Assembly Group Assists Sonar with CFO Search
April 3, 2025 – Austin, TX-based executive search firm Assembly Group has assisted in the recruitment of Jean Compeau as the new CFO of Sonar, the leader for integrated code quality and code security solutions. “It was a pleasure working with the Sonar team, and we wish the company continued success as they welcome Jean,” Assembly Group said in a LinkedIn post.
Ms. Compeau brings over 30 years of extensive experience in finance and strategic business inside the technology industry, with expertise in scaling and leading high-growth companies. As the deputy CFO of global cybersecurity leader Palo Alto Networks, she played a key role in scaling the company’s growth from $255 million to $7 billion in revenue, including successfully executing and integrating over 25 acquisitions. “Her experience in transforming business models, capital allocation, tax planning, and digital transformation will be crucial as Sonar continues to expand and evolve,” the company said.
“I am deeply honored to join Sonar at such a pivotal time,” said Ms. Compeau. “I cannot think of a more exciting time to be a part of the company’s future growth. Sonar’s commitment to enhancing high-quality, secure code and increasing developer productivity is remarkable. I look forward to joining this strong leadership team and partnering with talented employees to unlock Sonar’s full potential and take the company to new heights.”
Sonar helps prevent code quality and security issues from reaching production, amplifies developers’ productivity in concert with AI assistants, and improves the developer experience with streamlined workflows. Today, Sonar is used by more than 7 million developers and 400,000 organizations worldwide, including the Department of Defense, Microsoft, NASA, MasterCard, Siemens, and T-Mobile.
Assembly Group is comprised of dedicated executive search professionals who specialize in specific functional areas, allowing them to provide clients expert service in their respective fields. The firm is focused exclusively on growth equity and venture capital-backed software and technology companies. The firm’s clients include TA Associates, Genstar Capital, and Summit Partners.
Carissa Clark is the founding partner of Assembly Group. She began her executive recruiting career nearly a decade ago at Bespoke Partners, a boutique executive recruiting firm, where she was one of the firm’s first hires, and played an integral role in building the company’s infrastructure and client base. Her passion for partnering with founders and CEOs to build leadership teams is what led her to start Assembly Group in 2019. Throughout her career in search, Ms. Clark has worked exclusively with private equity-backed software and tech companies to place C-level executives across all functions.
The Evolving CFO Role in Private Equity
Navigating a tapestry of challenges, private equity CFOs have undergone a transformative evolution, shifting from being financial overseers to becoming strategic pilots. Their role surpasses the scope of accounting and reporting monthly numbers; they now own and harness data, providing invaluable insights that improve fact-based decision making for the organization at large, according to a recent report from Acertitude’s Scott Carberry.
Related: As CFOs Gain in Stature, Succession Plans to Replace Them Falter
“The emerging PE CFO is a vital linchpin, balancing the financial acumen, operational resilience, and strategic foresight poised to unlock new dimensions of success in an ever-changing landscape,” he said. “Adapting to these evolving circumstances, the responsibilities shouldered by PE CFOs have experienced a notable metamorphosis in contrast to previous years.”
A Look at the High Demand for Top CFOs for Private Equity Firms
In times of volatility, financial stability becomes an understated hallmark of business success. Private equity firms have, appropriately, responded to the severe macroeconomic challenges of recent years with caution, making unprecedented pullbacks in investment and reaching record levels of dry powder, according to a new report from Slayton Search Partners’ Dan Dunn.
“Today’s firms are steadying their balance sheets and preparing for long-term growth by building quality over quantity—a process that will increasingly require proactive CFOs,” he said. “CFOs are key drivers of sustainable value creation for PE firms and their portfolio companies. As portfolio sizes remain limited and the need for exceptionally successful exits grows, the role of the chief financial officer will expand in the coming years. Subsequently, demand for experienced private equity CFOs is certain to rise.”
“Today’s CFO is an adept communicator and collaborator, transcending silos to engage operational leaders, investors, and portfolio company executives to navigate fluid market dynamics, conserve cash, and drive transformation,” Mr. Carberry said. “Most importantly, they enable the ability to drive better and faster decision making, aiding in the execution of the value creation plan.”
In the current landscape, there are heightened market challenges confronting PE CFOs compared to previous years, according to Mr. Carberry. He says that executives grapple not just with survival, but proactively rising from economic inflation to maintain the original investment thesis. “These times demand meticulous attention to minute details and a strategic pivot around new pain points – namely inflation, rising interest rates, and supply chain disruptions,” he said. “Each of these challenges bears its own set of sub-challenges leading to after-effects, and the key areas to focus on during these times include balancing cash management and revenue growth, evaluating headcount, benefits, procurement, and facilities, while also investing in automation.”
Mr. Carberry explains that amidst these dynamics, pace is still paramount. “Even in the face of impending challenges, the deal team continues to expect prompt execution within the business, tasking PE CFOs to augment their strategic maneuvering while managing rapid timelines,” he said.
Related: Financial Services is Booming, CFO Role Continues to Evolve
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
