Clare Kennedy

Visionary
DISC Type : Ds

Chief Financial Officer at Spencer Stuart

London, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Clare Kennedy is the Chief Financial Officer at Spencer Stuart, a position she has held since January 2026. She is a chartered accountant with decades of experience in senior leadership, having previously served as Global Chief Operating Officer for Maples Group and Global CFO for Freshfields, with an 18-year tenure at Linklaters.

Scottish by background, Clare is a dual British/Canadian citizen who brings a distinct international mindset to her work. This global perspective is reinforced by her experience living and working in major hubs including London, Amsterdam, New York, and Toronto, giving her a deep understanding of diverse business environments.

She has a strong track record in leading global operations and delivering significant finance transformation programs.

Personality Overview

Objective Evaluator

Direct & Assertive

Fast But Thoughtful

They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time.  Reading between the lines and seeing beyond your words comes naturally to them. They are very professional in their approach and can weigh multiple perspectives together.

Topics They Care About

Global Finance Leadership
Her career is defined by senior global finance roles, including CFO and COO positions at major international advisory and law firms like Spencer Stuart, Maples Group, and Freshfields.
Professional Services Operations
As a former COO and a long-time leader at firms like Linklaters during a period of major growth, she has deep experience in driving operational excellence.
Finance Transformation
She successfully led and delivered a significant finance transformation program during her time as Global CFO, demonstrating expertise in modernizing financial functions.

Media Appearances

Clare has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2026
Chief Financial Officer at Spencer Stuart
4-2021 - 12-2025
Global Chief Operating Officer at Maples Group
6-2018
Head of IT Financial Management at Maples Group
5-2018 - 4-2021
Global Chief Financial Officer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
9-2016 - 6-2018
Finance Manager - IT & Telecoms at Northern Powergrid

Education

1986 - 1990
BA Honours (4 years) from University of Stirling
Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) from ICAEW
2012 - 2014
CIMA from Kaplan Financial
2001 - 2003
Education details unavailable from Pontefract NEW College

More Information

Social Presence :

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Exp : 34 Location : London, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Financial Officer at Spencer Stuart
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Insights For Selling To Clare

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • During followups, use phone or text if needed, they should be fine
  • Suggest clear next steps with confidence, don't be vague or hesitant
  • Ask them at the end if they see a strong value prop in your product; expect an honest answer

DONT's

  • Avoid putting conscious effort into relationship-building
  • Don't go over them unless you are left with no other option
  • Don't focus too much on mutual contacts or bother about other stakeholders, focus on them

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Clare is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Clare

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Clare move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Clare take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Clare

Personality Compatibility


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