Roles Recruited
Chief Financial Officer
The CFO Practice recruits more than just CFOs. Rob also partner with CFOs to recruit finance leaders for scaling, high-growth, and transformational businesses which are often private equity or venture capital-backed. In 2025, Rob reconnected with Nabeel Vilcassim, Group CFO, of ComplyAdvantage to manage the appointment of a CFO and 2 Finance Directors.
Comply Advantage is a SaaS-focused FinTech business backed by venture capital firms including Balderton Capital and Index Ventures. Rob partnered with Nabeel in 2022 on ComplyAdvantage’s previous Finance Director search, and having stayed in touch over the next three years, The CFO Practice was well-positioned to support the business on this new hiring process.
The Situation
Three years after the successful placement of ComplyAdvantage’s previous Finance Director, Nabeel Vilcassim, reconnected with Rob to manage the search for a new CFO and 2 Finance Directors who would be responsible for overseeing all aspects of day-to-day finance operations and evolving the global financial control function into a world-class operation, positioning the business for a potential future exit.
ComplyAdvantage was keen to target finance leaders with a proven track record of driving process improvements within high-growth, venture capital-backed, technology-focused businesses with a global footprint.
The Approach
The CFO Practice implemented a highly targeted approach to the Finance Director search, focusing on senior finance leaders operating within high-growth, SaaS-based and technology-driven businesses. The brief required candidates with experience in venture capital-backed environments, ideally with exposure to scaling global finance functions and supporting businesses through periods of rapid growth and increasing complexity.
The search was driven through Rob’s established network of senior finance leaders within the FinTech and broader SaaS ecosystem, complemented by targeted outreach across professional networks and specialist search tools. This approach ensured access to high-calibre candidates with relevant investor-backed experience, many of whom were not actively engaged in the market.
The successful candidate was a Finance Director with a strong background in scaling global finance operations for a VC-backed technology business, with a proven track record of process improvement and the ability to support ComplyAdvantage’s continued growth.
As with all searches managed by The CFO Practice, Rob led a focused, personal and agile process, ensuring the time and attention to deliver a high-quality process.
The Outcome
Since starting with Comply Advantage, the new CFO and Finance Directors have already started delivering a series of financial process upgrades, as well as a new ERP implementation and significant developments of the global finance team.
After a relationship spanning several years, The CFO Practice are proud to be a close partner to ComplyAdvantage on resourcing for its senior finance management team.
Rob is my go-to recruiter for senior finance roles. I have worked with him twice in the past three years and each time, Rob demonstrated an exceptional understanding of what I needed. He is thorough and rigorous in his process but also tailors it uniquely to a client’s requirements. Not only that, he always delivers a high calibre panel of candidates to any process and then guides you expertly through the process to make sure you get the right fit. His real magic? As he only takes on a few mandates at a time, you get the impression, and the results, that he is 100% focused on your search and your search alone. I could not think of a better senior finance recruiter out there.
Nabeel Vilcassim, Chief Financial Officer
ComplyAdvantage
I cannot recommend Rob highly enough. His personable approach, thorough analysis of my experience and company requirements, and excellent communication made the entire process seamless. As well as skills and knowledge, he carefully assessed cultural fit to ensure both I and my company would be well-suited for each other. He kept me informed at every stage and was always available with valuable insights. It is clear that Rob prioritises creating long term relationships and providing the best results for all involved rather than any quick sale. Rob's professionalism and genuine commitment to creating the right match made what can be a stressful process remarkably positive.
Charlie Mogridge, Finance Director
ComplyAdvantage