Jan Pautsch
Part 1 dealt with the transformation of FinTech leadership: more governance, speed and implementation. Part 2 shows how this has a concrete impact at Buy & Build – and which profiles are decisive for this.
Many FinTech scale-ups are no longer growing through their product alone, but through targeted acquisitions. Buy & build refers to a growth strategy in which companies secure market share, leverage synergies and scale structures through M&A transactions. While venture capital previously focused primarily on rapid, product-driven growth, private equity brings a different logic: less patience, more structure, more profitability.
Any founder, CFO or investor who successfully implements buy & build in FinTech needs managers with M&A, integration and governance expertise.
This is where executive search comes into play – to find precisely these profiles.
Contents
Review: Leadership in transition
The first part of this series dealt with the leadership shift in FinTech: from vision to implementation. From hypergrowth to governance. Klarna, Qonto, Spendesk – examples of an industry in rebuild.
→ Now the next focus: Buy & Build as growth logic.
From VC to PE: what is changing in management
Private equity invests differently to venture capital. Less story, more numbers. Less patience, more structure. Buy & build is no longer a special case – it is the central growth strategy for many FinTechs.
“The lines between VC and PE are blurring – as Sifted shows with the example of Revolut, M&A logic is needed today to successfully scale FinTechs.”
Scaling means: building a platform, consolidating the market, merging processes. Success factor: leadership that can think deals through – and see them through.
What finance must now achieve
The M&A push in the FinTech sector will be stronger in 2025 – driven by
- Consolidation (e.g. in embedded finance or credit models)
- Acquisition of AI & data expertise to increase efficiency
- Response to regulatory requirements – including ESG pressure (see BDO FinTech Predictions 2025)
Finance teams become the transaction interface:
- Accompany due diligence
- Control integrations
- Monitor synergies
- Inform investors precisely
This is where finance headhunters and CFO executive searches are needed to find exactly the profiles that can carry Buy & Build.
Buy & Build is not an Excel game
Sounds efficient. Is complex. If systems, experience or leadership are lacking, disruptions occur and these not only cost money, but also trust.
A recent example: Monzo was fined £21m by the FCA for failing governance and compliance controls(Sifted). The risk of such breaches increases significantly, particularly in the buy & build sector, if integration and management are neglected.
The increased personnel costs at neobanks such as Monzo, Starling and Revolut also show(Sifted) that professionalization follows the growth phase. Buy & build amplifies this effect – new teams, new systems, higher regulatory requirements. Without experienced leadership, there is a risk of costs and friction.
Another example: the acquisition of Aareal Bank by Helaba(Handelsblatt) secured market share, but did not solve the structural problems. Buy & build without a clear integration strategy and experienced managers can quickly disappoint expectations – and create new risks.
In practice:
- CFOs with M&A experience have become a bottleneck
- FP&A leads move closer to the board
- Finance transformation becomes a key operational role
Source: Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), Buy and Build – Benefits and Factors to Consider for a Growth Strategy
Conclusion: Leadership means more than administration
Buy & Build requires leadership with transaction expertise.
CFOs must not only structure, but also orchestrate.
FP&A becomes a strategic early warning instance.
Transformation becomes an integration unit.
For founders, CFOs, HR leads and investors, executive search in the FinTech buy & build environment is becoming more demanding and has a direct impact on deal value.
Outlook – Part 3: Fractional, Interim & Professionalization
The third part of the series is about flexible management models in rebuilds: Fractional CFOs, interim FP&A, post-series B structures – and how scaleups are now turning funding into resilient governance.
➡️ Leadership in transition, part 3: Fractional, Interim & Professionalization
Are you planning a buy & build or preparing an exit?
I support FinTechs in building PE-ready finance teams – with profiles that really carry deals.
I share benchmarks, market trends and empirical values from over ten years of executive search – especially for digital business models.
Contact: jan.pautsch@kooku.de | LinkedIn
How Executive Search provides concrete support
At Kooku X, we support FinTech scaleups in filling key positions – with structured processes, market insights and a real understanding of the upheaval. As a specialized headhunter for FinTech scaleups, we support founding teams, investors and executives in the selection of key roles in finance and compliance.
What sets us apart:
- Process orientation: from precise briefing to onboarding
- Speed: first validated profiles often within a few days
- Sparring at eye level: we understand founder logic & investor reality
How We Work at Kooku X
Our search process is structured, clear and fast – designed to deliver. It follows four defined steps:
- Precise briefing: Clarify objectives, organization, expectations
- Market Intelligence & Targeted Sourcing: Benchmarking, mapping, direct outreach
- Candidate Calibration: Early profiles within days, refined through feedback
- Offer & Onboarding Support: Guidance from offer to successful onboarding
What can Kooku X Finance Recruiting offer?
This shift from product and design to finance wasn’t about leaving something behind. It was about responding to what matters most – where urgency, complexity, and leadership now converge.
If you’re hiring into finance – permanent, interim or fractional – I’m happy to share current benchmarks, insights, and search strategies.
If this is relevant to you – let’s talk.
Jan Pausch
Head of Expert Search / Kooku X
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Finance Headhunter requestWhat decision-makers want to know now about leadership in FinTech scale-ups
Buy & Build requires more than operational excellence: managers must prepare deals, manage due diligence, integrate teams and realize synergies – in a dynamic, often regulated environment. This requires experience with M&A, governance and transformation.
Above all, CFOs with M&A and integration experience, FP&A leads with a strategic view and strong transformation managers who bring processes and culture together. Compliance and ESG specialists are also moving closer to management.
PE-driven FinTechs need to become profitable and deliver faster, while VC-driven ones often still focus on vision and growth. PE requires managers with a focus on numbers, integration expertise and governance experience.
Executive Search specifically identifies the few managers who can withstand the pressure of transactions as well as manage integration, communication and culture – quickly, discreetly and with a precise fit.
Initial validated candidate profiles are usually available within 7-10 days. Recruitments are typically completed within 30 days – including briefing, search, selection and onboarding.
