Preparing the Finance Function for the Next Stage of Growth
For growing businesses, reaching the stage of IPO preparation brings a new set of expectations for the Finance function.
Financial reporting accuracy, internal controls, audit readiness and governance processes become increasingly important as organisations prepare for greater scrutiny and regulatory expectations.
For a growing FinTech company preparing for its IPO journey, strengthening these capabilities became an important business priority.
The organisation approached Corenza with specialised hiring requirements across two critical Finance functions: Financial Reporting and Internal Audit.
The objective was to identify professionals with relevant functional expertise who could support the company's evolving Finance and governance requirements.
The Business Challenge: Strengthening Two Critical Finance Functions
As the organisation continued to grow, its Finance requirements were becoming more specialised.
The company recognised that its existing and evolving business requirements called for stronger capabilities across financial reporting and internal controls.
However, both functions demanded different technical expertise and professional experience.
1. Financial Reporting: Strengthening Reporting Capabilities
Financial reporting is central to maintaining the reliability and consistency of financial information.
With IPO preparation on the horizon, the company required professionals with relevant financial reporting experience who could support reporting processes and the growing expectations around financial information and disclosures.
The requirement went beyond general accounting experience. It called for professionals with a strong understanding of financial reporting responsibilities and the ability to work within an increasingly structured Finance environment.
2. Internal Audit: Strengthening Controls and Governance
As businesses expand, their processes, operational risks and control requirements become more complex.
The company also needed specialised Internal Audit professionals who could contribute to:
- Reviewing internal processes and control frameworks.
- Identifying potential control gaps and operational risks.
- Supporting internal audit activities.
- Strengthening process documentation and governance practices.
The challenge was to identify candidates with practical Internal Audit experience and an understanding of the control environment required in a growing FinTech business.
The Recruitment Challenge: Finding the Right Functional Expertise
Although both positions belonged to the broader Finance function, their requirements were significantly different.
A professional experienced in financial reporting would not necessarily possess the functional expertise required for Internal Audit.
Similarly, general accounting or audit experience alone would not establish suitability for either position.
The recruitment process therefore required a focused understanding of the responsibilities, technical requirements and business context associated with each role.
This is where specialised Finance recruitment became particularly important.
Corenza's Approach: A Role-Specific Finance Recruitment Strategy
At Corenza, we approached the requirements by understanding the business priorities behind each vacancy rather than treating them as conventional Finance hiring mandates.
Our recruitment approach focused on three key areas.
1. Understanding the Business Context
We first focused on understanding the organisation's growth stage, IPO preparation requirements and the capabilities it wanted to strengthen within its Finance function.
This helped establish clarity around the experience and functional expertise required for both positions.
2. Identifying Specialised Professionals
We approached Financial Reporting and Internal Audit as two distinct hiring mandates.
For Financial Reporting, the focus was on professionals with relevant reporting experience and an understanding of financial information requirements.
For Internal Audit, the focus was on professionals with experience in audit processes, internal controls, risk identification and process assessment.
This role-specific approach helped us focus on relevant functional experience rather than relying on broad Finance profiles.
3. Aligning Talent with Organisational Requirements
Beyond matching qualifications and experience, our recruitment focus was on understanding how candidates' professional backgrounds aligned with the responsibilities of each position.
The objective was to identify professionals whose experience was relevant to the company's evolving Finance requirements and its next stage of growth.
The Outcome: Supporting Two Important Finance Hiring Requirements
Corenza supported the FinTech organisation across both specialised recruitment requirements.
The engagement covered:
Financial Reporting: Recruitment support for a critical financial reporting position to strengthen the company's reporting capabilities.
Internal Audit: Recruitment support for an important audit and controls position to address the organisation's evolving governance requirements.
Business Alignment: Both hiring requirements were approached with consideration of the company's growth stage and IPO preparation priorities.
Through specialised recruitment support, Corenza helped the organisation address two distinct Finance hiring requirements during an important phase of its business journey.
Key Takeaway: IPO Preparation Requires More Than General Finance Hiring
Preparing for an IPO is not just a corporate finance exercise. It also brings greater attention to the people, processes and controls supporting the organisation.
Financial Reporting and Internal Audit contribute to different but interconnected aspects of this preparation.
While Financial Reporting supports the accuracy and reliability of financial information, Internal Audit contributes to stronger processes, risk identification and internal control environments.
For growing FinTech companies, hiring professionals with the right functional expertise at the right stage can be an important step towards strengthening these capabilities.
The key is to recognise that specialised Finance positions require specialised recruitment strategies.
How Corenza Supports Specialised Finance Recruitment
At Corenza, we are a specialised recruitment and executive search firm focused on Finance and HR leadership and critical functional hiring across industries.
We work with startups, high-growth businesses, established corporates and Global Capability Centres to address specialised hiring requirements across:
- Financial Reporting and Financial Control
- Internal Audit, Risk and Governance
- FP&A and Business Finance
- CFO and Finance Leadership
- Taxation and Regulatory Compliance
- Accounting and Controllership
- Treasury and Corporate Finance
- Shared Services and Finance Operations
Our approach begins with understanding the business requirement, identifying the relevant talent pool and evaluating professionals against the functional expectations of each position.
Strengthening your Finance function ahead of an IPO or the next stage of business growth?
Connect with Corenza for specialised Finance recruitment and executive search support.
