CrossCountry Acquires CNM, Forging a National Consulting Powerhouse

MCLEAN, VA – March 03, 2026 – In a significant move signaling a major consolidation in the business advisory sector, CrossCountry Consulting has announced its acquisition of CNM LLP, a highly regarded Office of the CFO (OCFO) advisory firm based in Southern California. The transaction creates a formidable national player, dramatically expanding CrossCountry's footprint on the West Coast and deepening its arsenal of services for modern finance leaders.

The deal brings CNM’s team of over 200 professionals and its established offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, New York, and Kuala Lumpur under the CrossCountry banner. For CrossCountry, a firm backed by private equity giant Investcorp since late 2022, this acquisition is a clear execution of an aggressive growth strategy aimed at building a coast-to-coast advisory powerhouse.

A Strategic Push Westward

This acquisition is far more than a simple line-item on a growth ledger; it represents a calculated and strategic push into one of the most dynamic and competitive markets in the United States. Southern California, a hub for technology, media, and rapidly growing enterprises, has long been a key target for national consulting firms. By acquiring CNM, CrossCountry leapfrogs the painstaking process of organic growth and instead instantly establishes a robust, reputable presence.

“This acquisition is a pivotal step in our growth strategy, significantly expanding our ability to support clients in the Southern California market and enhancing our core solutions for the Office of the CFO,” said Erik Linn, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CrossCountry Consulting, in a statement.

CrossCountry, founded in 2011, has been on a determined expansion path. The firm, which now boasts a global workforce of around 1,200, has recently opened new offices in key markets like Dallas and bolstered its transaction services through other strategic acquisitions. This pattern of M&A activity, now highlighted by the landmark CNM deal, positions the firm to compete more directly with both global consulting behemoths and entrenched regional specialists. The integration of CNM’s deep local relationships and technical expertise provides CrossCountry with immediate credibility and market access that would have otherwise taken years to build.

Beyond the Balance Sheet: Integrating Talent and Culture

While the strategic and financial rationale is clear, the long-term success of the merger will hinge on a far more delicate variable: the integration of people and culture. Professional services firms are, at their core, their talent. The acquisition brings over 200 CNM employees into the CrossCountry fold, and leadership from both sides has been quick to emphasize a cultural synergy.

Both organizations have earned accolades as "Great Places to Work," priding themselves on collaborative, people-first environments. “We’re especially pleased to join forces with an organization whose values and collaborative culture so closely align with ours,” Linn noted. This sentiment was echoed by CNM’s leadership. “This partnership brings together organizations with a shared commitment to collaborative culture and core values, creating new opportunities for our people and our clients,” stated Nathan Matthews, Founder and Executive Chair of CNM.

However, the path of post-merger integration is notoriously complex. Industry analysis consistently shows that cultural clashes can derail even the most promising deals. The challenge for CrossCountry’s leadership will be to meld two distinct corporate identities into a single, cohesive unit without losing the unique elements that made each firm successful. This involves aligning everything from compensation models and career paths to daily operational workflows and communication styles.

A critical move toward ensuring a smooth transition is the appointment of CNM’s Managing Partner, Sanjay Sheth, as CrossCountry’s new Los Angeles Office Managing Partner and Southern California Market Leader. This decision signals a respect for CNM’s existing leadership and provides crucial continuity for both employees and clients in the region, a key factor in retaining the very talent and client relationships that made CNM an attractive acquisition target in the first place.

Fortifying the Office of the CFO

The acquisition is strategically timed to capitalize on the evolving role of the Chief Financial Officer. Today’s CFOs are no longer just financial gatekeepers; they are strategic partners to the CEO, driving business transformation, navigating complex regulatory landscapes, and leveraging technology and data for competitive advantage. This expanded mandate has created immense demand for sophisticated, end-to-end advisory services.

By combining forces, CrossCountry and CNM have created a comprehensive service suite designed to meet these modern demands head-on. CNM brings deep, specialized expertise in technical accounting, transaction support, risk advisory, and business transformation. This perfectly complements CrossCountry's established strengths in technology-enabled finance solutions, data analytics, and risk and compliance. The firm has been actively investing in this area, even launching an AI Innovation Lab to develop next-generation solutions for its clients.

For clients, the benefits are tangible. A mid-market company on the West Coast preparing for an IPO can now tap into a single, integrated team offering IPO readiness, technical accounting for SEC filings, systems implementation, and post-offering support. A Fortune 500 client can leverage the combined entity's deeper bench of experts for complex M&A due diligence, post-merger integration, and enterprise-wide risk management.

“By combining our specialized expertise with CrossCountry’s extensive capabilities and resources, we can deliver even greater value and address more complex challenges for the organizations we serve,” Matthews commented on the enhanced potential. This merger is not just about getting bigger; it's about getting better and broader, creating a powerhouse capable of providing the holistic, tech-forward advisory that the modern Office of the CFO requires to succeed. The move solidifies CrossCountry's position as a premier advisor, poised to capture a larger share of the lucrative consulting market.