Accordion appoints two to lead finance advisory practices

Accordion has appointed Barrett Daniels and Ian McCracken to lead two finance advisory practices, adding a new managing director and confirming an internal promotion at the private equity-focused consulting firm.

Daniels joins as Managing Director and Head of the Operational and Technical Accounting practice, while McCracken has been named Head of the Finance Transformation practice. The appointments come as Accordion expands work tied to the Office of the CFO and the use of artificial intelligence in finance functions.

Daniels brings nearly 27 years of experience in accounting advisory and capital markets transactions, including a focus on IPO readiness. He has advised more than 100 companies on IPOs and other capital markets deals.

Before joining Accordion, Daniels was a partner and U.S. IPO Services Leader at Deloitte, a role he took on after Deloitte acquired Nextstep Advisory Services, the firm he founded.

Earlier in his career, he was an Operating Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, a Partner and IPO Leader at Connor Group, and held a role in PwC's Capital Markets Group.

McCracken has been with Accordion since May 2021 and also leads the firm's Dallas office. He has advised private equity-backed companies on value creation plans, including EBITDA expansion, working capital management, and finance function development ahead of an exit.

Before joining Accordion, he was a managing director at Riveron Consulting. His background spans both consulting and industry, with senior roles across finance, human resources, and information technology.

The changes were announced by Junaid Samnani, President of Finance & Technology Solutions at Accordion.

"We invest in exceptional people, whether we're recruiting the best from outside or elevating the leaders we've built from within," Samnani said.

"Barrett's depth of experience in the IPO ecosystem and Ian's track record of driving transformational value for PE-backed clients make them exactly the kind of leaders we need as AI reshapes the office of the CFO. This is a pivotal moment, and they are the right people to help our clients lead through it."

Practise expansion

The appointments reflect Accordion's effort to deepen senior coverage across accounting and finance transformation work for private equity clients. The firm is also building an integrated framework to help portfolio company finance teams move beyond isolated AI pilot projects.

The aim is to create more connected finance operations inside private equity-backed businesses, particularly in CFO offices where reporting, controls, and process design are under pressure during ownership changes, expansion, and exits.

For Daniels, the role's appeal lies in the way Accordion combines advisory work with data and technology expertise.

"Accordion has built something genuinely differentiated, a firm where functional expertise, data, and technology come together in one integrated team," Daniels said.

"I'm excited to bring my experience to help build a practice that raises the bar for what accounting advisory can look like in the AI era."

McCracken's appointment gives Accordion a mix of external hiring and internal succession in its senior ranks. The firm framed both decisions as part of a broader investment in leadership as client demand evolves.

Private equity advisers have been increasing spending on finance transformation, data tools, and accounting support as sponsors push portfolio companies to tighten reporting, improve cash management, and prepare more quickly for refinancing, sale processes, or public listings.

That has increased demand for advisers with experience in both transaction-led accounting work and longer-term finance operating model change. Daniels' public markets background and McCracken's finance transformation experience place the two appointments on either side of that divide.

McCracken has worked across multiple service lines within Accordion, helping connect finance, operational, and technology advice for clients. His remit in the finance transformation practice will sit alongside his leadership of the Dallas office.

The appointments also indicate that Accordion sees continued room to grow in work tied to private equity-backed finance teams, particularly where firms want more structured use of AI inside the finance function rather than stand-alone experimentation.