A boutique CFO search firm supporting private equity, venture capital and high-growth mid-market businesses across Australia.
OUR STORY
Careers transformed. Value created for investors. This is Highbury's arena.
Highbury Executive Talent is a boutique executive search firm specialising in the placement of CFOs and senior finance leaders within private equity, venture capital–backed and middle market corporates across Australia. We exist for one reason: to connect high-growth companies with exceptional finance talent who can drive performance, manage complexity, and scale businesses from the inside out.
Highbury was established to reflect the values that have guided us through our founders careers in accounting, finance and search, supporting our colleagues and clients through the ups and downs and delivering when it counted. The name itself is a nod to our founders football club's old stadium, a place that stood for loyalty, community and performing at the highest level when it mattered most. Those aren't bad values for a search firm either.
At Highbury, we genuinely care about the people we work with. When you meet the team, you'll quickly realise this isn't a transaction. Whether you're a client or a candidate, we're here to support you and your team for the long term; through the career highs, the challenging times, and everything in between. We will be your greatest supporters.
We exist to serve Australia's most ambitious mid-market businesses, and the exceptional finance leaders and financial sponsors who drive them.
IN THEIR WORDS
"Rick was top class. He was one of the best recruiters I have ever dealt with. He was always extremely patient and an excellent communicator."
Client
Chief Financial Officer - Private Equity Portco
SERVICES
Retained search for permanent CFOs across high-growth, PE and VC backed, and mid market corporates. We identify finance leaders with the commercial instinct, board presence, and transactional experience to shape the next chapter of value creation.
Placing the number two in finance and their teams who operationalise and execute on the CFO agenda. The successors, the systems builders, and the trusted lieutenants behind every strong finance function.
Part-time, embedded CFO expertise for scaling businesses not yet ready for a full-time hire, and senior finance leaders deployed at pace for transformation projects. Board-grade financial leadership on a flexible engagement model, whether you need strategic continuity or immediate impact navigating M&A, restructuring, or unexpected leadership gaps.
Specialist search for finance leaders fluent in AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making. From Heads of FP&A leveraging machine learning to Chief Data Officers shaping enterprise analytics — the talent reshaping how modern finance functions create value.
HOW WE WORK
Every engagement begins with a structured intake briefing, we then develop the market map & competency model, understand the succession context, and board expectations, before a single name is approached.
Confidential searches are our default. We protect both client identity and candidate situations with the rigour expected by listed and PE-backed boards.
A founding Partner leads every search end-to-end. No hand-offs to junior researchers running point. The person you brief is the person doing the work.
Based on the detailed brief we develop a mutually agreed timeline for each mandate with agreed milestones.
Every search. Every time.
HIGHBURY EXECUTIVE TEAM
Managing Partner
Principal
Operations Manager
Advisory Board Chair
TECHNOLOGY
CFO Scout is our proprietary search framework, built specifically to identify, assess and place CFO and emerging finance leadership talent inside PE and VC-backed environments where the stakes, timelines, pace and growth expectations are different.
Utilising leading AI and data capabilities, CFO Scout goes deeper than traditional recruitment; assessing not just where a candidate is today, but where they're capable of going. We evaluate future leadership potential, growth trajectory, and the ability to scale alongside a fast-growing business.
The result is a shortlist of leaders who don't just fit the brief, they're ready for what comes next. Currently in private beta.
FAQ
A CFO search firm identifies, assesses and secures senior finance leaders on behalf of a business. Highbury Executive Talent is a boutique firm focused on CFO and senior finance appointments for private equity and venture capital backed, ASX-listed and mid-market businesses across Australia.
Highbury works only in senior finance leadership, with partner-led delivery and a proprietary approach to assessing candidates. We focus on private equity-backed, venture capital-backed and high-growth mid-market businesses, and on reaching finance leaders who are not actively looking as well as those who are.
Yes. Highbury specialises in CFO-1 recruitment — placing Heads of Finance, Financial Controllers, Group Financial Controllers, Head of M&A and Finance Managers within private equity, venture capital and high-growth mid-market businesses across Australia. These are the senior finance operators who execute the CFO agenda and are often the CFO of tomorrow.
Yes. Highbury places fractional and interim CFOs for Australian businesses that need board-grade financial leadership on a flexible basis. This includes scaling businesses not yet ready for a full-time CFO, and companies requiring immediate senior finance leadership during M&A, restructuring, transformation projects, or unexpected leadership gaps.
Yes. Highbury specialises in recruiting finance leaders fluent in AI, automation, and data-driven decision making. This includes Heads of FP&A leveraging machine learning, Chief Data Officers, and senior finance executives reshaping how modern finance functions create value through advanced analytics and intelligent automation.
We work across all industries where private equity, venture capital, and high-growth mid-market businesses operate in Australia — including technology, healthcare, industrials, consumer, financial services, and professional services.
We combine direct, network-led search, which reaches candidates who are not actively looking, with CFO Scout, our proprietary AI and data-led approach to assessing not just where a candidate has been but where they are capable of going. CFO Scout is currently in private beta.
Most searches are run on a retained basis, with partner-led delivery from kickoff to appointment. For some roles we also work on a contingent basis. We agree the right structure with you when the search is scoped.
We typically deliver a shortlist of assessed candidates within two to four weeks of kickoff. Time to appointment then depends on your interview process and the candidate's notice period.
We do not publish standard fee rates, because fees depend on the role, its seniority and whether the engagement is retained or contingent. Fees are agreed with you when the search is scoped. Contact us for a confidential conversation.
Absolute discretion is one of our four commitments to every client. We run searches confidentially and share client and candidate details only as agreed.
Highbury Executive Talent is based in Sydney and runs CFO and senior finance searches across Australia.
Yes. We work with a select group of senior finance executives at any one time, helping them access opportunities that aren't advertised. If you're a CFO or senior finance leader in Australia considering your next move, we'd welcome a confidential conversation.
LETS START A CONVERSATION
Whether you're a PE sponsor or corporate with an active mandate, a business preparing for a capital raise, or a senior finance executive exploring your options — we'd like to hear from you.
admin@highburyexecutive.com.au
Sydney, Australia