CFO Advisory
Being a CFO is lonely.
There’s no peer in the organisation to turn to. No training course that can prepare you for the role. And when you look for outside support, most of the people offering it have never actually sat in the CFO seat.
Matthew Needham has.
Almost two decades as a CFO across the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Multiple sectors. Large, complex, geographically diverse organisations. Three times finalist for NZ CFO of the Year.
CFO Advisory gives you access to a trusted thinking partner who’s been where you are now – and developed a structured process to identify exactly where your gaps are and what to do about them.
How it Works
Before our first session, I ask you to provide the names and contact details of people who work closely with you – your CEO or a senior executive who knows you well, peers, and direct reports, including the strongest and weakest relationships.
I reach out to each of them directly. A 15-20 minute conversation.
Structured questions mapped to my Decision Influence Model – readiness, insight, influence, impact. Strengths. Blindspots. What’s working. What isn’t.
The reason I do this before we meet is simple.
I want a clear picture of how others see you – before you tell me how you see yourself.
But before I share that feedback with you, I want to hear from you first. Your aspirations:
- What you want to achieve in your career.
- Your vision for your team.
- What success looks like in 6, 12 and 18 months.
Then we bring both pictures together and build the plan.
This isn’t a development plan. It’s your roadmap to achieving massive success, both personally and professionally, over the next 6-12 months.
By the end of 90 days, you’ll have clarity, a plan and early momentum.
Most people carry on because that’s when the real work starts and the rubber hits the road.
After 90 days you'll have
After this work, organisations typically see:
- A clear personal vision – what you want to achieve in your career, your role and your team.
- Honest feedback from the people who matter most – mapped against my Decision Influence Model.
- A roadmap for the next 6-12 months – built around your specific gaps and aspirations.
- Faster execution, with the hardest conversations already complete and a clear understanding of your strengths and blindspots.
This isn’t a personal development programme.
It’s a plan to lift the performance of your whole organisation – through better business partnering, a higher performing finance team, and a CFO who influences decisions before they’re locked in.
Performance is capped by the decisions we commit to.
Who is this for?
IF you're a CFO or senior finance leader
You’re technically capable. But you know there’s a gap between where you are and where you want to be – in your influence and impact, your team, your career. And there’s nobody in the organisation you can have that conversation with, honestly.
If you lead a CFO or responsible for their development
Want to invest in your CFO’s development in a way that delivers commercial outcomes, not just personal growth?
CFO Advisory gives you both with structured feedback, a clear plan, and measurable progress.
The Details
This is for ambitious CFOs who are serious about becoming the leader their organisation needs – and for organisations serious about investing in the person who shapes their financial future.
It’s not for CFOs looking for validation. It’s for CFOs who want the truth and a plan to act on it.
$3,000 per month. Minimum three months (Limited availability)
What others say
“As a senior finance leader aspiring to progress to a CFO role, I engaged Matthew to enhance my executive presence, influence, and overall strategic impact. Matthew offered targeted strategies that enhanced my leadership style with my team, providing meaningful guidance on cultivating a positive work culture, highlighting the benefits of recognition, and fostering team engagement.
He combines a strong foundation in leadership theory with extensive real-world experience in senior finance roles, enabling him to understand the unique challenges faced by finance professionals. His practical suggestions—derived from direct report, peer, and leadership feedback—were easily applied within the demands of a busy finance function.
Matthew’s attentive listening and commitment to understanding my specific circumstances have been invaluable and motivating for my continued growth. I highly recommend Matthew to other finance professionals seeking to advance their careers.”
AARON QUEREE
HEAD OF GROUP FINANCE, UNISON NETWORKS
Why Matthew
I’ve been where your team is. As a former CFO, I know the tension between technical confidence and strategic influence.
This work isn’t theory. It’s the frameworks I wish I had earlier – built from experience, tested in the real world with real teams, and delivered in plain language. It’s supported with leader-led follow-up, so the impact sticks without adding cost or complexity.