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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.Technology leaders
Showing 1–12 of 24
IT Director vs CIO: The DifferenceAn IT Director keeps the technology working. A CIO decides what the business should be doing with it. Both are legitimate and…Read more →
VP Engineering vs CTO: Which First?The short version: a CTO decides what to build and on what; a VP Engineering makes sure it gets built. Most scaling…Read more →
What makes a great chief technology officer today and in venture-backed businessesWhat makes a great chief technology officer today and in venture-backed businesses The Changing Landscape of Technology Leadership in Startups The Rise…Read more →
What makes a great chief technology officer today: after leadership restructuringWhat makes a great chief technology officer today: after leadership restructuring The Evolving Role of the CTO Historical Context The role of…Read more →
Fractional CIO vs Interim CIO: Choosing the Right FormatWhen a business needs senior technology leadership but isn’t ready — or doesn’t need — to hire a permanent CIO, two options…Read more →
Fractional CTO Roles: Driving Innovation Without Full Time CostA fractional Chief Technology Officer provides strategic technology leadership on a part-time basis — giving a business genuine CTO-level capability without the…Read more →
When to Bring in a Fractional CIO for Digital TransformationWhen to Bring in a Fractional CIO for Digital Transformation Introduction to Digital Transformation and the Role of a CIO Understanding Digital…Read more →
When to Hire a Fractional CIO: A Strategic Timing GuideWhen to Hire a Fractional CIO: A Strategic Timing Guide Understanding the Role of a Fractional CIO Defining a Fractional CIO A…Read more →
Why Demand for Fractional CTOs and CIOs is ExplodingWhy Demand for Fractional CTOs and CIOs is Exploding Defining Fractional CTOs and CIOs Understanding the Concept of Fractional Leadership Fractional leadership…Read more →
Five Interview Questions Every Digital Leader Should Be Able to AnswerFive Interview Questions Every Digital Leader Should Be Able to Answer Overview of the Importance of Digital Leadership in Today's Business Landscape…Read more →
Digital Transformation Demands a New Breed of Leader Here’s What to Look ForDigital Transformation Demands a New Breed of Leader Here’s What to Look For Understanding Digital Transformation Defining Digital Transformation Digital transformation refers…Read more →
Why Every Modern Insurer Needs a Digital Transformation DirectorWhy Every Modern Insurer Needs a Digital Transformation Director Understanding Digital Transformation in Insurance The Evolution of the Insurance Industry The insurance…Read more →Knowledge Centre
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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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