Accordion appoints senior leaders to drive European expansion

Accordion has announced the appointment of three senior executives to lead its European operations and support private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies across the continent.

The company has expanded its senior leadership team in London, confirming Paul Reading, Andy Burgess, and Steve Jones to key roles aimed at strengthening its CFO-focused solutions for the European market. The move is in response to increasing demand from private equity sponsors in Europe who are seeking more comprehensive support for their portfolio management teams as industry expectations grow.

Leadership team

Paul Reading has joined Accordion as Head of European Solutions. In his new role, Reading is expected to bring his operational expertise and experience as a former private equity operating partner to bear on the company's expansion into Europe. Having led and scaled finance functions for portfolio companies in the past, Reading's focus will be on enhancing finance function maturity to drive sustainable growth and facilitate successful exits for clients.

"Accordion has consistently stood out as the firm built specifically for the Office of the CFO in private equity. 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 has been named London Office Lead. Burgess, who brings experience both as a CFO and a consultant, has previously led the CFO practice at a Big 4 accountancy firm. He has a track record of advising finance leaders across private equity and corporate sectors, helping them to accelerate value creation and adopt new technologies.

"I've experienced how demanding and complex the CFO role has become in private equity. 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 joins as Managing Director, Data & Analytics. Jones brings over twenty years' experience in data and analytics strategy, with a particular focus on working alongside private equity-backed CFOs. His role at Accordion will be to lead data and analytics efforts for portfolio companies, driving performance improvements and value creation through more effective performance tracking and artificial intelligence initiatives.

"CFOs today are expected to do far more than deliver the fundamentals. 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."

European expansion

According to Accordion, the bolstered leadership structure in London will allow the firm to bring its experience from working with over 300 private equity sponsors and 1,000 CFOs to European clients. The company highlights the importance of an operator-centric approach – favouring practical, experience-based solutions for finance leaders in private equity-backed businesses.

Atul Aggarwal, President of Europe at Accordion, commented on the appointments and the company's formalised operating leadership layer in Europe.

"At Accordion, our mission is to help CFOs turn pressure into performance. 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."

Supporting PE-backed CFOs

Earlier this year, Accordion launched its European operations and established a hub in London, underlining its commitment to support private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies throughout Europe. The company has also expanded its office space in the city to accommodate its growing local team.

Accordion works with clients across the investment lifecycle, providing services in areas such as accounting, financial planning and analysis, technology enablement, data and analytics, and exit planning. Globally, the firm employs over 1,500 professionals and draws on more than fifteen years of experience in delivering finance function support primarily for private equity-backed businesses.