Discover how Cătălin Dobre, a Fractional CFO with nearly 20 years of experience, helps companies optimize financial resources and grow, offering freedom and flexibility through the fractional model.
Cătălin Dobre is a Fractional CFO and a financial leader with nearly two decades of experience in management and strategic roles across the EMEA region. His core expertise lies in financial analysis, budgeting, advanced financial modeling, risk management, and capital optimization—successfully applied both in multinational corporations and startups. Cătălin provides companies with access to top-tier CFO vision without the cost of a full-time hire, helping define growth strategies and secure the necessary financial resources.
Fractional Insider: How was your transition from a traditional career to fractional leadership/consulting?
Cătălin Dobre: It was somewhat forced by circumstances, as there were restructurings at my last job that affected my position as well. I took that moment as an opportunity to make a significant change in my career. It was quite a difficult decision-making process because I had to work on myself, confront my fears, and become even more comfortable with unpredictability and the unknown.
Fractional Insider: What attracted you the most to this model, and what challenges has it brought?
Cătălin Dobre: I was most attracted by two values that I’ve come to recognize in myself—freedom and flexibility. Moreover, as a fractional manager, you get to see the impact of your actions much faster, which significantly increases your level of satisfaction.
Fractional Insider: How do you choose the projects and clients you collaborate with?
Cătălin Dobre: For now, I’m still at the beginning of this journey, and I must admit that projects tend to choose me more than I choose them. That aside, it’s very important for me to see potential in the business I’m about to collaborate with and to ensure that I resonate with the founders and ideally with the rest of the top management team.
Fractional Insider: Tell us about a moment when you had a major impact as a fractional leader.
Cătălin Dobre: Automating several processes, which led to reduced response times in client relations, faster collection of receivables, and improved working capital.
Fractional Insider: What are the main differences between being a full-time executive and a fractional one?
Cătălin Dobre: The most important difference is the feeling of “finishing” a job or a project—at the end of which you get to “reap the rewards,” which, fortunately, in finance are mostly quantifiable. Beyond that, the perspective you have is always fresh and much more objective since you don’t stay in one place for too long.
Fractional Insider: How do you explain the value of a fractional to a skeptical CEO?
Cătălin Dobre: Working in finance makes it relatively easy for me, since everything comes down to costs. Additionally, the advantage I bring from the various projects I’ve been involved in so far positions me as a specialist in the field—which is generally what a CEO looks for.
Fractional Insider: What are the most common mistakes companies make when working with fractionals?
Cătălin Dobre: First, the period of time they think they need a fractional position for, and second, the reason why they’re doing it. There are businesses that don’t need a permanent position—especially in the AI era, when many processes can be automated—and at the same time, there are businesses that still need such a position even after the fractional leaves. In that latter case, the transition or strategy needs to be planned before deciding to hire a fractional.
Fractional Insider: How do you see the evolution of this career model in the coming years?
Cătălin Dobre: Considering that this model mainly applies to startups or small to medium-sized companies, its future will largely depend on the business environment and government priorities. As long as the creation and development of such companies are encouraged, I believe the demand will continue to grow. At the same time, many of these businesses are connected to the online sector, particularly SaaS, which further contributes to the growing need for fractional roles, as the financial side of these companies is generally quite “lean.”
Fractional Insider: What advice would you give to a senior professional considering becoming a fractional?
Cătălin Dobre: Make sure you’re comfortable working in an uncertain environment, where cash flow can vary significantly from month to month and where planning will be a major challenge.
Cătălin Dobre shows how high-level financial expertise can serve companies without the cost of a full-time hire. The fractional CFO model offers freedom, flexibility, and measurable results, becoming an increasingly relevant option for startups and small to medium-sized businesses.
