Why growing companies bring in a recruitment partner
Hiring under investor pressure with a small team? Nikita on when a specialist partner saves you time.
CFO recruitment agency in India
CFO and executive search. Discreet, research-led, personal.
Stellaspire runs confidential searches for CFOs, finance directors and senior finance leaders. We map the market, approach the people who are not looking, and stay with the process until your new leader has joined.
Who this is for
When the next finance leader shapes the business.
A CFO hire changes how a company raises capital, manages risk and makes decisions. These searches need discretion, a clear view of the market and an honest read on each candidate.
- Founders and boards appointing a first CFO ahead of a fundraise, a listing or a period of rapid growth.
- CEOs replacing a finance leader who need the search handled confidentially.
- Global companies and GCCs hiring an India finance director, controller or head of FP&A.
- PE- and VC-backed businesses strengthening finance leadership for investor reporting and governance.
Leadership roles we search for
Finance leadership, end to end.
Senior mandates where the right person matters more than the speed of the first CV.
| Mandate | Typical roles | Reports to |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Financial Officer | Group CFO, CFO, CFO-designate, interim-to-permanent CFO | CEO and board |
| Finance director | Finance director, VP finance, India finance head for global companies | CFO or CEO |
| Controllership leadership | Group financial controller, head of accounting and reporting | CFO |
| Planning leadership | Head of FP&A, head of business finance, strategic finance lead | CFO |
| Specialist leadership | Head of treasury, head of tax, head of internal audit, chief risk officer | CFO or audit committee |
| GCC finance leadership | GCC finance head, finance transformation leader, shared services head | Global finance leadership |
Each mandate’s scope, reporting line and confidentiality terms are agreed before the search begins.
The search mindset
Confidential searches, run by one person from start to finish.
The best finance leaders are rarely applying for jobs.
A leadership search reaches the people who are succeeding where they are. We approach them discreetly, explain the opportunity properly and protect the confidentiality of both sides until the time is right.
How we run a searchWhat a CFO search involves
Five stages, one accountable partner.
From the first briefing to the new leader’s first weeks, one Stellaspire partner owns the search and keeps you informed at every stage.
Process, models & fees
01
Shape the mandate
Meet the CEO, founders or board to understand strategy, the finance agenda, the team the CFO inherits and the leadership style that will work.
02
Map the market
Research finance leaders across target sectors, company stages and adjacent industries, and share a market map before any shortlist.
03
Discreet approach and assessment
Approach candidates confidentially and assess them in depth on track record, capital and governance experience, leadership and motivation.
04
Shortlist, references and offer
Present a considered shortlist with written assessments, take structured references and help align a competitive offer.
05
Transition and onboarding
Manage resignation and counter-offer risk, and keep in touch through the leader’s notice period and first months in role.
Engagement models
Built for leadership hiring.
Commercial, confidentiality and replacement terms are shared in writing before a search begins.
Retained executive search
A dedicated, research-led search with a market map, in-depth assessments and structured references.
Confidential search
For replacements and new roles that cannot be advertised, run under strict confidentiality.
Targeted search
For heads of FP&A, controllers and specialist finance leaders where a focused search is the right fit.
Decision support
Retained search or contingency recruitment?
| What matters | Retained executive search | Contingency recruitment | Hiring directly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach into passive leaders | Systematic market mapping | Mostly active candidates | Own network only |
| Confidentiality | Built into the process | Harder to control | Difficult for replacements |
| Depth of assessment | Written assessments and references | CV and interview notes | Depends on internal time |
| Commitment | Dedicated partner for the mandate | Shared across many roles | Competes with day jobs |
| Best for | CFO and senior finance leadership | Mid-level specialist roles | Known, referred candidates |
From our founder
Hear it from our founder.
Nikita Agrawal on how we hire, in under a minute. In Hindi and English.
How we check a candidate before you meet them
Background, motivation and fit: what we verify before a profile reaches your inbox.
The diversity lens
More women at
the finance table.
Women remain under-represented in CFO and finance leadership roles. As a women-led firm, we make sure every leadership shortlist actively considers qualified women finance leaders, so boards see the full range of talent available.
Where we search
Leadership searches across India.
We are based in Bengaluru and run CFO and finance leadership searches across India, with international searches handled according to the mandate.
BengaluruMumbaiDelhi NCRHyderabadPuneChennai
Related services
Executive search questions
CFO search questions.
A CFO recruitment agency defines the mandate with you, maps the market for suitable finance leaders, approaches and assesses candidates confidentially, takes references and supports the offer and transition.
Retained search is a dedicated, exclusive engagement with a structured research process, suited to CFO and senior roles. Contingency recruitment is paid only on a successful hire and suits specialist and mid-level roles.
Yes. Confidential replacements and unannounced roles are run without advertising, with the company identity shared only with serious candidates at the agreed stage.
We assess track record, experience of fundraising, audits and governance, leadership of finance teams, stakeholder management and motivation, then confirm our view through structured references.
Yes. We search for first CFOs at growth-stage companies as well as finance leaders for established businesses and GCCs.
Fees depend on the role, its scope and the engagement model. We share commercial, confidentiality and replacement terms in writing before the search begins.
Appointing a finance leader? Let’s talk in confidence.
Tell us about the role and the moment your business is in. We will suggest a search approach and timeline that fits.