News from the Motive Partners network: Accordion acquires FCM

Accordion has acquired FCM, bolstering the firm’s operational improvement capabilities. The acquisition brings together operator-led execution and financial expertise to deliver enterprise-wide performance improvement for private-equity-backed companies.

New York, NY, January 5, 2026 – Accordion, an AI and data-powered financial consulting firm focused on private equity, today announced that it has acquired FCM, an operator-led performance improvement firm known for delivering large-scale, transformative value creation programs for private-equity-backed companies. For more than a decade, FCM has been a trusted partner to leading PE firms, supporting them from diligence through execution on high-impact transactions and operational initiatives. The acquisition significantly enhances Accordion’s own hands-on on performance improvement capabilities, adding deep operational expertise that complements the firm’s financial, analytical, and Office of the CFO heritage. The combined expertise solidifies Accordion’s standing as private equity’s go-to value creation partner.

FCM’s approximately 50 professionals – many of whom are former C-suite executives – bring hands-on leadership experience driving enterprise transformation across operations, technology, finance, human resources, sourcing real estate and program governance. The firm assists clients across the full corporate investment lifecycle, including operational diligence, post-close activation, and long-term performance acceleration initiatives, primarily for large private equity sponsors. Since its founding in 2014, FCM has supported more than $100 billion in private equity transactions and delivered over $28 billion in new enterprise value.

“Accordion’s roots are in strengthening the financial foundations of private equity–backed companies, and our work has always extended into the practical execution required to drive performance,” said Nick Leopard, Founder & CEO of Accordion. “FCM brings additional operational depth from leaders who have run and transformed businesses. Their operator-led team augments our existing performance improvement capabilities and broadens the ways we help clients unlock value across the entire operating model. This strengthens what we already do and expands our ability to influence the operational areas that most directly determine a company’s trajectory…and its value.”

The combination reflects Accordion’s intentional construction, through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions, of a holistic private equity value creation platform. It brings together the full continuum of financial, operational, and transformational capabilities while staying true to the company’s mission: helping PE-backed companies accelerate value.

“Performance improvement works best when it’s guided by people who have lived the complexity of running businesses,” said Mitchell Habib, Founder of FCM, who will be joining Accordion to help guide the continued evolution of its Performance Improvement platform. “Accordion’s data, technology, and AI-powered capabilities strengthen the operator-first approach that has defined FCM. Together, we can deliver the level of impact sponsors and management teams expect in their most critical value creation moments.”

As private equity demands greater certainty and speed in value creation, combining finance, analytics, and operational leadership becomes increasingly essential.

“Today’s sponsors need a partner capable of influencing performance across an organization, not just within the finance function,” said Andrew Hede, President of Business Transformation & Transactions, Accordion. “By integrating FCM’s deep operational expertise with our existing hands-on approach, we expand the impact we can have across the business. Together, we strengthen our position as the partner private equity turns to when value creation truly needs to happen.”nd management teams expect in their most critical value creation moments.”

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.