Carnegie Consulting
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Our Services

Four disciplines. One standard.

Whether you need a single specialist or an entire finance function, every engagement is led with the same rigour, discretion and care.

Permanent Recruitment

The right appointment, sourced with care and made to last.

Our permanent search is built around a deep understanding of your team, your culture and the specific demands of the role. We present a considered shortlist of professionals who can perform from day one and who intend to stay for the long term.

Finance directors and controllers
The senior finance professionals who own reporting, control and the integrity of the numbers. We assess technical depth alongside the commercial judgement and stakeholder presence these roles demand, and we know which backgrounds transition successfully between fund structures, portfolio companies and corporates.

Specialist technical hires

Narrow, hard-to-fill briefs: technical accounting, regulatory reporting, treasury, tax and systems specialists. Because we work these markets daily, we know the small pool of genuine specialists and, crucially, which of them would consider a move.
Investment and portfolio finance
Fund accountants, portfolio analysts and investment finance specialists who sit closest to the assets. These hires need fluency in fund structures, valuations and investor reporting. We test for it directly rather than relying on job titles.
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Talent Advisory

Market mapping, compensation benchmarking, organisation design and succession planning. The work that makes the next appointment a better-informed one.

The best hiring decisions are made long before a search is opened. Our advisory work gives leadership teams the market intelligence to act with total conviction: who the exceptional performers are, what it genuinely takes to attract and retain them, and how a finance function should be shaped for what comes next. It is the thinking our clients draw on before their competitors know a move is coming, and the reason they move first.

Market mapping and talent intelligence

A systematic picture of the talent landscape for a given function: who holds the key roles, how teams are structured at comparable firms, and where the strongest performers sit. It turns a future hiring decision from guesswork into an informed move, often months before a search opens.
Organisation design
Advice on how a finance function should be shaped for the firm’s next phase: reporting lines, seniority mix, where to build versus buy capability, and the sequencing of hires. Grounded in what genuinely works at comparable firms, not in theory.

Compensation benchmarking

Reliable, current data on base, bonus and long-term incentives for finance roles across private equity and investment management. We draw on live mandates and direct market conversations rather than stale surveys, so offers land first time and retention risks surface early.
Succession planning
A clear-eyed view of internal readiness against the external market for business-critical finance roles. We help leadership understand who could step up, on what timeline, and what the market alternative looks like, before the vacancy exists.
Explore Talent Advisory

Contract & Interim

Experienced professionals, deployed at pace.

When a transaction, transformation or period of change demands immediate capability, we provide seasoned interim and contract professionals who hit the ground running. We move quickly without ever compromising on quality.
Transaction and integration support
Interim professionals for the moments that strain a finance team: acquisitions, carve-outs, fund launches and post-deal integration. We supply people who have done the specific work before and can operate with minimal onboarding under deal pressure.
Systems and process projects
Contract specialists for finance systems implementations, process redesign and automation work. These are professionals who combine accounting depth with genuine systems capability, a rarer profile than most firms expect.
Maternity and gap cover
Seamless cover for planned and unplanned absences, from fund accountants to financial controllers. We prioritise candidates who can hold the standard of the permanent team, so the function does not miss a reporting cycle.
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Executive Search

Discreet, research-led search for leadership roles.

For the appointments that define an organisation, we conduct rigorous, confidential search led by partners who understand the weight of the decision. We map the market thoroughly and represent your opportunity with discretion and credibility.
CFO and finance leadership
Retained search for CFOs, finance directors and heads of function. These are the appointments that shape a firm’s trajectory. Led by partners, researched exhaustively, and run with the discretion these processes require on both sides.
Confidential replacements
When a change must be made before it can be announced, we run the entire search under strict confidentiality: anonymised briefs, controlled disclosure and carefully staged introductions, protecting the business and the individuals throughout.
Board and non-executive roles
Search for non-executive directors, audit committee chairs and advisory roles where independence, credibility and sector fluency matter as much as availability. We map beyond the usual candidates to those genuinely additive to a board.
Explore Executive Search

Payroll & Compliance

Engage contract talent with complete confidence.

Our payroll and compliance support removes the administrative burden of engaging contract professionals. We ensure every placement meets its obligations, so you can focus on the work rather than the paperwork.
IR35 assessment and compliance
Clear status determinations and compliant engagement models for every contract placement, so hiring managers can engage interim talent without exposure. We keep pace with the legislation so our clients do not have to.
Right-to-work verification
Thorough eligibility checks completed before day one, documented to the standard an audit would expect. One less compliance burden sitting with your internal teams.
Contractor payroll management
Accurate, on-time payroll for contract professionals, with all deductions, reporting and record-keeping handled. Contractors stay focused on the work; clients receive a single clean invoice.
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HOW WE WORK

Three ways to work with us.

Every appointment requires a considered approach. You may need swift access to suitable candidates already considering a move, a dedicated search for scarce expertise, or a discreet process for a critical leadership appointment. We take the time to understand your requirements and recommend the engagement model that fits.

Carnegie Select

Relevant candidates who are ready to move.

Our contingent recruitment service draws on our network and targeted sourcing to identify suitable people who are actively looking or receptive to a new opportunity.

Suited to clearly defined roles where the relevant skills are reasonably available, with a fee payable only on successful placement.

Carnegie Aligned

A dedicated search beyond the actively looking market.

An exclusive recruitment partnership with dedicated time to understand your business, shape the opportunity and engage the wider relevant talent pool.

We map the agreed market and approach suitable people directly, including those who are not looking for a new role. An upfront engagement fee supports the work, giving you broader candidate choice and clear visibility of progress.

Carnegie Executive Search

Comprehensive, discreet search for critical appointments.

Our most comprehensive service for senior and business-critical appointments, where the right individual can materially influence business performance.

Through detailed research, carefully managed approaches and deeper assessment, we help you make a well-informed appointment. Delivered on a retained basis, with senior involvement and discretion throughout.

Which approach fits your appointment?

The answer depends on the skills you need, where the talent is based, your timeframe and the impact of the hire. International searches, multiple appointments and additional assessment may also shape the work required. Tell us what you need to achieve and we’ll give you a clear recommendation and explain why.

Discuss your hiring needs →
Common questions

The questions clients ask us most.

How quickly can you present candidates?
For interim and contract mandates we can often present qualified professionals within days. For permanent and executive search, a considered shortlist typically follows two to three weeks of dedicated work.
Both. The right model depends on the seniority, sensitivity and complexity of the appointment. We will recommend the approach that best serves your interests and explain our reasoning clearly.
We are headquartered in London and recruit across the United Kingdom, with the ability to support international mandates for established clients where appropriate.
We specialise. Our consultants have spent their careers within a small number of finance markets, which means we understand the roles, the firms and the people in a way a generalist simply cannot.
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Whether you are building a team, exploring your next appointment, or need flexible hiring support, we would welcome the opportunity to understand your requirements.
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  • Established 2006
  • London · New York · Luxembourg
  • Discreet & confidential