For six months now, a Bangalore-based mid-sized hotel chain has been looking for a CFO. The slowdown over the past few years has seen the company’s financials come under pressure: room tariffs have fallen, sales are down, and, like any other borrower, it has a fraught relationship with banks, although it sees growth returning now. “Our earlier CFO’s job was not very complex, but now we need a CFO who is both a fire-fighter and strategist to help the hotel emerge from the slump and grow as we plan to acquire new properties,” said the HR head of this hotel who requested anonymity and did not want her firm to be named.