“We had the pleasure of working with Rob from The CFO Practice to fill a senior critical level position within our business. From the outset Rob, demonstrated an exceptional understanding of our needs and bespoke requirements. His dedication to finding us the right candidate was evident in the thorough selection process and in the high calibre shortlisted professionals he provided us. The successful candidate has had a significant positive impact on our team. We would highly recommend using The CFO Practice and couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome.”
Sian Williams, HR Director & Joe Pace, CEO
MS-RT
The CFO Practice placed a Chief Financial Officer at MS-RT, a high-growth design-led automotive engineering company.
“Rob handled our Director of Finance & Operations search with incredible efficiency and efficacy, quickly finding excellent candidates with the right profile for our company and helping manage the whole process seamlessly to a good outcome. The CFO Practice is everything one would hope for in a search firm.”
Alejandro Litovsky
Founder & Chief Executive – Earth Security
The CFO Practice placed a Director of Finance & Operations at Earth Security, a London-based mission-led analytics and sustainability start-up. (Read the Earth Security case study).
“I’ve worked with Robert as a candidate and client for nearly 20 years ever since I was a newly qualified accountant. He is my go-to consultant on both sides because I trust in him. He works with rigor and integrity to find appropriate roles and high-quality candidates. Robert partners with me to problem-solve, bringing forward new ideas to reach a positive outcome. I can’t recommend him highly enough.”
Chris Musgrove
CFO – Techspert
The CFO Practice introduced CFO Chris Musgrove to Techspert, a Cambridge-based AI-driven technology scale-up through BGF.
“The CFO Practice conducted an efficient and thorough executive search service and provided an excellent list of candidates for our CFO position. Thanks to the accurate screening of candidates, we were able to rapidly hone in on the successful candidate who has fitted smoothly into our organisation. Top marks to the CFO Practice.”
Roland Wessell
CEO – Synergia Energy Plc
The CFO Practice placed a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Synergia Energy Plc, a natural resources company transitioning from energy exploration to carbon capture.
“The CFO Practice was everything you want from a search firm. They helped us narrow down our search, only brought extremely good candidates onto the shortlist, and ultimately helped us recruit the ideal candidate we were looking for. There’s not much else you need to know. They’re experts in finance exec hiring, and it shows. We’ll be working with them again.”
Mauro Cozzi
CEO & Co-Founder – Emitwise
The CFO Practice placed a VP Finance at Emitwise, a VC-backed carbon management SaaS start-up based in London.
Core Partners
“When Rob makes an introduction to me, I know they’re going to be good. I trust his judgement, and importantly (and somewhat uniquely), I know that his priority is finding the right fit, not finding the right fee.”
John Coburn
Portfolio Talent – Business Growth Fund
The CFO Practice has introduced three Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) to Business Growth Fund, the most active growth equity investor in the UK and Ireland. (Read the BGF case study).
“Thanks to the dedication of Rob, our portfolio leaders have found that The CFO Practice is highly responsive, professional, and sensitive to the unique needs of start-up and scale-up companies. The CFO Practice has firmly established a reputation for being the go-to partner for early-stage finance professionals amongst our founder community.”
Steve Bianchi
Former Portfolio Talent Advisor – Balderton Capital
The CFO Practice has managed several senior finance leadership searches for Balderton Capital, a leading multistage Venture Capital firm.
“Rob from The CFO Practice exceeded our expectations in handling our Head of Finance (Reading, Berkshire-based) search. His continuous communication, professionalism, and seamless management of the process made our experience effortless. Thanks to his support, we’ve successfully onboarded an exceptional employee. Highly recommended for anyone seeking recruitment assistance.”
Rob Russell
CFO – VirtualStock
The CFO Practice placed a Head of Finance at VirtualStock, a VC-backed, technology-led supply chain scale-up based in Reading.
“I worked with Rob Baker when I was searching for my first CFO position, and his approach was incredibly thorough. Rob’s commitment to identifying and introducing high-calibre candidates to his clients was evident from our first interview. He prepared me exceptionally well for each step of the process and kept me updated throughout. Rob was always responsive, highly professional, and approachable with any questions or concerns I had. Even after placing me in the role, he stayed in regular contact to ensure I was happy. I highly recommend Rob to both candidates and employers.”
Maral Ghawsi
CFO – VOSAIO
The CFO Practice placed Maral Ghawsi as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at VOSAIO, a BGF-backed B2B travel company based in London.
“I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with Rob Baker both as a candidate and client over the past decade. Rob consistently delivers an exceptional level of service, and I trust him completely with both my personal and company reputation. He works with integrity, focus, and agility to produce top-quality candidates, many of whom have built long-term relationships with him. I can’t recommend his services highly enough.”
David Skinner
Former Group CFO – Ceuta Group
The CFO Practice placed a Group Finance Director and an Interim Transformation Director at Ceuta Group, a Bournemouth-based business previously backed by private equity. (Read the Ceuta Group case study).
Rob has shown incredible generosity in offering his time and expertise to our charity pro bono. He took time to guide me through a recruitment process that suited my organisation and worked with me to adapt our approach as our requirements changed. He understood our needs, which, as a small charity, are quite nuanced, and supported my team and me, ensuring we thought about the right skills match and considered organisational culture. He never wavered in his support, giving fully and efficiently of his time until we found the right candidate. Rob is reflective, intuitive, and sensitive to the needs of his clients, whether it be a small charity like ours or a big corporation. Thank you, Rob; we value your ongoing support.
Juliet Diener
Founder & CEO - icandance
Rob Baker and The CFO Practice helped us to rapidly find the right Financial Controller (Kent based) for Chapel Down. I was impressed with Rob’s breadth of knowledge of the broad candidate pool, his ability to source new candidates when the role evolved rather than just recycling existing CVs, his guidance and responsiveness throughout the process and his follow-up after. I would highly recommend him.
Rob Smith
CFO - Chapel Down Group Plc
I first worked with Rob when he helped us fill a key role at Pure Gym several years ago. I’ve always found him to be a focused and diligent executive recruiter, who takes pride in doing his research thoroughly and ensuring that he delivers. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him if you’re looking for a CFO or Finance Director.
Adam Bellamy
Chair & NED
I have known Robert for over a decade, having worked with him as a candidate and client. My first interaction with Robert was as a candidate. My interview was rigorous and challenging, but I understood he sought the right calibre, quality, and cultural fit for his client. His thorough approach to the candidate search was exactly why I started partnering with Robert on the client side for senior recruitment. His approach works very successfully, delivering many exceptional senior staff to my finance teams over the years. Robert is the person that I turn to for senior recruitment as I know that he will deliver a shortlist of great candidates.
Richard Kozlowski
Group CFO - Jimmy Choo
Rob’s approach to candidate placement is unique, as I experienced from our first engagement last year. He works closely with the company and candidate to ensure the best possible fit. His thoroughness, attention to detail, and insightful questioning helped me feel well-prepared for my interviews. This level of support was refreshing and instrumental in my successful placement in my current role. I would not hesitate to recommend Rob.
Debbie Seeley
Group Finance Director - Ceuta Group
I highly recommend Rob Baker to any candidate seeking new CFO or FD opportunities. Rob is an exceptional recruiter who truly understands the nuances of financial leadership roles and is dedicated to finding the best fit for your career. He is efficient, highly responsive, and kept me well informed throughout the entire process with Earth Security. Rob is also an outstanding communicator—clear, supportive, and genuinely invested in understanding my skills, experience, and career goals. He treats you as a person, not just a prospect, making you feel that he’s listening to you rather than selling to you.
Simon Cottee
Director of Finance and Operations - Earth Security
I first worked with Rob when he helped us fill a key role at Pure Gym several years ago. I’ve always found him to be a focused and diligent executive recruiter, who takes pride in doing his research thoroughly and ensuring that he delivers. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him if you’re looking for a CFO or Finance Director.
Adam Bellamy
Chair & NED