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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 409–420 of 438

Boards and NEDs16 Mar 2024 · 5 min readUsing Job boards to find your next Financial Controller roleUsing Job boards to find your next Financial Controller role Using job boards to find your next Financial Controller (FC) role is…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders16 Mar 2024 · 5 min readFinancial Insights – Hiring a Financial ControllerFinancial Insights - Hiring a Financial Controller Hiring a Financial Controller (FC) is a strategic decision that significantly impacts an organization's financial…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders16 Mar 2024 · 5 min readThe concept of outsourced Finance DirectorsThe concept of outsourced Finance Directors Outsourced Finance Directors represent a strategic approach for organizations seeking expert financial leadership without the commitment…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders16 Mar 2024 · 4 min readNavigating Interim Finance Director Recruitment: Guiding Your Financial Ship in TransitionNavigating Interim Finance Director Recruitment: Guiding Your Financial Ship in Transition Recruiting an Interim Finance Director is a strategic move for organizations…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders14 Mar 2024 · 5 min readMaximizing Financial Leadership: The Evolution of Fractional CFO RecruitmentMaximizing Financial Leadership: The Evolution of Fractional CFO Recruitment Fractional CFO recruitment addresses the need for high-level financial expertise in businesses that…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders14 Mar 2024 · 5 min readLeading the Financial Frontline: Unraveling London CFO RecruitmentLeading the Financial Frontline: Unraveling London CFO Recruitment Recruiting a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in London presents a unique set of opportunities…Read more →Hiring and succession10 Mar 2024 · 5 min readSweet Equity: The Secret Sauce of Entrepreneurial SuccessSweet Equity: The Secret Sauce of Entrepreneurial Success Sweet equity is a term commonly used in private equity deals and venture capital…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders10 Mar 2024 · 4 min readNavigating Financial Leadership: Recruiting a Financial ControllerNavigating Financial Leadership: Recruiting a Financial Controller Recruiting a Financial Controller is a strategic and meticulous process that involves identifying a financial…Read more →Leadership10 Mar 2024 · 6 min readEuropean and American Carried Interest ComparedCarried interest — the share of a fund’s profits that goes to its general partners — is the single biggest driver of…Read more →Hiring and succession10 Mar 2024 · 6 min readThe role of the General Partner in Private EquityThe General Partner (GP) sits at the centre of every private equity fund — the entity that raises the capital, makes the…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders10 Mar 2024 · 4 min readBridging Financial Gaps: Exploring Interim Financial Controller RecruitmentBridging Financial Gaps: Exploring Interim Financial Controller Recruitment Interim Financial Controller recruitment focuses on identifying and hiring a Financial Controller on a…Read more →CFOs and finance leaders10 Mar 2024 · 5 min readMaximizing Financial Efficiency: The Power of Part-Time Financial Controller RecruitmentMaximizing Financial Efficiency: The Power of Part-Time Financial Controller Recruitment Part-Time Financial Controller recruitment is an increasingly popular strategy for small to…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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