Controller Executive Search
Retained Controller search for middle-market and investor-backed companies
Hiring the right Controller is essential for organizations that depend on accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, and disciplined accounting operations. In investor backed and middle market environments, the Controller is responsible for day to day accounting integrity, ensuring the close, controls, and compliance function reliably as companies scale.
Controller Executive Search Built for Accounting-Critical Environments
Our Controller executive search practice supports organizations where accounting execution and reporting accuracy directly impact confidence, compliance, and decision-making. In these environments, we partner with middle-market companies, private equity portfolio companies, venture-backed growth firms, family offices, and institutional investors seeking Controllers with proven operational accounting leadership.
Private Equity firms and portfolio companies
Venture and growth equity-backed businesses
Family offices and institutional investors
Founder-led and middle-market operating companies
As a result, our retained, consultative approach ensures Controllers are selected for hands-on expertise, leadership strength, and long-term alignment.
The Role of the Controller in Private Equity, Venture-Backed & Middle-Market Companies
In today’s market, Controllers are responsible for far more than transactional accounting. In investor-backed and growing organizations, the Controller serves as the operational backbone of the finance function, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant financial reporting.
Effective Controllers in these environments are responsible for:
- Managing the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process
- Maintaining general ledger integrity and financial statement accuracy
- Implementing and enforcing internal accounting controls
- Managing audits and coordinating with external auditors
- Overseeing accounting teams and day-to-day accounting operations
For private equity and venture capital investors, a strong Controller is critical to stabilizing reporting post-investment. Similarly, for founder and family-owned middle-market businesses, the Controller often represents the first layer of professionalized accounting leadership.
When to Engage a Controller Executive Search Firm
Organizations engage a retained Controller executive search firm when accounting execution becomes a limiting factor or source of risk, or when leadership needs have outgrown existing internal capabilities. In many earlier stage and founder led companies, a Controller is often the right hire before introducing a CFO, providing disciplined execution without adding unnecessary executive complexity.
Common inflection points include:
- Confidential replacement of an existing Controller or senior accounting leader, where discretion and market sensitivity are critical
- Post-investment or post-acquisition, when close timelines and controls tighten
- Rapid growth straining existing accounting processes
- Persistent close delays, reporting errors, or audit findings
- Accounting system implementations or ERP upgrades
- Increased reporting demands from lenders, investors, or boards
At these stages, a retained Controller executive search approach ensures continuity, judgment, and disciplined execution, while allowing organizations to stabilize and scale their accounting function without signaling disruption to the market.
Our Controller Executive Search Approach
Controller executive search engagements at PeakPitch are conducted on a retained, exclusive basis, allowing us to operate as a true partner to CFOs, CAOs, investors, and business owners.
Our approach includes:
- A consultative intake focused on accounting complexity, systems, and reporting cadence
- Targeted outreach leveraging deep Controller and senior accounting networks
- Rigorous evaluation of close management, controls experience, and team leadership
- Discreet, confidential execution to protect sensitive stakeholders and financial processes
Controller Profiles We Place
Our Controller executive search practice supports a range of controllership profiles, tailored to the organization’s size, complexity, and reporting needs, including:
- Private equity portfolio Controllers stabilizing post-investment reporting
- Venture-backed Controllers scaling accounting operations and close processes
- Middle-market Controllers professionalizing accounting for founder-led businesses
- Controllers leading ERP implementations and systems transitions
- Compliance-focused Controllers strengthening controls and audit readiness
Each search is customized to the company’s operational requirements and risk profile.
Why PeakPitch
Controller searches carry significant operational and reporting risk. For this reason, our clients choose PeakPitch because we are purpose-built for environments where accounting execution quality directly impacts trust and outcomes.
Our retained Controller executive search model delivers:
- Hands-on accounting leadership focus, prioritizing close management, controls, and reporting accuracy
- Exclusive specialization in Controller and senior accounting roles, enabling sharper assessment of operational accounting capability
- Deep experience in private equity, venture capital, and middle-market environments, where reporting timelines and audit expectations are exacting
- Disciplined, confidential execution, particularly during post-investment transitions, audits, and systems changes
- Long-term alignment over transactional placement, measured by stability, execution quality, and reduced reporting risk
Ultimately, we serve as a trusted partner to CFOs, CAOs, investors, founders, and business owners hiring Controllers in high-accountability environments.
Peak Pitch
Start a Confidential Controller Executive Search
Whether you are strengthening your close process, improving reporting accuracy, or preparing for audits or growth, the right Controller can materially reduce risk and increase confidence. Engage a retained Controller executive search partner aligned to your accounting complexity, systems, and objectives.