Following a secondary buyout from a leading large cap private equity fund, Flint Global was entering a new phase of its private equity journey, with international growth and buy-and-build activity central to the value creation plan.
01
Challenge
Flint needed a CFO who could operate effectively in a PE-backed professional services environment and support the business through its next stage of growth.
The brief called for someone with relevant private equity experience, strong commercial judgement and a track record in businesses scaling internationally and through M&A.
02
Action
Tom Johnstone and Dominic Mellett led the search for Finatal, working closely with Flint and its stakeholders to refine the brief around the experience that would have the greatest impact.
Target relevant experience
The search focused on a targeted group of senior finance leaders from PE-backed professional services businesses, drawing on Finatal’s existing network in the market.
Find the right fit
Alex Panayi emerged as a strong fit. His background included PE-backed professional services businesses such as ERM, Unispace and Prescient, while the Flint opportunity closely matched what he wanted from the next stage of his career.
Build alignment
Tom worked closely with Alex throughout the process, giving him a clear view of Flint’s plans following the transaction, the funds investment thesis and the role the CFO would play in delivering the value creation plan.
03
Impact
Alex Panayi
Chief Financial Officer
Flint Global
Flint Global
Alex joined Flint Global as CFO following the funds secondary buyout.
His experience gave Flint a finance leader familiar with the demands of private equity ownership and the growth profile of professional services businesses. Since joining, he has been supporting Flint’s organic and M&A-led growth, with the business already completing acquisitions during his time in the role.
04
In their words
“I was looking for my next role with clear criteria in mind: a fast-growing, professional services, private equity-backed business with an international footprint where I could genuinely add value.
I already knew Finatal well, and what sets them apart is a deep network and genuine understanding of private equity, a strong pipeline of relevant opportunities, and honest, supportive communication throughout what can be a rigorous process.
That process led me to my current role as CFO at Flint Global, where I’m supporting the business grow both organically and through M&A. The business is scaling fast, and we’ve already completed acquisitions since I joined.”
Alex PanayiCFO, Flint Global
“Flint had a very clear growth plan and needed a CFO who had already worked in the type of environment they were building. Alex’s experience in PE-backed professional services made him highly relevant, and just as importantly, the opportunity matched what he wanted from his next role. That alignment made a real difference throughout the process.”
Tom JohnstoneFinatal