Securing a VP of Finance for an energy data platform’s pivot to an exit-driven SaaS model after acquisition

The client 

Our client is a global low-code cloud platform helping energy companies build, tailor, and deploy energy data management applications faster. 

The challenge 

After acquisition by a private equity firm in January 2026, the client needed to move from a fractional CFO arrangement to a full-time, operational VP of Finance (‘number one in finance’) to lead the next stage of growth, with proven expertise in: 

• Designing and embedding robust, modern forecasting processes 
  
  
• Shifting the operating model to an ARR-led SaaS approach 
  
  
• Scaling finance and partnering with leadership to drive the business towards an exit horizon against strategic timelines 

The solution 

“The key challenge was to shift the business to a SaaS model with annual recurring revenue metrics. We found candidates who had put businesses through that change in a PE environment.”  
– Charlie Wilson, Associate Director at Eames Consulting | Accounting & Finance 

Charlie Wilson worked closely with the client’s CEO to define the brief and the capability required for the role. 

Equipped with a deep sense of the client’s operational needs, we devised strategic support combining salary benchmarking, refining role specifications, and performing targeted introductions of high-calibre candidates from within our wide network of senior finance professionals.  

To broaden the pool, we also identified relevant external candidates who had helped similarly sized businesses adopt ARR-led SaaS models and scale through comparable growth milestones. 

The result 

We built a curated shortlist within one week. Despite receiving more than 1,000 applications (driven by the role’s remote status), the end-to-end process took only three calendar weeks. 

Following two interview rounds and a case study presentation, our candidate accepted the role and is now positioned to help the business transition to an ARR-led model while scaling towards a successful future exit. 

The future 

On the back of this effective placement, our Accounting & Finance team has been in discussion to provide future bespoke resourcing support as the business scales. 

What our client said 

“We engaged Charlie Wilson at Eames Consulting to help us appoint a business-critical VP of Finance after PE acquisition. Charlie quickly understood both our business and the brief and ran a seamless process that delivered a strong shortlist culminating in a successful appointment. I’d recommend Charlie to any PE-backed business hiring senior finance leadership.” 
— CEO, global energy data management platform 

If you are looking for a new opportunity or need to hire the right talent for your team, please reach out to Charlie at Charlie.wilson@eamesconsulting.com.