CVC Capital Partners (“CVC”) today announces the appointment of John Hourican as Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Board, effective 1 September 2026. He will succeed Fred Watt, who will retire from CVC after almost 20 years with the firm.
John Hourican is a highly experienced CFO with more than three decades of international experience across investment banking, retail banking and consumer finance. Until 1 April 2026, he was CEO of NewDay, where he has led the business since 2019, overseeing its strategic development and growth. Prior to this, he served as Chief Executive of the Bank of Cyprus, held senior leadership roles at Royal Bank of Scotland, and was CFO of ABN AMRO Bank. John trained as a Chartered Accountant at PWC and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
Fred Watt will retire as Chief Financial Officer in September 2026. Fred joined CVC in September 2007 and has been a Board member of CVC plc and a member of Europe/ Americas and Asia Private Equity Investment Committees. During his tenure, he has played a central role in the firm’s growth including its IPO in April 2024, strengthening its institutional platform and supporting the expansion of its global operations. The Board and Partners of CVC extend their deep gratitude to Fred for his lasting contribution to the firm.
Rolly van Rappard, Chair of CVC, said: “We are delighted to welcome John to CVC and to the Board. He brings exceptional financial, strategic and operational expertise to the role of CFO, with a proven track record of managing complex global organisations. His experience and judgement will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve the firm.”
Rob Lucas, Chief Executive Officer of CVC, said: “John is a first-class financial leader, with more than three decades of experience advising and leading international financial institutions through periods of growth. He is an excellent cultural fit for CVC, with a combination of strategic insight and operational discipline which will be invaluable as CFO, and I look forward to working with him. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Fred Watt for his outstanding contribution to CVC over the past 20 years. Fred has been a trusted partner to the firm, and to me personally, throughout a period of significant growth for our global platform.”
John Hourican said: “I am excited to be joining CVC at such an important time in its development. The firm has an exceptional track record and a distinctive culture, and I look forward to working with Rob, Rolly and the wider team to support its continued success and long-term value creation.”
Fred Watt will continue fully in his role until September 2026 and then remain as a Senior Advisor to the firm.
Read the orginal article: https://www.cvc.com/media/news/2026/cvc-announces-appointment-of-john-hourican-as-chief-financial-officer/
