severe pressure amid economic headwinds, consumer sector decline, and rising costs — driving urgent restructuring and heightened insolvency risk across the UK economy.

Tech CFOs are transforming indirect tax from a compliance burden into a strategic asset by automating workflows, integrating systems, and using data to reduce risk. This shift enables scalability, strengthens compliance, and positions finance as a driver of business growth.

UK accountants report modest confidence gains, but levels remain historically low. SMEs face inflation, finance access issues, and geopolitical risks. While hiring and investment plans are improving, momentum is weak. Firms need certainty to shift from resilience to growth.

A £25M+ SaaS scale-up needed a full finance function post-investment. We placed a CFO, Group FC, and Head of FP&A within 6 months, transforming reporting and boosting investor confidence—laying the groundwork for scalable growth and future fundraising.

ICAEW’s LinkedIn poll reveals mixed views on using AI to replace junior accountancy roles. While some support AI for efficiency, many stress the importance of entry-level jobs for training, relationships, and long-term career development in the profession.