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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.Hiring and succession
Showing 1–12 of 63
What’s the realistic timeline for a senior executive search?A practical question that comes up early in most senior search conversations: how long does the search actually take from start to…Read more →
The compensation trend that’s quietly reshaping UK senior hiring in 2026There's a structural shift in UK senior compensation that doesn't get the attention it warrants. Headline base salaries at the senior end…Read more →
Why Succession Planning Is Critical for Sustainable Business GrowthWhy Succession Planning Is Critical for Sustainable Business Growth Introduction to Succession Planning Definition and Importance Succession planning is a strategic process…Read more →
The Complete Guide to Hiring C-Suite Executives in the UK in 2026Hiring a C-suite executive is among the most consequential decisions a business makes. The right appointment can transform a company’s trajectory; the…Read more →
Tech Leadership Salary Trends in 2025 What You Need to KnowTech Leadership Salary Trends in 2025 What You Need to Know Understanding the Shifts in Tech Leadership Compensation The Evolving Role…Read more →
Retainer vs Hourly Pay: What Execs PreferRetainer vs Hourly Pay: What Execs Prefer Introduction to Compensation Models Compensation models are frameworks that organizations use to determine how employees…Read more →
Why Hiring the Right Operations Director Is Critical to Business GrowthWhy Hiring the Right Operations Director Is Critical to Business Growth The Role of an Operations Director in Business Growth Understanding the…Read more →
How Family Offices Benefit from Professional Family Office Recruitment ServicesHow Family Offices Benefit from Professional Family Office Recruitment Services Introduction to Family Offices and Their Unique Needs Understanding Family Offices Family…Read more →
The Role of Soft Skills in Family Office RecruitmentThe Role of Soft Skills in Family Office Recruitment Understanding Family Offices Defining Family Offices Family offices are private wealth management advisory…Read more →
Succession Planning in Family Offices: Recruitment for the Next GenerationA family office exists to preserve and grow a family’s wealth and legacy across generations — which makes the eventual handover of…Read more →
Executive Compensation and Benefits for Family Office ProfessionalsExecutive Compensation and Benefits for Family Office Professionals Introduction to Executive Compensation in Family Offices Understanding Family Offices Family offices are private…Read more →
Why London is the Ideal Location for Family Office RecruitmentWhy London is the Ideal Location for Family Office Recruitment The Rise of Family Offices and Their Importance Historical Context and Evolution…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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