New research from The Barton Partnership shows CFOs are now leading value creation in 87% of PE-backed businesses, but 59% are starting from scratch, inheriting finance functions built for a different job.
LONDON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The finance function has become the pressure point of the private equity playbook. CFOs are now expected to own value creation delivery, but most step into a role still resourced for financial stewardship, not board-level accountability, according to new research from The Barton Partnership. The findings are drawn from a survey of 258 CFOs across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, published today in The Role of the CFO in PE-Backed Businesses.
A structural reset
Two-thirds of CFOs (67%) say the scope of their role has changed materially in recent years. That figure holds steady across every experience level, from first-year appointees to CFOs with over a decade of PE experience. The consistency reported across CFOs rules out a simple learning curve. It points instead to a reset in what sponsors expect from the finance seat.
Value creation initiatives now top the day-to-day agenda for 67% of CFOs, ahead of cash flow and liquidity (57%) and financial reporting and controls (54%). In smaller portfolio companies especially, the role is converging with that of a COO.
Additional findings include:
- VCP involvement is now a baseline expectation, not a stretch goal: 87% of CFOs describe themselves as strong contributors to or leaders of the Value Creation Plan. Just over a quarter (27%) lead it outright, and only 13% report limited or no involvement.
- Most CFOs are rebuilding the function while running it: 59% describe the finance function they inherited as weak and in need of a rebuild. That figure climbs to 62% in businesses below $100M. Even at the top end of the market, only 19% of CFOs in the largest portfolio companies inherited a strong function.
- Forecasting and cash visibility are where CFOs feel most exposed: 61% cite forecast accuracy and 50% cite cash and liquidity management as their greatest areas of personal risk. Both trace back to the same root cause: data quality most functions still lack.
- Sponsor clarity matters more than sponsor involvement: Just 18% of CFOs report being highly aligned with their sponsors. Asked what would most improve their effectiveness, 79% pointed to clear and realistic performance expectations, far outweighing demand for hands-on support (27%).
- Equity is standard, but ownership stakes are thin: 89% of CFOs participate in equity or a long-term incentive plan. Yet 65% hold less than 1%. Base salary (73%) and equity (69%) dominate what CFOs prioritize when evaluating new roles, well ahead of annual bonus (35%).
When the whole leadership team owns value creation
"The CFO has become the fund's primary translator between investment thesis and operational reality," said Oliver Phoenix, CEO of The Barton Partnership. "That's a substantially bigger job than the one most finance leaders signed up for a decade ago."
CFO effectiveness, the report finds, is shaped as much by the conditions of the mandate as by the capability of the individual.
"The businesses that deliver are the ones where value creation sits with the whole leadership team, effectively a value creation board, rather than being pushed onto one function to own and defend. Our data shows CFOs are absorbing accountability for conditions they don't fully control: sponsor clarity, cross-functional alignment, the quality of the team around them. Where those conditions are in place, the finance function becomes one of the fund's strongest mobilizers of value creation," said Phoenix.
What's coming next
Three challenges dominate the year ahead. Delivery of value creation initiatives tops the list at 46%, followed by macroeconomic uncertainty at 41% and data quality and systems at 39%. None of these sit in isolation. Weak data undermines forecasting, weak forecasting undermines VCP delivery, and weak delivery undermines a CFO's credibility with the sponsor. The report suggests the firms that invest early in data infrastructure and sponsor alignment will see materially stronger returns from their finance leadership across the hold period.
The full report breaks down remuneration trends, capability gaps and hiring priorities by revenue band, along with regional differences in base salary and equity allocation across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.
To download a copy of the report, go to: https://www.thebartonpartnership.com/blog/2026/07/the-role-of-the-CFO-in-PE-backed-businesses.
About The Barton Partnership
The Barton Partnership is a specialist strategic talent solutions provider that helps organizations bridge the gap between strategy and execution. Since 2007, the firm has partnered with FTSE-listed and Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms and their portfolio businesses, global financial institutions, and leading consulting organizations to deliver executive search, interim and independent consulting, and consulting solutions.
Combining deep sector expertise with specialist functional focus, The Barton Partnership connects clients with senior leaders across Strategy & M&A, Transformation & Change, Technology & Data, and ESG & Sustainability. The firm's integrated approach aligns talent strategies with business priorities, ensuring every placement, whether interim, permanent or consulting, delivers measurable impact.
The Barton Partnership is a certified B Corp™ and supports clients globally from offices in London, New York, Singapore, Sydney, and Toronto. Learn more at thebartonpartnership.com.
Media Contact
Brittney Kowalski, The Barton Partnership, 1 6035042024, [email protected], https://www.thebartonpartnership.com/
SOURCE The Barton Partnership
Share this article