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Accordion, an AI and data-powered financial consulting firm focused on private equity, has announced the appointment of three senior executives—Paul Reading, Andy Burgess, and Steve Jones—to lead its European operations. These hires bring extensive experience as CFOs, operating partners, and finance leaders, providing clients with advisors who understand the challenges of delivering value in PE-backed businesses. This expansion bolsters Accordion’s CFO-driven value creation, AI and data & analytics, and European CFO solutions, underscoring the firm’s rapid growth in Europe following its U.S. leadership.
This strategic expansion formalizes an operating leadership layer, complementing Accordion’s established U.S. team. The new executives enhance the firm’s ability to support PE stakeholders across the continent, addressing the evolving demands on CFOs in a complex market. Accordion launched its European operations earlier this year with a London hub, expanding into new office space to accommodate growth. The firm now serves clients at every PE lifecycle stage, from foundational accounting and FP&A to technology enablement, data & analytics, and exit planning.
Paul Reading, as Head of European Solutions, brings operator experience in building and scaling finance functions for sustainable growth and exits. “Accordion has consistently stood out as the firm built specifically for the Office of the CFO in private equity,” Reading said. “Having served as an operating partner focused on finance function maturity and exit readiness, I know firsthand the challenges CFOs face across the investment lifecycle. I look forward to helping lead Accordion’s European expansion and bringing that operator perspective to support sponsors and portfolio CFOs in delivering measurable value.”
Andy Burgess, London Office Lead, has dual experience as a CFO and consultant, previously leading a Big 4 CFO practice. He has guided finance leaders in driving value, challenging strategy, and accelerating growth through technologies like AI. “I’ve experienced how demanding and complex the CFO role has become in private equity,” Burgess said. “Today’s finance leaders are expected not only to manage the fundamentals, but also to drive value creation, challenge strategy, and leverage technologies such as AI to accelerate performance. Accordion’s focus on the Office of the CFO specific to PE-backed companies, combined with its proven track record in the U.S., uniquely positions the firm to support European CFOs at this pivotal moment.”
Steve Jones, Managing Director, Data & Analytics, offers over two decades in data strategy and more than a decade partnering with PE-backed CFOs. He emphasizes outcomes through analytics and AI for performance improvement and KPI visibility. “CFOs today are expected to do far more than deliver the fundamentals,” Jones said. “They are tasked with leading digital transformation, harnessing data for decision-making, and applying AI to generate tangible impact. Accordion meets CFOs where they are - whether building robust data foundations, implementing AI, or optimising existing systems. That hands-on, operator-led approach is what sets us apart and why Accordion is defining a new standard for CFO support in private equity.”
“At Accordion, our mission is to help CFOs turn pressure into performance,” said Atul Aggarwal, President of Europe, Accordion. “Europe’s private equity landscape is evolving rapidly, and CFOs are being asked to deliver more than ever. Paul, Andy, and Steve bring deep operator experience, technical expertise, and a proven ability to implement solutions that deliver measurable impact. Their appointments, along with the formalisation of an operating leadership layer, not only reinforce our position as the partner of choice for CFOs in Europe but also complement the strength of our established senior team in the United States. Together, this combined leadership will ensure Accordion sets the benchmark for supporting CFOs across Europe, helping sponsors and portfolio companies unlock value and navigate a complex market.”
With over 1,500 professionals globally and more than 15 years of experience, Accordion combines scale, tenure, and operator-centric insight to deliver results, solidifying its role as the premier partner for PE value creation through the Office of the CFO.
Accordion sits at the heart of private equity—where sponsors and CFOs meet. Through financial consulting underpinned by data, technology, and AI, we help clients create value. Our services support the Office of the CFO across all stages of the investment lifecycle—including foundational accounting, strategic financial planning and analysis, CFO-led performance, and transaction support. Accordion is headquartered in New York, with ten offices worldwide, including its European hub in London.
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