Russell Reynolds has published data showing CFO retirements during the first half of 2026 reached their highest level in eight years. The consultancy notes this is prompting organisations to consider a broader range of first-time candidates for the role.
We hear this directly in our Financial Advisory searches across the DACH region. Boards that once insisted on prior CFO experience are now shortlisting candidates with strong deputy or divisional finance director backgrounds. The talent pool of sitting CFOs who want to move is simply smaller than the number of vacancies opening up. Something has to give, and what is giving is the requirement for a candidate to have already held the title.
The profile now attracting serious attention: finance leaders who have run major transformation programmes, managed complex stakeholder relationships, and built credibility with auditors and investors from the number two or three seat. Boards are asking whether a candidate can step into this specific situation and deliver from day one. A different filter, and one that brings people into contention who would have been screened out automatically in previous cycles.
For candidates who fit this profile, the practical implication is that now is the time to be visible. The hiring conversations we are having suggest boards are actively looking for candidates they may not have considered before, but they need to know those candidates exist. A finance leader who has led a major integration, a carve-out, or a finance transformation has a story worth telling. The audience is larger than it has been in nearly a decade.
Prompted by reporting from CFO Dive.