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Key Takeaway
Finance teams in PE-backed companies work to two clocks at once: speed, because the value creation plan is time-boxed, and scrutiny, because sponsors, lenders and future buyers will all test the numbers. Connected planning, agreed KPI definitions and a reliable forecast are what let a small team meet both.
Life as a CFO or finance lead in a PE-backed business is different from life in most other companies. The sponsor wants numbers more often, in more detail and tied to a specific investment thesis. The business is usually growing, integrating add-ons or restructuring costs, all at once. And the finance team is rarely twice the size it was before the deal.
Meanwhile the exit is always in the background. Whoever buys the business next will go through the numbers line by line, and the quality of your planning and reporting will show up in that process.
Speed without credibility doesn't help a sponsor. Credibility without speed doesn't help a value creation plan. Good planning gives you both.
PwC's 2026 research into private equity value creation, which included a survey of more than 200 portfolio company CFOs across the UK and Europe, points to a clear shift in what investors want from finance. It's less about producing historical numbers and more about showing where the business is heading.
Forward-Looking, Integrated Reporting
Financial and operational metrics linked to the investment thesis, delivered more often, with a view of what's coming and not just what happened.
Evidence of Operational Value Creation
Proof that value is coming from operational levers, not just from the structure of the deal.
Finance as a Business Partner
A finance function that challenges the business and shapes decisions, not just reports on them.
Forecasting and Cost Discipline
Buyers will test forecasting accuracy and working capital discipline, so the track record you build now is part of the exit story.
Source: PwC UK, private equity value creation research, January 2026 (survey of 200+ portfolio company CFOs in the UK and Europe, alongside PE investor views).
The gap between what sponsors want and what finance can deliver is usually a systems and process gap, not a talent gap. PwC found that data and systems remain fragmented, and that too much time goes into producing numbers rather than anticipating performance and risk. One commentary citing PwC notes that 54% of portfolio companies still collect and respond to sponsor data requests by email with attachments.
A second common problem is definitions. Terms like recurring revenue or adjusted EBITDA can mean different things to the company and to the sponsor, which turns every reporting cycle into a reconciliation exercise.
What the Sponsor Asks vs. What Planning Needs to Deliver
| Sponsor Asks For | Common Gap | What Good Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| KPI Pack | Metrics defined differently by company and sponsor | Agreed definitions, calculations and data sources, produced from one source |
| Forecast | Annual budget refreshed rarely, with variance explained by timing | A rolling forecast with variance analysis that explains the real drivers |
| Cash View | Built by hand from several disconnected systems | A cash forecast fed directly from receivables, payables, payroll and billing |
| Value Creation Tracking | Plan and reporting sit in separate files | Initiatives tracked against the plan in the same model as the forecast |
| Exit Readiness | Numbers rebuilt and defended from scratch during diligence | A clean audit trail and a visible track record of forecast accuracy |
Agree KPI Definitions Early
Within the first weeks after a deal, sit down with the sponsor and agree what each metric means, how it's calculated and where the data comes from. It saves hours of reconciliation every month afterwards.
Build One Reporting Backbone
Connect the ERP, billing, payroll and other source systems into a single governed data layer, so reports for the sponsor, the board and lenders all draw on the same numbers.
Move to a Rolling Forecast and a Faster Cadence
Sponsors increasingly want KPIs and cash visibility more often than quarterly. A rolling forecast that refreshes as things change keeps the picture current without a full re-budget.
Link the Plan to the Value Creation Agenda
Track each initiative in the same model as the forecast, so its impact on revenue, margin and cash is visible, and the sponsor can see which levers are delivering.
Model Scenarios Before Decisions Are Made
Whether it's an add-on acquisition, a pricing change or a cost programme, being able to test the impact on the plan quickly makes finance a partner in the decision and not a scorekeeper after it.
Be Exit-Ready From Day One
Keep a clean audit trail, documented assumptions and a record of how forecasts compared with actuals. The best preparation for diligence is a planning process that already holds up to questions.
The goal isn't more reporting. It's one set of numbers that the sponsor, the board and a future buyer can all trust.
You don't need a large programme to begin. Pick the five or six KPIs your sponsor looks at most, agree definitions, and make sure they come from one source. Then add a rolling forecast and a cash view built on the same data. Small, visible improvements early in the hold period compound by the time the exit conversation starts.
Keansa helps lean finance teams in sponsor-backed businesses put connected planning in place: governed data from source systems, agreed KPIs, rolling forecasts, cash visibility and scenario modelling, so reporting is fast enough for the value creation plan and robust enough to stand up to scrutiny.
Want planning that moves at the speed your sponsor expects?
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