Interim CFO Netherlands & Europe | PE-backed and transformation situations
Interim CFO leadership when the business cannot wait.
CFO Excellence is the independent platform of Erik Gruwel, a CFO operator based in the Netherlands. Erik steps into interim CFO and senior finance leadership situations where cash, EBITDA, reporting, governance or stakeholder confidence need immediate ownership.
- Interim CFO first: hands-on CFO ownership for CFO gaps, PE-backed transitions, integration, cash pressure and performance improvement.
- Board-ready execution: fast control over cash, forecasting, reporting cadence, KPI governance and the decisions that move EBITDA.
- Permanent CFO relevance: a Group CFO profile with selected permanent CFO interest where value creation, integration or transformation is central.
Selected impact
- Improved EBITDA from roughly -20% to +20% while accelerating revenue growth to 20%+ YoY.
- Delivered €400m+ indirect spend savings through global Zero-Based Budgeting, overdelivering target by €50m.
- Secured a €26m loan to fund acquisitions and strengthen balance-sheet flexibility.
- Recent interim finance leadership in PE-backed platforms: Solo Group · Platinum Equity-backed and Landal / Roompot · KKR-backed.
Directly with Erik Gruwel. No sales layer. No generic advisory pitch.
Senior finance leadership experience across
20+ years across PE-backed, listed, founder-led, family-owned and multinational organisations — from global corporates to high-growth, integration and transformation environments.
For businesses where finance has to change outcomes fast.
CFO Excellence typically supports businesses between €50m and €1bn+ revenue where performance, control or complexity require a step change. The focus is simple: improve EBITDA, strengthen cash, create a reliable performance rhythm and build a finance function that drives decisions, not just reports them.
If you are looking for an interim CFO in the Netherlands, a CFO interim for a PE-backed company, or temporary CFO leadership during integration, the work starts with ownership: what needs to be stabilised, what needs to improve, and what needs to be handed over cleanly.
Recent PE-backed operating contexts include Solo Group, a Platinum Equity-backed international B2B promotional products platform, and Landal / Roompot, a KKR-backed post-merger holiday parks platform.
Core interim CFO outcomes
- Cash & liquidity control
13-week cash visibility, working-capital discipline and escalation routines. - EBITDA performance
Commercial and operational drivers translated into actions, owners and cadence. - Board-ready reporting
Forecasts, KPIs and commentary that help CEOs, boards and investors decide. - Finance team stabilisation
Roles, rhythm, standards and handover plan for durable improvement.
Typical triggers for an interim CFO
Urgency
- The CFO seat is vacant, overloaded or not delivering what the CEO, board or investor needs.
- Cash visibility is weak, lender confidence is fragile or working capital is absorbing too much management time.
- Reporting is late, inconsistent or not trusted enough to steer the business.
Value creation and transition
- PE ownership requires a sharper operating cadence and clearer EBITDA delivery.
- M&A integration has created complexity across entities, systems, teams and reporting lines.
- Growth has outpaced FP&A, business control, data quality or finance leadership capacity.
Proof and thinking
The authority layer is deliberately concentrated: interim CFO decision guides, one CFO Excellence framework, practical case studies and finance transformation insights grounded in operating experience.
About Erik Gruwel
Erik is an interim CFO and Group CFO operator focused on EBITDA improvement, cash discipline, finance transformation and value creation in complex environments.
He has held senior finance leadership roles across Solo Group, Landal / Roompot, HousingAnywhere, Danone and Mars. His experience spans PE-backed, listed, founder-led and family-owned businesses in consumer, FMCG, technology, B2B services, hospitality and industrial settings.
Companies involve Erik when performance needs to move, not just be explained — whether that means stabilising cash, building FP&A and business control, improving EBITDA, strengthening the finance function or increasing confidence with boards, lenders and investors.
Summary for CEOs, PE investors and search firms
CFO Excellence is the platform of Erik Gruwel, an interim CFO and Group CFO operator for businesses that need stronger financial performance, tighter cash control and better execution through change.
The work focuses on CFO interim leadership, EBITDA improvement, liquidity, forecasting, FP&A, business control, finance transformation, operating cadence, post-merger integration, investor-grade reporting and building finance teams that can support scale.
See also Interim CFO support, Interim CFO for Private Equity and which interim CFO profile you need.