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Insights for boards and senior leaders
The Executive Blog
Practical articles on hiring and leading at the top of a business: C-suite and board appointments, executive pay, fractional and interim leadership, and Senior Manager roles in FCA-regulated firms.
All articlesFCA and SMF rolesBoards and NEDsCEOs and MDsCFOs and finance leadersTechnology leadersFractional and interimHiring and successionPE and family offices
Guidance for boards and the people they appoint
Founders, chairs, investors and executives ask us the same questions again and again. When does a growing business need its first CFO or a full-time CEO? What should a COO earn? Is a fractional executive enough, or is it time for a permanent appointment? We publish our answers here, in plain English and grounded in the searches we run every week.
Articles are written by founder Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Fellow of the ICAEW, and our search team. They cover leadership hiring and succession, executive compensation and equity, board and non-executive appointments, private equity and family offices, technology leadership and Senior Manager Function appointments in regulated firms, and we update them when the rules or the market change.
For boards and investors, we cover how to scope a senior role, what to pay, how to assess candidates and take references, and when interim or fractional leadership makes more sense than a permanent hire. For executives, we cover interviews, offers and equity, notice and restrictive covenants, and the move from an executive career to a board portfolio. We also follow the regulatory changes that shape senior hiring, from the Senior Managers and Certification Regime to the UK Corporate Governance Code.
New to the topic? Start with one of our core guides, or use the search and topic filters above to find what you need.
Start here
Executive salary guide →What C-suite and director roles pay across the UK. What is a fractional executive? →How part-time C-suite leadership works and what it costs. CEO succession planning →A practical guide for UK boards. SMF roles guide →Every Senior Manager Function, and who needs approval.FCA and SMF roles
Showing 49–55 of 55
Fractional CIOs in Regulated Financial ServicesFractional CIOs in Regulated Financial Services Understanding the Role of Fractional CIOs Defining Fractional CIOs Fractional Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are experienced…Read more →
Family Office Recruitment: The Future of Wealth Management RolesFamily Office Recruitment: The Future of Wealth Management Roles Understanding the Family Office Landscape Definition and Purpose of Family Offices Family offices…Read more →
Navigating Regulatory Changes: The Company Secretary’s RoleNavigating Regulatory Changes: The Company Secretary's Role The Evolving Landscape of Corporate Governance Historical Context of Corporate Governance Corporate governance has undergone…Read more →
Talent Acquisition and Retention: Human Resource Challenges in the London Re-insurance SectorTalent Acquisition and Retention: Human Resource Challenges in the London Re-insurance Sector Introduction to the London Re-insurance Sector Historical Background The London…Read more →
Economic Volatility and Regulatory Changes: Strategies for Managing Directors Amid Recession ThreatsEconomic Volatility and Regulatory Changes: Strategies for Managing Directors Amid Recession Threats Introduction In an era marked by economic uncertainty and frequent…Read more →
The Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR): A Comprehensive OverviewThe Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR) shapes how every FCA-regulated firm in the UK appoints, approves and holds accountable its most…Read more →
The Growth of RegTech Roles: Navigating the Regulatory LandscapeThe Growth of RegTech Roles: Navigating the Regulatory Landscape Regulatory Technology, or RegTech, has emerged as a dynamic and rapidly expanding sector…Read more →Knowledge Centre
Go deeper with our guides
Structured guides that bring the best material together by topic. See the full Exec Capital Knowledge Centre and our Insights.
About the Exec Capital blog
Exec Capital is a specialist executive search firm and one of the five specialist firms of FD Capital Group. We appoint CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CTOs, Managing Directors, commercial and HR leaders, non-executive directors and Senior Manager Function holders on a permanent, interim and fractional basis across the UK, from our offices in London and the West Midlands.
Hiring for your leadership team? See our executive search services and the C-suite roles we recruit. Looking for a role? Register as a candidate or browse live executive jobs.
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