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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 397–408 of 438
The Ways to Attract Top Talent: Innovative Strategies for Modern BusinessesThe Ways to Attract Top Talent: Innovative Strategies for Modern Businesses Introduction In today's competitive business landscape, attracting top talent has become…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 →
Navigating the Path: Abilities Needed to Move from Finance Director to CFONavigating the Path: Abilities Needed to Move from Finance Director to CFO Introduction In the dynamic world of corporate finance, the role…Read more →
Recruiting a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or Finance Director (FD) who specialises in mergers and acquisitions (M&A)Recruiting a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or Finance Director (FD) who specialises in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) Recruiting a Chief Financial Officer…Read more →
Interim CFO Services in LondonInterim CFO Services in London Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) services in London cater to businesses across the city's diverse and dynamic…Read more →
Combining the roles of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) into a dual positionSome businesses reach a point where they ask whether they really need two separate people running finance and operations. Merging the Chief…Read more →
The differences between a Financial Controller and Finance DirectorThe Financial Controller and Finance Director are both pivotal roles within a company’s finance function, but they serve distinct purposes and sit…Read more →
The benefit of niche job boardsThe benefit of niche job boards Niche job boards, especially those catering to specific professional roles like Finance Directors (FDs) and Chief…Read more →
The challenges of a Portfolio CFOThe challenges of a Portfolio CFO A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) plays a pivotal role in any organisation, wielding significant influence over…Read more →
The many benefits of a Temporary Finance DirectorThe many benefits of a Temporary Finance Director Temporary finance directors, often referred to as interim finance directors, play a pivotal role…Read more →
The family office CFO roleThe family office CFO role The role of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) within a family office is both unique and critical…Read more →
Interview questions for Financial ControllersInterviewing for a Financial Controller (FC) position involves a mix of technical, behavioral, and situational questions designed to assess the candidate's financial…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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