FFL Partners Backs Waylin Partners to Scale AI-Enabled Office of CFO Services
FFL Partners has completed an investment in Waylin Partners, a Chicago-based Office of the CFO advisory firm serving private equity-backed companies, as financial sponsors increasingly seek outside support for finance transformation, data infrastructure and artificial intelligence initiatives.
Waylin said the investment will support recruiting, expansion of its relationships with private equity firms and their portfolio companies, and continued development of AI-enabled offerings.
Founded in 2022, Waylin provides finance professionals who work inside clients’ finance organizations rather than solely from an outside consulting model. The firm calls the approach “forward-deployed finance,” with its specialists serving as an extension of a portfolio company’s Office of the CFO.
Waylin employs more than 50 finance engineers and has completed over 300 engagements since its founding. Its services include financial planning and analysis, data engineering and analytics, technical accounting, performance improvement, interim management, and transaction support.
The firm’s model is intended to help sponsor-backed companies strengthen forecasting, reporting and operational decision-making during periods of rapid growth, acquisition integration, restructuring or exit preparation. Its professionals may build financial models and data pipelines, prepare audit workpapers, develop business-intelligence dashboards, and help finance teams use AI tools in operational workflows.
“Waylin’s unique forward-deployed model, senior-level talent, competitive pricing, and AI-enabled approach drives significant value for private equity firms and their portfolio companies,” FFL Partner Jonathon Bunt said.
Waylin Co-Founder and Managing Partner James Willson said private equity-backed companies are increasingly seeking assistance across finance, data and AI as sponsors pursue their value-creation plans.
The transaction is FFL’s second investment through its Specialty Consulting to Private Capital Sector Exploration and Expertise Development, or SEED, initiative. Its prior investment in the theme was Accordion Partners, a private equity-focused financial and technology consulting business that FFL exited in 2022 through a sale to Charlesbank Capital Partners.
San Francisco-based FFL focuses on growth investments in health care and technology-enabled services.