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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.Latest articles
Showing 253–264 of 438
Commercial Strategy: The Role of a Commercial Director in Shaping Business SuccessCommercial strategy is the plan by which a business achieves its financial and market objectives — spanning market analysis, product and pricing…Read more →
Fractional vs Full-Time Commercial Director: Which Is Right for You?A fractional Commercial Director gives a business senior revenue leadership for one or two days a week, on a retained basis, at…Read more →
How a Commercial Director Can Accelerate Growth in a Scale-Up BusinessHow a Commercial Director Can Accelerate Growth in a Scale-Up Business Understanding the Scale-Up Business Landscape Defining Scale-Up Businesses Scale-up businesses are…Read more →
Top Traits to Look for in a Commercial Director CandidateTop Traits to Look for in a Commercial Director Candidate The Role of a Commercial Director Strategic Leadership A Commercial Director plays…Read more →
When Is the Right Time to Hire a Commercial Director?When Is the Right Time to Hire a Commercial Director? Introduction In the dynamic landscape of business growth, knowing when to expand…Read more →
What Does a Commercial Director Do? Key Responsibilities and Skills ExplainedWhat Does a Commercial Director Do? Key Responsibilities and Skills Explained Introduction In today's dynamic business environment, the role of a Commercial…Read more →
Fractional vs. Full-Time HR Director: Which Is Right for Your Business?As a business grows, its people function eventually outgrows ad-hoc management and needs senior HR leadership. The question is rarely whether to…Read more →
The Difference Between an HR Director and a CHRO: Who Should You Hire?CHRO stands for Chief Human Resources Officer. In most organisations that use the title, it denotes a C-suite executive who sits on…Read more →
The Strategic Role of HR Director Recruitment in Driving Business ExpansionThe Strategic Role of HR Director Recruitment in Driving Business Expansion Introduction In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of Human…Read more →What to Look for When Hiring an HR DirectorWhat to Look for When Hiring an HR Director Introduction In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of an HR Director…Read more →
Future Trends in Company Secretary RecruitmentFuture Trends in Company Secretary Recruitment The Evolving Role of Company Secretaries Historical Context The role of company secretaries has traditionally been…Read more →
The Role of Company Secretaries in Risk ManagementThe Role of Company Secretaries in Risk Management Introduction In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability of a corporation to withstand…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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