Cash Continues to be King for CFOs

Focus on Strong Accounting Practices and Cashflow to Capitalise on Emerging Opportunities

LONDON, November 10, 2010 - Fears of a 'double-dip' recession appear to have dissipated, as UK
finance leaders reveal the greatest concerns they currently face in a new
survey by Robert Half. More than four in 10 (44%) CFOs surveyed believe
managing the balance sheets is their biggest concern, up more than 10 points
from 2009[1]. The same number cited cash flow as a major concern, with this
figure rising to 49% and 48%, respectively, amongst SMEs and private
companies. Only 1% of respondents are concerned about the threat of a
'double-dip recession' and there was a significant increase from 2009 in the
number of CFOs concerned about managing growth, suggesting companies are more
confident about the economic outlook.

The survey, developed by Robert Half, a leading provider of specialised
recruitment services, was conducted by an independent research firm and is
based on interviews with more than 200 CFOs at companies throughout the UK.

CFOs were asked, "Which, if any, of the following would you say are the
three biggest concerns that you currently face in your role?" Their
responses:

                                                   2009 2010
    Managing the balance sheets                     33%  44%
    Cash flow                                       47%  44%
    Uncertain economic outlook and effect on        45%  37%
    forecasting
    Managing growth                                  9%  34%
    Meeting future financing needs cost             36%  27%
    effectively

"Finance leaders are placing more emphasis on maintaining strong
accounting practices and cash flow to capitalise on emerging opportunities,
particularly in the SME and private sectors," said Phil Sheridan, Managing
Director of Robert Half UK. "Companies are also showing signs of increased
confidence, with the number of CFOs concerned about managing growth nearly
quadrupling from 9% in 2009 to 34% in this year's survey, indicating the
higher number of business opportunities that are now available."

When asked about their top priorities, raising capital has risen up the
agenda, with more than one half (53%) of respondents citing this as a
priority, against one third last year. In the private sector, this number
rises to 73%, suggesting that companies are ready to start investing once
again.

CFOs were also asked "Which do you think are going to be the top three
priorities for your business in the next 12 months?" Their responses:

                             2009[2] 2010
    Raising capital /            33%  53%
    re-financing
    Business process             49%  51%
    improvement
    Audit and compliance         20%  34%
    Looking for investment       11%  26%
    opportunities
    New product / service        54%  23%
    expansion

Sheridan adds, "The findings offer an encouraging sign that organisations
are increasingly looking for investment opportunities with a renewed focus on
growth, in lieu of survival, in today's business environment."

About the Survey

The national study was developed by Robert Half, a leading provider of
highly skilled professionals on a temporary, interim and permanent basis. It
was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on more than 200
telephone interviews with CFOs from a random sample of UK companies. For the
study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all
segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region and
number of employees.

A white paper based on the study results entitled, "Looking Ahead: New
Challenges, New Priorities for UK CFOs" is available for download here. The
paper provides an in-depth study of the issues facing UK CFOs.

About Robert Half

Robert Half pioneered specialised staffing services and today is the
world's leader in the field. Founded in 1948, the company is traded on the
New York Stock Exchange (symbol: RHI) and operates five separate divisions in
the UK, each serving distinct markets. They include: Robert Half Finance &
Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and
project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance;
OfficeTeam, for administrative support, Robert Half Financial Services Group,
for finance and banking professionals and Robert Half Technology, for IT
professionals.

There are more than 350 Robert Half locations in North America, South
America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information about
Robert Half please visit: www.roberthalf.co.uk

www.roberthalf.co.uk

www.twitter.com/roberthalfuk

[1] 2009 CFO study by Robert Half conducted in August 2009 surveying 200
CFOs at companies throughout the UK

[2] Note that in the 2009 survey the exact wording of the question was:
"Which, if any, of the following would you say are going to be the top three
priorities for the business once the economy starts to recover?"

Phil Sheridan, Managing Director of Robert Half, is available for further
comment. In order to arrange an interview, please contact Kristie Perrotte on
+44(0)20-7331-2222 or email kristie.perrotte at rhi.net.