Virtual CFO / Fractional CFO

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, the roles of Virtual CFOs and Fractional CFOs are becoming increasingly recognized as essential for companies that require high-level financial expertise without the commitment of a full-time executive. While the terms “Virtual CFO” and “Fractional CFO” are often used interchangeably, they both refer to the same service: providing businesses with access to experienced CFOs on a part-time or as-needed basis.

Virtual CFO: A Virtual CFO works remotely and can be engaged for consistent days per week—such as two days or more—or a few days a month, depending on the company’s needs. This arrangement can be ongoing or for a specific period to meet a particular business goal.

Fractional CFO: The term “Fractional CFO” is gaining popularity, particularly in Europe, and refers to the same concept—a portion of a CFO’s time, skills, and expertise tailored to fit your business requirements. Just like a Virtual CFO, a Fractional CFO offers flexibility, allowing companies to benefit from strategic financial leadership without the need for a full-time position.

At Stewart & Smith Advisory, we provide Outsourced CFO, Virtual CFO, and Fractional CFO services, all of which deliver the same high-quality, commercially experienced financial leadership. Our team of CFOs has extensive experience across various industries, ensuring that your business receives the strategic guidance needed to drive growth and success.

Our vCFO’s are very experienced in working with the outgoing CFO to ‘uplift’ their existing knowledge and document existing processes and procedures to ensure continuity.

Outsourced CFO’s bring strategic financial advice to business owners and is an excellent solution.  They can be flexible, adaptive and can harness their experience and those around them to support your company’s growth and performance.

Accountants take care of the past, balancing books, reporting results and filing taxes.   CFO’s are more strategic, they articulate the strategic plan via long term financial model preparation and scenarios, they prepare the planning and analysis and work closely with the Executive & Leadership teams to prepare budgets, forecasts, cashflows, performance metrics and business unit metrics.   CFO’s also develop key accounting systems and controls to reduce risk of reporting true and accurate information, assist with the transformation of the finance function to achieve greater efficiencies and more accurate reporting, drive business performance, manage financial risks and taxes, obtain and manage long term financing, ensure short term liquidity, develop financing strategies  and establish capital structure objectives, they work with the Leadership team on M&A transactions, divestitures and spinoffs, prioritising capital investments and they communicate across the business to achieve alignment of all internal and external reporting.