Chief Financial Officer

Our client isa renowned retail group with a significant, well-established footprint across multiple international markets. With operations of this scale and geographiccomplexity, the business now seeks CFO who can further strengthen its financialarchitecture incluidng systems, controls and capital discipline.

• Chartered Accountant (ACA, ACCA,or equivalent) is mandatory. CPA or CFA is a plus.
• Completed articleship or early career training from Big 4 firm (Deloitte, PwC, EY, or KPMG). This is arequired, non-negotiable filter.
• Clear progression fromaudit/assurance or advisory practice atBig 4 firm into industryfinance leadership roles.
• Minimum 15 years postqualification experience (PQE).
• Minimum 5 to 7 years in CFO,Deputy CFO, or Group Finance Director capacity, ideally within amultinational or multi-entity organization.

• Own the full financial strategyof a multi-country retail operation, translating board level growth targets into fundable, market by market financial plans that account for currency exposure, local tax regimes and repatriation constraints.
• Lead consolidated, IFRS compliantgroup reporting across multiple entities and currencies, with full ownership of the month end and year end close process, ensuring numbers arealways board ready and audit ready, not just accurate in hindsight.
• Act as the primary executivecounterpart to external auditors (Big 4 or equivalent), tax authorities and regulatory bodies across every jurisdiction the group operates in,personally defending the numbers rather than delegating that defense.
• Structure and negotiate thegroup's capital stack directly, including term loans, working capitallines, trade finance facilities and any equity or investor funding, usingbanking and investor relationships built over a career, not relationshipsinherited on day one.
• Build and own the treasuryfunction end to end: FX hedging policy, intercompany funding flows, cashpooling across entities and liquidity planning that keeps the groupsolvent through seasonal and geopolitical volatility.
• Design internal control environment from first principles, benchmarked to Big 4 audit standards,so the business can withstand due diligence from a lender, an investor, oran acquirer with zero remediation required.
• Evaluate and financially modelnew market entry, store network expansion, and major capex decisions,presenting recommendations directly to the CEO and board with clear riskadjusted return analysis.
• Build a finance organizationstructured for a multi-country business (regional controllers, groupFP&A, group treasury) and develop at least one or two direct reportscapable of stepping into a CFO seat themselves within a few years.