Introduction

The M&A landscape is shifting fast in 2025 — shaped by global economic uncertainty, evolving regulation, and investor pressure to deliver real value. As a result, finance teams are being redefined. Today’s deal environment demands more than technical skill: employers are looking for professionals who can combine commercial awareness, strategic thinking, and executional agility.

For recruiters and hiring leaders, the challenge is clear — the right finance talent doesn’t just manage deals; they enable them.

Deal experience is no longer enough

Global M&A deal value reached US$1.26 trillion in Q3 2025, up ~40% year-on-year, even as total deal volume fell to just 8,912 transactions — the lowest in two decades (Reuters, 2025).

With fewer but larger and more complex deals on the table, companies are seeking candidates who can manage the entire M&A lifecycle — from readiness and due diligence to post-merger integration and value creation.

In recruitment terms, this means employers are no longer satisfied with a “deal sheet” alone. They’re prioritising candidates who demonstrate strong soft skills: stakeholder management, leadership under pressure, and the ability to collaborate across functions are now as critical as modelling or financial analysis.

Private equity is redefining expectations

Private equity continues to drive demand for high-impact finance talent. Globally, firms hold an estimated US$2 trillion in dry powder (McKinsey, 2025) — and with average hold periods now at 8.5 years, more than double those seen in 2007, investors are prioritising operational performance over quick exits.

This evolution is raising the bar for CFO, FP&A, and finance transformation roles. PE-backed businesses want finance leaders who can operate at pace, influence stakeholders, and deliver measurable returns. Recruiters are seeing growing demand for individuals who combine traditional finance discipline with skills in digital transformation, performance analytics, and ESG reporting.

Blended skill sets are on the rise

Hybrid finance roles are among the fastest-growing categories in the market. In the UK, finance hiring linked to technology and transformation rose 39% year-on-year, while banking operations roles grew 38%, according to Morgan McKinley’s 2025 data (Morgan McKinley, 2025).

Employers increasingly value a blended skill set — finance acumen paired with data literacy, operational understanding, and cross-border exposure. Commercial finance, transformation finance, ESG, and data-led FP&A roles are in particularly high demand.

Recruitment strategies are also shifting. Many organisations are adopting a skills-first approach — focusing less on traditional qualifications and more on candidates proficient in BI tools, ERP systems, automation, and scenario modelling (Abel Personnel, 2025).

Hiring dynamics and constraints

The competition for finance talent remains fierce. Many employers report average hiring times of 60+ days for senior finance positions, with some markets seeing double the number of vacancies year-on-year (Talivity, 2025).

To stay agile, around 70% of finance leaders plan to increase their use of contract, interim, or fractional talent in the second half of 2025 (TalentMSH, 2025).

Salary pressures remain high, too. Candidates with a combination of M&A, data, ESG, and international experience are commanding premiums of 15–25% in many markets (Abel Personnel, 2025). As a result, employers are responding with more flexible work arrangements, leadership pathways, and retention-focused development programmes.

Conclusion

M&A hiring in 2025 is moving beyond execution — it’s about enablement and long-term value creation. The most sought-after finance professionals are those who can lead through complexity, not just manage it.

For recruiters, this means helping clients identify talent who:

• Think strategically, not just transactionally
• Blend technical and digital fluency
• Build alignment across diverse stakeholders
• See deals as part of an ongoing value journey

As the deal landscape continues to evolve, so too must the strategies used to attract and retain finance professionals. Firms that invest in adaptive, future-focused talent pipelines today will be best placed to turn tomorrow’s M&A opportunities into lasting competitive advantage.

Talk to our M&A Finance Search Specialists

Whether you’re building a deal-ready finance function, hiring your next CFO, or strengthening your M&A integration capability, our specialist recruiters connect you with the finance professionals driving real value in 2025’s complex market.

👉 Get in touch today to discuss how we can help you find and retain the talent that turns deals into long-term success.

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