Meet Our Principals: Dan Griffin

What do you do at Altima?

As a Principal at Altima in the SaaS team, my role spans researching a range of CFO talent pools and connecting with top CFO talent across Europe, the US and beyond. I work closely with CFO candidates to ensure we match them with the right opportunities available, supporting them through the interview process, ultimately with the aim of securing them their dream next role.  

How did you find your way into executive search?

After returning from being a teacher in Japan and finishing my Masters, I wanted to find a career where I could put to use the research skills I had developed. While looking at potential careers I  came across Executive Search. I joined Altima because I was impressed by Altima’s interesting clients, ‘start-up’ energy and CFO specialism. I felt this laser-sharp focus gave them a significant edge over a generalist search firm.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about the CFO seat?

When I started at Altima, the biggest misconception was that the CFO was a back-office function. This has changed considerably, with founders and funds putting a strong emphasis on strategy, fundraising and Investor Relations in today’s market. I think there is now a new misconception. It's often overlooked how important it is for CFOs to be able to dive into the details of a balance sheet or a business’ numbers to interrogate how, for example, revenue is being recognised. In these less certain times, strong financial foundations are essential to understand the real fundamentals of a business and see where the real challenges and opportunities may lie. 

What advice would you give to founders looking for a CFO in today’s market?

I would advise founders to hire on potential as opposed to experience. As investment in technology ramps back up post-COVID, the supply of experienced CFOs available on the market continues to be restricted and in incredible demand. By hiring for potential, you can find talented individuals ‘on their way up’ in their careers and bring in individuals with huge energy and ambition. 

What’s the biggest win you’ve had at Altima to date?

The biggest win I’ve had at Altima was with Remote, one of Europe’s top SaaS companies. This company came to us after a challenging start to their CFO search. We completed the search in three months, in large part because we identified a CFO with an incredibly analogous skillset for the role and who happened to be based in the same town as the CEO, which was a big benefit during the interview process.

What advice would you give to someone looking to join the Altima team?

When getting into Executive Search, particularly in a focused firm like Altima, don’t underestimate how powerful deep research can be. The knowledge you acquire through understanding how the ecosystem works, the big players, and what’s impacting the market right now, forms the bedrock of your understanding as you advance your career and start interviewing candidates and presenting to clients. The tech sector moves quickly, so anyone looking to get into this market, needs to be able to stay up-to-date with the trends in the sector.