BOTTOM LINE UPFRONT
Accordion is strengthening its Office of the CFO leadership with Barrett Daniels joining to lead Operational & Technical Accounting and Ian McCracken elevated to lead Finance Transformation, reinforcing the firm’s investment in AI-driven value creation for PE-backed companies.
NEW YORK – May 18, 2026 – Accordion, an AI- and data-powered financial consulting firm focused on private equity, today announced two significant leadership appointments: Barrett Daniels has joined as Managing Director and Head of the Operational and Technical Accounting practice, and Ian McCracken has been appointed Head of the Finance Transformation practice. The new hire and internal appointment reflect Accordion’s rapid growth and position as private equity’s partner of choice as it continues to invest in AI-driven value creation within the Office of the CFO.
“We invest in exceptional people, whether we’re recruiting the best from outside or elevating the leaders we’ve built from within,” said Junaid Samnani, President, Finance & Technology Solutions, Accordion. “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.”
Daniels brings nearly 27 years of experience advising companies on complex accounting and capital markets transactions, with deep expertise in IPO readiness. He joins from Deloitte, where he served as Partner and U.S. IPO Services Leader – a role he stepped into following Deloitte’s acquisition of the firm he founded, Nextstep Advisory Services. He has also served as an Operating Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers (Vision Fund), as a Partner and IPO Leader at Connor Group, and began his career in the Capital Markets Group at PwC. Through it all, he has advised more than 100 companies through IPO and other capital markets transactions.
“Accordion has built something genuinely differentiated, a firm where functional expertise, data, and technology come together in one integrated team,” said Daniels. “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 has been with Accordion since May 2021 and leads its Dallas office. His expertise includes partnering with PE-sponsored companies to translate investment theses into measurable value creation: driving EBITDA expansion, optimizing working capital, and building the finance function and operating infrastructure to support a successful exit. He has a rich background both in consulting and industry; he’s held senior roles across Finance, HR, and IT, and at Accordion, has led cross-functional teams across multiple Accordion service-lines, bringing the right solutions to drive the most value creation for our clients. Prior to Accordion, he was a Managing Director at Riveron Consulting.
Daniels and McCracken’s appointments come as Accordion continues to expand its AI capabilities, developing an integrated framework designed to move PE-backed finance functions from fragmented pilot projects into fully operational AI ecosystems.
About Accordion
Accordion is the value creation partner for private equity. Our offerings span the modern CFO’s agenda—strengthening finance functions, implementing data, technology, and AI, and driving the operational improvements that create value. From core accounting and FP&A to analytics, technology enablement, performance improvement, and transformation, we help portfolio companies build stronger foundations, drive end-to-end value creation, and deliver results across the investment lifecycle.