Hire the best Chief Financial Officers in Germany in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with precise AI matching
Bring in CFOs for cash flow planning, funding rounds, budgeting, reporting, and finance transformation. Good fits also handle ERP work, board reporting, and controlling across German teams. Get fast, precise matching with vetted, available freelancers.
About the role
What they do
A Chief Financial Officer owns the finance function and the numbers behind every major decision. In a freelance setup, a CFO may step in to stabilize finance operations, prepare management reporting, improve cash visibility, support investor updates, or lead a transaction. The role is both strategic and hands-on.
- Build budgets, forecasts, and rolling plans
- Set up cash flow control and working capital management
- Prepare board and investor reporting
- Review margins, costs, and business performance
- Support funding, refinancing, or M&A work
Core strengths
Strong CFOs combine financial judgment with clear communication. They know how to read a business model, challenge assumptions, and turn complex data into decisions executives can use.
- Financial planning and analysis
- Controlling and performance management
- Treasury, liquidity, and covenant monitoring
- Accounting oversight and month-end discipline
- Leadership across finance teams and external advisors
Typical tools
Many CFOs work across ERP, BI, and reporting environments rather than in one fixed stack. In German companies, they often connect finance with operations, sales, and leadership through systems and reporting routines that keep everyone aligned.
Common areas include SAP, DATEV, Excel-based models, Power BI, and reporting packs for management or shareholders. The best interim CFOs adapt quickly to the tools already in place and improve them without slowing the business down.
When companies bring one in
Companies usually hire a freelance CFO when finance needs senior support without a long permanent search. This is common in growth phases, restructuring, post-merger integration, or when the finance team lacks a steady hand during a transition.
- Fast-growing businesses that need tighter planning
- SMEs in Germany that want senior finance leadership on demand
- Businesses preparing for audits, deals, or financing
- Teams that need an interim CFO during vacancy or leave
What strong CFOs look like
A strong Chief Financial Officer is calm under pressure and precise with numbers. They can explain risk clearly, set priorities, and keep finance useful for the business instead of turning it into a reporting exercise.
Look for someone who has led similar company stages, understands the industry, and can work with founders, CEOs, banks, and auditors. For German engagements, it also helps if the CFO is comfortable with local reporting expectations and can collaborate in English and German when needed.
How to scope the work
Start with the business problem, not just the title. A CFO assignment can focus on cash protection, forecast quality, fundraising, carve-outs, ERP change, or preparing a finance team for the next phase.
Make the deliverables concrete: reporting cadence, decision support, team setup, stakeholder meetings, and ownership of key finance processes. That gives both companies and CFOs a clear basis for a productive freelance engagement.
Meet FRATCH Chief Financial Officers
Markus Peters
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Last position:
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at VIA optronics AG
- Investor meetings, investor relations for NYSE listing
- Enhanced reporting and compliance structures, cost controlling
- Post-merger integration
- Implementation of LucaNet
- Financing negotiations with banks
- Global responsibility for 25 employees in six countries
- Positive net cash position and decreasing NWC (-40%) with rising revenues
- Significantly reduced cash outflow
- Initiated profitability and restructuring projects, introduced capex guidelines
- Built hedging line, implemented ABS program, extended bank financing
Jesper Bornhöft
Finance Professional
Last position:
CFO
As CFO, responsible for building a scalable financial and corporate structure focused on growth, investment readiness and fundraising. This includes creating all relevant fundraising materials and engaging with potential investors. The main goal is to establish solid structures that prepare the company financially, organizationally and strategically for growth.
Alexander Engel
CFO (FiBu, Controlling, HR, Purchasing, IT)
Last position:
CFO (FiBu, Controlling, HR, Purchasing, IT) at MLD GmbH, medical laboratories Düsseldorf
Founded in 1968, MLD today employs over 350 people at various locations in and around Düsseldorf. The academic team, made up of 17 specialists, colleagues from biology, chemistry, pharmacy, drinking water hygiene, and medical training assistants, supports more than 1,500 office-based doctors and more than 30 hospitals with more than 5,000 beds in the Düsseldorf, Cologne and Lower Rhine regions as a reliable partner in laboratory medicine. It is a subsidiary of the Sonic Healthcare Group based in Sydney, Australia. Group: 37,000 employees, direct reporting line: Managing Director
Responsibilities:
- Disciplinary and technical management responsibility for 16 employees, sub-ledgers, general ledger, controlling, IT, purchasing, HR
- monthly reporting according to IFRS, consolidation of several domestic subsidiaries
- preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements of the companies according to IFRS and annual financial statements according to HGB of several companies, as well as preparation and support of the annual audits
- budgeting, forecasting
- accounting-related execution of incorporations, liquidations and transformations of the companies
- main contact person for auditors, tax advisors and tax authorities.
Jan Dick
Fractional & Interim CFO
Last position:
Interim Head of Finance at Bees & Bears GmbH
Michael Itterheim
CFO
Last position:
CFO at innopreneurs
Johannes Schaeffer
CFO
Last position:
CFO at Genesis Mining Ltd
- Built the entire accounting function from organizing bank and wallet accounts to preparing CEO statements
- Prepared group financial statements and coordinated with authorities
- Advised shareholders in Dubai
- Recommended reorganization of the group
- Managed liquidation after spin-off
- Built and managed the finance team
- Created a project plan for HK statements
- Collected bank and wallet accounts (five-figure number, millions of records)
- Structured and processed all legal transactions (technology agreements, power plant acquisitions, SPVs, spin-off, investment/disinvestment structures, profit sharing)
- Set up chart of accounts by profit centers
- Built and managed fixed assets
- Introduced accounting in the US system QuickBooks and posted all entries (millions)
- Cleared accounts
- Handled intercompany reconciliations with major subsidiaries including permanent establishments
- Reconciled all transactions (B2B, B2C, self-mining, wallets/exchanges/credit cards)
- Negotiated settlements of receivables (double-digit millions)
- Engaged auditors and tax advisors
Results:
- Established the accounting function with all associated subsystems and built the team
- Prepared group and subsidiary financial statements as well as tax returns and coordinated with authorities
- Coordinated auditors
- Advised shareholders in Dubai
- Recommended group reorganization
- Managed liquidation after spin-off
Marco Trautmann
Chief Financial Officer & ExCo Member
Last position:
Chief Financial Officer & ExCo Member at Senacor Technologies AG
- Led assessment and preparation for finance and business management transformation including roll-out of SAP S/4 HANA Cloud, Public Edition.
- Enhanced financial and project reporting by streamlining tools and introducing a management dashboard.
- Introduced opportunity management reporting as part of business operations activities.
- Prepared annual financial statements (HGB).
- Directed annual budget development and aligned it with the ExCo.
Julia Petrich
CFO & Managing Director
Last position:
CFO & Managing Director at Tomorrow Education Group GmbH
- Inhousing and responsibility for financial accounting for 15 companies within the group (HGB)
- Selection of auditors
- Central point of contact for tax advisors, auditors and the tax office
- Execution of the first full consolidation in the group and support of auditors
- Execution and support of the planning process across all companies
- Strategic guidance and development of the group, direct CEO reporting and exchange
- Recruiting and building a completely new finance team & onboarding new employees
- Team leadership
- Design and delivery of staff workshops and training
- Establishment of controlling & reporting
- Finalization of the consolidated financial statements including drafting the management report
- Ensuring the preparation of complete & accurate monthly financial statements for all companies within the holding
- Reduction of the monthly closing process by 10 days
- Processing of payment transactions and cash management for the holding
- Preparation of intercompany billing as a service company within the group
- Revision of authorization concepts
- Implementation of DATEV Kanzlei Rechnungswesen
- Introduction of HR tool Personio
- Introduction of the Moss system as an expense tool, budget control and preliminary accounting across all entities
- Introduction of LucaNet for consolidation, reporting & planning
- Project initiation and execution of an automation solution for revenue postings (development of an in-house application)
- Ongoing review of existing contracts
- Contract negotiations
- Preparation and support of a full M&A process
- Selection of advisory firms for preparing FDD & CDD
- Co-supervision of the preparation of the Financial Factbook with external consultants
- Direct exchange with external consultants, investment banks, lawyers and house banks as part of due diligence
- Management of external service providers (data protection officers, consultants, lawyers)
- Complete review of the payroll and salary payment process
- Handling various HR topics
- Design and conduct of finance meetings within the holding with all managing directors
- Management of the group's rental properties
- Procurement
- Setup of IT functionalities and admin tasks, interface to external IT service providers
Björn Bemelmans
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Last position:
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Heimbach Group
- Overall management of Heimbach GmbH with an annual turnover of €160 million and approx. 1,300 employees alongside the CEO
- Responsible for finance, controlling, purchasing, IT and human resources including personnel development
- Managed and further developed the commercial organization and ensured integrated corporate planning and management
- Actively supported strategic and operational decision-making processes
- Increased EBITDA margin from 8% to 11% during challenging conditions through improved financial transparency, performance and cost programs, and optimization of purchasing, organizational and IT structures
- Led preparation and successful execution of due diligence and sale of the company to a strategic investor (EBITDA multiple approx. 10x)
Hanno Steiger
CFO | Performance & Transformation Advisory | EBITDA and Cash Management | Governance | Board-Level Finance
Last position:
Transformation Consultant to the Executive Board at Rheinbahn AG
- Structuring and handling identified high-risk topics for the executive board.
- Handling various ad-hoc topics as part of the company-wide restructuring, especially in the finance, controlling, and procurement departments.
- Developing strategic concepts to increase the level of digitization in central controlling, finance, procurement, and logistics functions.
- Stakeholder management (supervisory board, works council, city of Düsseldorf).
- Coordinating and conducting due diligence as well as subsequent purchase price negotiations related to the land acquisition for a new depot (volume >80 million EUR).
- Participation as a permanent member in various steering committees.
Daniel Fröhler
Chief Financial Officer
Last position:
Chief Financial Officer at exporto GmbH
- Full responsibility for finance (Accounting, Controlling, Tax, BI, Legal)
- Built clear structures and roles for scaling
- Introduced a monthly steering and forecast rhythm (KPI set, EBITDA bridge, cash) as a decision-making basis for management/investors
- Established working capital and liquidity management including scenarios and action tracking
- Built reliable management reporting based on Google database/Holistics/DATEV, focusing on data quality and automation
- Managed financing and contract issues as CFO sparring partner to the founder
Knut Michelberger
Managing Director & CFO (ad interim)
Last position:
Managing Director & CFO (ad interim) at Formel D Group
- Quality service provider for the automotive industry, €350 Mio. sales
- Rebuilt global finance and controlling organizations to meet private equity standards
- Functioned as interim CFO during periods of transition under 3i ownership
- Member of the supervisory board and Chair of audit committee
Stefan Schröder
Interim Director Finance / CFO
Last position:
Interim Director Finance / CFO at Hemovent GmbH
- Transition of processes from garage-style to series production
- Establishment of financial processes including monthly reporting to the Chinese parent company
- Development of long-term planning (5/10 years) and budgets for 2024 and 2025
- Ensuring sufficient financing
- Creation and implementation of a restructuring plan with over 60% reduction in staff and costs
Sebastian Kaiser
CMO & CFO
Last position:
CMO & CFO at Build Informed GmbH
- Head of marketing and finance for a 20-person company in the DACH region
- Development of marketing strategies and UX/accessibility
- Controlling and building an agile company structure
- Agency management
- Application of EN 301 549, WCAG, and BFSG
Georg Wehrens
Interim CFO
Last position:
Interim CFO at Confidential SaaS Company
- Lead transformation of a SaaS corporate group
- Manage M&A, post-merger integration and carve-out activities
- Develop and implement strategic realignment and growth initiatives
- Professionalize structures and processes to drive cost reduction
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Chief Financial Officers statistics
Typical experience
25 years
Average project duration
3.1 years
Certifications per freelancer
2
Top business areas
Finance, Accounting, Project Management
Top industries
Professional Services, Manufacturing, Information Technology
Most common languages
German, English, French
Bachelor's degree or higher
96%
Master's degree or higher
80%
Doctorate
20%
Salary / Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Chief Financial Officers & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know more? Check out our simple guide about FRATCH
A Chief Financial Officer typically covers the full finance agenda: planning, reporting, cash management, and support for major decisions. In a freelance setup, the focus is often on a specific business need such as restructuring, funding, an acquisition, or building a stronger reporting system. The scope should be defined around outcomes, not just day-to-day finance tasks.
An interim CFO makes sense when the company needs senior finance leadership now, but the long-term setup is still open. That is common during a vacancy, a transition, rapid growth, or a transaction. A freelance solution also works well when the business needs specialist support for a defined period and does not need a full-time executive afterward.
For a CFO in Germany, companies usually look for strong controlling, cash flow discipline, and confident communication with owners, banks, auditors, and management. Familiarity with German reporting expectations and the ability to work with local teams is important, especially in SMEs and mid-sized companies. In many cases, the best fit also brings hands-on experience with SAP, DATEV, or similar finance systems.
A controller focuses more on reporting, analysis, and financial accuracy. A finance director often manages a broader finance function but may still stay closer to operations. A Chief Financial Officer is usually the executive owner of finance strategy, capital structure, risk, and senior stakeholder communication.
Typical deliverables include budgets, forecasts, cash plans, board packs, and clear recommendations on financial priorities. Many engagements also include process improvements, leadership of the finance team, or support for funding and M&A work. The right scope depends on whether the company needs a hands-on operator, a strategic advisor, or both.
Yes, many parts of Chief Financial Officer work can be done remotely, especially reporting, planning, and executive calls. On-site time is more useful when the role includes team leadership, stakeholder alignment, or deep work with local operations. For Germany-based companies, a mix of remote and on-site collaboration is often the most practical setup.
Look for clear evidence of impact in similar situations, not just broad finance experience. A strong candidate can explain how they improved cash visibility, sharpened forecasts, supported a deal, or helped a business through change. Also check whether their working style fits your leadership team and whether they can turn complex finance topics into simple decisions.
A Chief Financial Officer can ramp up faster when the company shares the current finance structure, key pain points, reporting lines, and the decision the business needs to make. It also helps to define whether the role is advisory, hands-on, or team-leading. Clear access to data, stakeholders, and deadlines makes the engagement much more effective.
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
