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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

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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.

Latest articles

Showing 181–192 of 438

Technology leaders6 Jul 2025 · 15 min readTech Upgrades with a Fractional CIOTech Upgrades with a Fractional CIO Understanding the Role of a Fractional CIO Defining a Fractional CIO A Fractional Chief Information Officer…Read more →Fractional and interim6 Jul 2025 · 13 min readOperational Pivot? Bring in a Fractional COOOperational Pivot? Bring in a Fractional COO   Introduction to Fractional Leadership Definition and Overview of Fractional Leadership Roles Fractional leadership is…Read more →Technology leaders6 Jul 2025 · 15 min readFractional CTOs Driving Digital TransformationsFractional CTOs Driving Digital Transformations Introduction to Fractional CTOs Definition and role of a Fractional CTO A Fractional Chief Technology Officer (CTO)…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders6 Jul 2025 · 16 min readLeveraging Fractional CFOs for Turnaround Finance StrategyLeveraging Fractional CFOs for Turnaround Finance Strategy Introduction to Business Recovery and Turnaround Finance Understanding Business Recovery Business recovery refers to the…Read more →Fractional and interim6 Jul 2025 · 15 min readWhen & How to Convert Fractional to Full-TimeWhen & How to Convert Fractional to Full-Time Understanding Fractional and Full-Time Roles Defining Fractional Roles Fractional roles refer to positions where…Read more →Fractional and interim5 Jul 2025 · 14 min readEvaluating Fractional Executive ROIEvaluating Fractional Executive ROI Introduction to Fractional Executives Definition and Overview Fractional executives are experienced professionals who offer their expertise to organizations…Read more →Fractional and interim5 Jul 2025 · 14 min readManaging Multiple Fractional Execs: Best PracticesManaging Multiple Fractional Execs: Best Practices Introduction Overview of Fractional Executives In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations are increasingly turning to…Read more →Fractional and interim30 Jun 2025 · 17 min readEnterprises & Nonprofits: When Fractional Makes SenseEnterprises & Nonprofits: When Fractional Makes Sense Introduction to Fractional Leadership Models Definition and Concept Fractional leadership is a model where experienced…Read more →Technology leaders30 Jun 2025 · 17 min readFractional Executives in SaaS: Growth With ControlFractional Executives in SaaS: Growth With Control Understanding Fractional Executives in SaaS Defining Fractional Executives Fractional executives are experienced professionals who offer…Read more →Fractional and interim27 Jun 2025 · 6 min readScaling Healthcare Startups with Fractional ExecsHealthcare and health-tech startups face a harder scaling problem than most. They need senior leadership across finance, operations and technology earlier than…Read more →FCA and SMF roles27 Jun 2025 · 17 min readFractional 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 →Fractional and interim27 Jun 2025 · 7 min readFractional C‑Suite for Family Offices: Flexible LeadershipFamily offices occupy a distinctive position: they require genuinely senior expertise — in investment, finance, operations and governance — but often at…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.

Executive paySalary, bonus and equity for CEOs, CFOs, COOs and directors.CEO salaries →Executive compensation →Open the guide →
Fractional and interimWhen part-time or interim leadership works, and how to set it up.Fractional, interim or permanent? →Interim executives →Open the hub →
FCA-regulated firmsSenior Manager Functions, approvals and board hiring under SMCR.SMF salary guide →The Form A process →Open the guide →
Hiring at the topScoping, assessing, referencing and onboarding senior hires.Executive assessment →Reference checking →Open the guide →

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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