Fractional CEO Recruitment

Fractional CEO Executive Search

Finding a Chief Executive who can lead your business strategically without the commitment or cost of a full-time hire is one of the most consequential decisions a growth-stage or transitioning business makes. Exec Capital recruits fractional CEOs for UK businesses — from pre-revenue start-ups through to PE-backed companies and established mid-market organisations. Every search is run by our specialist team, with Adrian Lawrence FCA overseeing each mandate.

A fractional CEO typically works one to three days per week, or on a defined monthly day commitment, bringing board-level commercial authority and strategic leadership on a flexible basis. Whether you need to scale operations, professionalise ahead of investment, steer a period of change, or bridge a leadership gap at the top of your organisation, Exec Capital identifies and places the right Chief Executive for the situation you are actually in.

We work with founders, boards, investors and family shareholders. The search is shaped around your business, not a generic candidate database: we agree the brief with you, approach CEOs whose track record fits your stage and sector, and only introduce people we have assessed against that brief.

Other ways to hire a CEO. This page covers the fractional model. If you need a full-time permanent appointment, see our CEO recruitment service. For a full-time leader on a fixed term, see interim CEO placements, and for investor-led situations our private equity interim CEO service. Businesses that want a set number of CEO days each month can look at part-time CEO hiring, and owner-managed companies that need someone to run day-to-day operations rather than lead the whole enterprise are often better served by a fractional managing director. If you are unsure which applies, tell us about the situation and we will say so plainly.

What Is a Fractional CEO?

A fractional CEO is an experienced Chief Executive who works with your business on a defined part-time or flexible basis rather than as a full-time employee. The engagement is typically structured around a fixed number of days per week or per month — most commonly one to three days per week — giving your business board-level leadership at a significantly reduced cost compared to a permanent appointment.

The role carries the same responsibilities as a full-time CEO: setting strategy, leading the senior team, managing investor and stakeholder relationships, overseeing operational performance, and driving the business toward its commercial objectives. The difference is that the fractional model makes that expertise financially accessible to businesses at the stage where they need experienced leadership but cannot yet justify — or do not want — a full-time permanent hire.

Fractional CEOs typically work with a small portfolio of clients simultaneously, bringing diverse experience from multiple business environments and growth stages. The Institute of Directors’ guidance on the responsibilities of a director sets out the strategic, stakeholder and oversight duties that sit at the top of a company. A fractional CEO fulfils those functions — on a schedule that fits your business requirements and budget.

In practice, the title matters less than the mandate. A fractional CEO is accountable for the performance of the whole business. They chair or lead the executive team, own the plan that the board has approved, represent the company to investors, lenders, major customers and partners, and make the calls that cannot be delegated. What they do not do is sit in every operational meeting. The fractional model works because the CEO spends their days on the decisions and relationships that move the business, and builds a management team capable of running the rest in between.

That is also the main difference from a consultant or adviser. An adviser recommends; a fractional CEO decides and is answerable for the result. If you want someone to review your strategy and hand you a report, a fractional CEO is the wrong hire. If you want someone to take responsibility for leading the business, with real authority over people, budgets and priorities, it may be exactly the right one.

Fractional CEO, Interim CEO, and Part-Time CEO — What’s the Difference?

These three terms are often used interchangeably but they describe distinct engagement models. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right structure for your business.

Exec Capital recruits across all four models. If you are unsure which structure best fits your current situation, our team can advise on your initial call. As a rule of thumb, the question to ask is not “how many days?” but “how much of the CEO’s attention does this business need, and for how long?” A business in crisis needs a leader on site every day, which points to interim. A business with a capable team that lacks direction, external credibility or a decision-maker at the top often needs far less time than people expect, which points to fractional or part-time. Where you need CEO-level thinking without appointing anyone to the role itself, an outsourced CEO arrangement may be enough.

For a deeper look at the two models clients most often weigh against each other, our guide to fractional CEO vs interim CEO sets out how each tends to perform against different business outcomes.

Fractional CEO vs Fractional MD vs Interim CEO vs Executive Chair vs Permanent CEO

Clients rarely start with a neat brief. More often the conversation begins with “we need someone senior at the top” and the right format only becomes clear once we understand the business. The five options below are the ones we most often compare. They overlap, and titles are used loosely in the UK market, so treat this as a guide to the substance of each role rather than a strict definition.

Two points are worth drawing out. First, the line between a fractional CEO and a fractional MD is about scope rather than seniority. A fractional CEO leads the business and answers to the board or investors for its direction; a fractional MD typically runs it within a direction set by someone else. If the founder or owner intends to remain the strategic lead, a fractional MD is usually the better fit — and that is the role our fractional managing director service is built around.

Second, an executive chair is a governance choice as much as a hiring one. Combining chair and chief executive responsibilities concentrates power, and many boards and investors are uncomfortable with it for long. Where a business genuinely needs a strong chair rather than a CEO, our chairman recruitment service is the more appropriate route. A common and effective pattern is a non-executive chair working alongside a fractional CEO, which keeps oversight and execution separate while keeping costs proportionate.

Is a Fractional CEO Right for You?

A fractional CEO is not the answer to every leadership question. It works best where the business needs senior judgement, authority and credibility at the top, and has — or can build — a management team capable of carrying the day-to-day load between the CEO’s days. These are the five situations where we most often see the model work well.

Founder transition

Many founders reach the point where running the company is getting in the way of what they do best — product, sales, technology, or relationships with key clients. A fractional CEO can take over the management of the business while the founder moves into a chair, product or commercial role. The transition needs handling carefully: the founder has to genuinely hand over authority, and the incoming CEO has to respect what the founder built. Done well, it gives the founder their time back and gives the business a leader with experience of the next stage. Our founder-to-CEO transition guide covers the practical issues in more depth.

Investor-backed start-up without a CEO

Some start-ups are founded by technical or scientific teams with no one who has run a company before, or by investors and studios that create businesses and need someone to lead them. Investors want a named, credible chief executive, but an early-stage company rarely has the funding or the workload for a full-time, experienced CEO. A fractional CEO can lead fundraising, set up governance and reporting, recruit the first leadership team and give investors confidence — then hand over to a permanent CEO as the business grows, or stay on if the arrangement keeps working. Our start-up executive hiring guide sets out how to sequence early leadership hires.

Turnaround

In a turnaround, the business needs someone who has been through the situation before and can make hard decisions without being tied to past choices. Where the business is in acute distress — cash running out, lenders pressing, key people leaving — daily presence is usually essential and an interim CEO or turnaround executive is the better fit. But many turnarounds are slower: a business that has lost direction, is underperforming its potential or has a weak senior team. In those cases a fractional CEO working two or three days a week, often alongside a strong finance lead, can reset strategy, restructure the team and drive performance without the full cost of an interim.

Family business

Family businesses often face a particular gap: the founding generation is stepping back, the next generation is not yet ready or not interested, and the family wants professional leadership without giving up control or the culture that made the business. A fractional CEO can provide that bridge — leading the business, professionalising management and reporting, mentoring next-generation family members and keeping the family board informed — while the shareholders decide on the long-term model. The relationship with the family is as important as commercial ability, and we assess for it directly. See our family business executive hiring guide for the wider picture.

Non-profit and charity

Charities, social enterprises and membership bodies often need experienced chief executive leadership but cannot fund a full-time salary at the level the role demands, or are between chief executives and need cover while trustees recruit. A fractional chief executive can lead the senior team, manage the relationship with trustees, oversee income generation and keep governance on track. Charity governance has its own framework, and the chief executive works to the trustee board rather than to shareholders, so we look for candidates who understand that relationship. Our charity and not-for-profit executive hiring guide covers the differences.

When a fractional CEO is the wrong choice

We would rather tell you now than place someone in a role that cannot work. A fractional CEO is usually the wrong answer when the business is in a crisis that needs a leader on site every day; when there is no management layer at all and the CEO would be doing every job personally; when the real need is operational rather than strategic, in which case a fractional COO or MD is better value; or when a regulator expects the chief executive to be visibly full-time. In each of those cases we will recommend the format that fits, even if it is not the one you came to us for.

When Does a Business Need a Fractional CEO?

The decision to appoint a fractional CEO is typically triggered by one of six situations. In each case, the fractional model provides a faster, more cost-efficient route to experienced leadership than a permanent recruitment process.

Founder stepping back from operations

Founder-led businesses reach a point where the founder’s time is better spent on product, clients, or fundraising than on day-to-day operational leadership. A fractional CEO takes over the executive function — managing the senior team, overseeing performance, and representing the business externally — while the founder retains strategic ownership. This transition is one of the most common and most successful applications of the fractional CEO model in the UK.

Preparing for investment or sale

Investors and acquirers scrutinise leadership quality. A fractional CEO with a demonstrable track record of managing PE-backed businesses, handling due diligence, or delivering exit-ready governance significantly increases investor confidence and reduces deal friction. Many businesses appoint a fractional CEO well ahead of a fundraising round or sale process specifically to professionalise the leadership layer before external scrutiny begins. For PE-backed situations specifically, see how we approach fractional CEO recruitment for private equity.

Scaling operations beyond the founding team

Start-ups and scale-ups often reach a stage where the founding team’s management capability becomes the bottleneck on growth. A fractional CEO introduces the operational structures, reporting disciplines, and leadership behaviours that allow the business to scale without breaking. This includes building a management team, introducing performance frameworks, and establishing board-level governance.

CEO departure or planned exit

When a CEO leaves unexpectedly or gives notice, the business needs experienced leadership in place while a permanent replacement is found. A fractional CEO bridges the gap — maintaining operational continuity, managing the senior team, and preserving stakeholder confidence — without the time pressure of hiring a permanent appointment under duress.

Turnaround or operational restructuring

Businesses facing performance challenges, cash runway pressure, or structural change need an experienced operator who has dealt with similar situations before. A fractional CEO with turnaround experience brings an objective external perspective, identifies the highest-priority interventions, and has the authority to drive change at board level without the political constraints of an internally promoted leader.

First CEO appointment for a growth business

Businesses that have operated without a CEO — often managed day-to-day by a COO, MD, or the founder — sometimes need to appoint their first named Chief Executive to satisfy investor requirements, board expectations, or governance standards. A fractional CEO can fulfil this requirement on a cost-effective basis while the business assesses whether the role warrants a permanent full-time hire.

Fractional CEO Day Rates and Cost

Fractional CEOs are paid a day rate rather than a salary, and you pay only for the days agreed. Rates in the UK vary widely, and we do not publish a single range because a figure without context is more likely to mislead than help. What drives the rate is well understood, though, and we will give you a realistic view for your brief on the first call, based on the candidates actually available for it.

The main factors that move a fractional CEO day rate are:

• Scale and complexity of the business. Leading a multi-site, multi-entity or international business carries more responsibility than leading a single-site SME, and is priced accordingly.
• Situation. Turnaround, pre-exit and fundraising mandates call for specialist experience and command a premium over steady-state leadership.
• Ownership. PE-backed and VC-backed businesses expect investor-grade reporting and a track record of working with boards and funds.
• Regulation. Chief executives of FCA-regulated firms carry personal regulatory accountability, which narrows the pool and affects the rate.
• Board appointment. Taking a statutory directorship adds personal legal exposure; candidates factor that in, and so should the D&O cover.
• Days and commitment. A longer, steadier commitment of days can support a different rate from a short or highly variable one.
• Location and travel. Engagements that need frequent on-site days away from the CEO’s base cost more than mostly remote ones.

Compared with a permanent CEO appointment — where you carry base salary, employer National Insurance, pension, benefits, bonus and often equity — a fractional engagement at one to three days a week typically costs a small fraction of the full-time equivalent. You also avoid the cost of a long permanent search and the risk of a costly mis-hire. For permanent chief executive pay, see our CEO salary guide; we can provide pay and day-rate guidance as part of the initial briefing call.

It is worth being clear about what you are paying for. A good fractional CEO is not cheap per day, and should not be. The value comes from concentrating senior experience into the days that matter, rather than paying for a full working week that the business does not yet need. The right comparison is not day rate against day rate; it is the total cost of the engagement against what the business would otherwise spend — and what it would lose by not having experienced leadership at all.

Engagement Basis: Days, Day Rate, Directorship and IR35

The commercial and legal shape of a fractional CEO engagement matters as much as the choice of person. These are the points we agree with you before anyone starts.

How many days

Most fractional CEO engagements run at one to three days a week, or an equivalent number of days a month. The right level depends on the situation: a business with a strong management team and a clear plan may need one day a week; a business in transition, raising money or rebuilding its senior team will usually need two or three at first. We recommend agreeing a starting commitment, a review point and a simple way to flex the days up or down, rather than fixing a number for the life of the engagement. It is also worth agreeing in advance what happens between days — whether the CEO will take urgent calls, attend board meetings outside their usual days, and how that time is recorded.

On-site versus remote is the other variable. CEO leadership depends heavily on presence — with the team, with customers, with the board — so most clients want a significant share of days in person. Remote days work well for investor work, planning and reviewing performance. We discuss the split with you at briefing so that we only introduce candidates who can meet it.

Day rate inclusive of our fee

For fractional and interim engagements we quote a single, all-inclusive day rate. Our fee is included in that rate, not added on top, so the figure you agree is the figure you pay for each day worked. There is no separate retainer for a fractional placement, and no charge if we do not find you the right person. You receive one invoice for the days worked, which keeps budgeting simple and avoids surprises.

Permanent CEO searches work differently: they are normally run as a retained search with a fee linked to the package. If you are weighing the two approaches, our guide to retained vs contingent executive search explains the trade-offs. If a fractional CEO later becomes your permanent chief executive, the conversion terms are set out in our terms of business from the start, so there is nothing to negotiate at the moment you want to make the offer.

Statutory director and D&O insurance

A fractional CEO does not have to be appointed to the board, but most are, because investors, lenders and counterparties expect the chief executive to be a director. If they are appointed, they take on the full set of directors’ duties under the Companies Act 2006 — including promoting the success of the company, exercising independent judgement and reasonable care, and avoiding conflicts of interest — exactly as a full-time director would. The government’s guidance on being a company director summarises those duties.

Two practical points follow. First, since 18 November 2025 new directors must verify their identity with Companies House before they can be appointed, so build that step into the start date. Second, company law treats anyone who occupies the position of a director as one, whatever their title. A fractional CEO who runs the business and directs the board without a formal appointment can still carry director-level responsibility, so it is usually cleaner to appoint them properly and give them the protection that goes with it.

That protection is directors’ and officers’ (D&O) insurance. Check that your policy covers directors who are engaged through their own company rather than employed, that the limit is adequate for the business’s risk profile, and that run-off cover will protect them after the engagement ends. Experienced fractional CEOs will ask about this, and a clear answer helps you secure the strongest candidates. Many will also hold their own professional indemnity cover. Our guide to insurance and liability for fractional leaders covers the detail.

IR35 and the off-payroll working rules

Most fractional CEOs work through their own limited company, which brings the off-payroll working rules (IR35) into play. If your business is a medium or large private sector company, or a public sector body, you are responsible for deciding whether the rules apply and for giving the worker a status determination with your reasons, as set out in HMRC’s guidance on off-payroll working. If your company is small, the CEO’s own company makes that decision instead.

Chief executive roles need particular care. A CEO usually has significant control over how the work is done, is integrated into the organisation and may be appointed as a statutory director — and the rules can extend to office holders such as directors. HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax tool is a starting point, but for a board-level appointment you should take advice and document the decision. We discuss status with you at briefing and can structure engagements either way; our guide to IR35 rules for senior executive engagements covers the main issues.

Regulated firms

If your business is regulated by the FCA, the chief executive will usually hold the SMF1 Chief Executive function under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, which needs regulatory approval before the person performs the role. That has two consequences for a fractional arrangement: the candidate must be able to demonstrate that they are fit and proper and have enough time to discharge the role, and the approval timetable must be built into the plan. We cover this in our SMF1 CEO hiring guide. Many smaller regulated firms find that the fractional role they need most urgently sits one level down — a fractional compliance officer covering SMF16 and SMF17 — and we place both.

The Fractional CEO Search Process

Fractional searches usually move faster than permanent CEO searches, because the candidates are typically available without long notice periods. We agree the timetable with you at briefing. Here is how the process works:

Onboarding is where many senior appointments succeed or fail, and fractional ones are no exception — the CEO has fewer days to build relationships, so the first few weeks need planning. Our executive onboarding guide sets out what to prepare.

How We Assess Fractional CEOs

Plenty of experienced chief executives describe themselves as fractional. Far fewer have the specific skills the model needs. Our assessment is built around the questions that predict whether a fractional CEO will succeed in your business, not just whether they have held the title before.

Track record that matches your situation

We look for evidence that the candidate has done what you need doing, at a similar stage and scale: led a founder transition, taken a business through a raise or sale, turned around an underperforming company, or run a family or non-profit organisation. We ask for specific outcomes, then test them in referencing with former chairs, investors and colleagues rather than relying on the CV.

Ability to lead in limited days

We ask candidates how they would run your business on the number of days you can offer: how they would spend the first month, what they would delegate, how they would keep the team moving between days and how they would report to the board. The strongest candidates answer with a working rhythm they have used before, not general principles.

Portfolio capacity and conflicts

We check every candidate’s current commitments, how many days are genuinely available, and whether any existing client or board role creates a conflict with your business, customers or investors. We do not put forward candidates who are over-committed or whose portfolio creates sector conflicts.

Board, investor and stakeholder judgement

A fractional CEO spends a high proportion of their time on the relationships that matter most — with the board, investors, lenders, major customers and, in family businesses, the family. We assess how candidates handle those relationships, including how they deliver difficult news and how they have managed disagreement with a board or founder.

Fit with the founder or owner

In founder-led and family businesses, the relationship between the CEO and the founder or owners decides whether the engagement works. We talk to you about how you want to work together, what you are and are not ready to hand over, and look for candidates whose style suits that — then test it in interview.

Directorship and regulatory checks

For candidates going onto your board, we check directorship history and disqualification status, and for regulated firms whether the candidate is likely to meet the fitness and propriety standard for approval. We also confirm working arrangements — how they contract, what insurance they hold and any restrictions from previous roles — so there are no late surprises.

What a Fractional CEO Delivers: Month 1, Month 3 and Month 6

Every engagement is different, but a well-run fractional CEO appointment usually follows a recognisable arc. Agreeing these milestones at the start gives the board, the founder and the CEO a shared view of what success looks like and when to review it.

Month 1: diagnose and agree the mandate

• Meets the board, investors, senior team, key customers and, where relevant, the founder or family, and listens before acting.
• Reviews the numbers with the finance lead: trading, cash, forecasts, and the commitments the business has already made.
• Agrees decision rights — what the CEO decides, what goes to the board, and what the founder or owner retains.
• Sets the working rhythm: which days, which meetings, how the team reaches them between days.
• Identifies the two or three priorities that matter most and agrees how progress will be measured.

Month 3: plan in execution

• A strategy or recovery plan approved by the board, with clear owners and measures.
• A regular management meeting and board reporting pack in place, so the business runs to a rhythm the CEO does not have to hold together personally.
• Senior team changes under way where needed — including any key hires, such as a fractional CFO or operations lead.
• Visible progress on the top priorities, and early wins communicated to staff and stakeholders.
• Investors, lenders and major customers briefed and confident in the leadership.

Month 6: results and review

• Measurable progress against the priorities agreed in month one.
• A management team that runs the business well on the days the CEO is not there.
• A formal review with the board: continue as is, change the number of days, move to a permanent appointment, or hand over to a permanent CEO or MD.
• If a permanent hire is the next step, a clear role specification shaped by what the fractional CEO has learned about the business.

The month-six review is one of the most valuable parts of the model. It gives the business a natural decision point that a permanent appointment does not. Some clients keep the fractional CEO for years because the arrangement continues to work; others use the period to prepare the business for a full-time leader. Both are good outcomes. Our guide to replacing fractional executives with full-time hires covers how to manage that transition.

Sectors We Place Fractional CEOs In

Exec Capital recruits fractional CEOs for businesses across the UK economy. The sectors we most often work in include:

• Technology, SaaS and software businesses — including AI-native companies and digital transformation programmes
• Financial services and fintech — FCA-regulated businesses, challenger banks, payment platforms and investment managers
• Professional services and consulting — law firms, accountancy practices, and advisory businesses at growth stage
• Manufacturing and engineering — operations-led businesses preparing for institutional investment or sale
• Healthcare and life sciences — CQC-regulated providers, medical devices businesses and health technology companies
• E-commerce and retail — direct-to-consumer brands, marketplace businesses and omnichannel retailers
• Media, creative services and digital agencies — founder-led creative businesses scaling into institutional clients
• PE and VC-backed portfolio companies — businesses at value creation stage requiring experienced operational leadership
• Property and real estate — development businesses, asset managers and proptech companies
• Not-for-profit, charities and social enterprises — organisations with governance requirements and revenue growth ambitions

Across those sectors, the clients who hire fractional CEOs through us tend to fall into a handful of types: founder-owned companies preparing for growth or succession; start-ups backed by angel, venture or studio investors; private equity and family-office portfolio companies; family businesses moving to professional management; and charities and membership organisations. Sector knowledge matters, but in our experience the situation — transition, raise, turnaround, succession — often matters more. A CEO who has led two founder transitions in different sectors is frequently a better fit than one who knows your sector but has never handed a business over from its founder.

What Makes an Effective Fractional CEO?

Not every experienced CEO makes an effective fractional CEO. The skill set required for a fractional engagement differs from permanent executive leadership in important ways.

Commercial authority without organisational power

A fractional CEO must be able to lead a team and drive decisions on the days they are present, without the positional authority that comes from full-time presence. The best fractional CEOs establish credibility quickly — through the quality of their thinking, the clarity of their communication, and the track record they bring into the room — rather than through hierarchy.

Speed to value

A fractional CEO has limited time and no runway for a long induction. Effective fractional executives can read a business quickly, identify the two or three things that matter most, and start making a contribution within the first few weeks. This requires pattern recognition — the ability to connect what they see in your business to situations they have dealt with before.

Portfolio management discipline

Most fractional CEOs work with multiple clients simultaneously. The best ones are rigorous about scheduling, clear about availability, and transparent about potential conflicts. Exec Capital assesses portfolio capacity as part of the candidate evaluation — we do not place fractional CEOs who are over-committed or whose existing portfolio creates sector conflicts.

Ability to exit cleanly

A fractional engagement has a natural end. Whether it concludes because a permanent CEO joins, because the business no longer needs the fractional capacity, or because the engagement has achieved its objectives — the fractional CEO should be building toward a clean handoff from day one.

Building the team around them

Because they are not there every day, effective fractional CEOs invest heavily in the people around them. They delegate clearly, develop a deputy or senior team who can make decisions in their absence, and often bring in other fractional specialists — a finance lead, a fractional COO or a commercial lead — so the business has the capability it needs without a full permanent executive team. Our fractional C-suite service places those roles alongside the CEO.

The Benefits of Hiring a Fractional CEO

• Access to board-level commercial experience at significantly lower cost than a permanent hire
• Faster time to leadership — fractional candidates are usually available far sooner than a permanent CEO serving a notice period
• Flexibility to scale the engagement up or down as your requirements change
• Diverse cross-sector experience that a long-tenured executive cannot bring
• Objective external perspective with no internal political agenda
• Clear commercial outcomes — fractional CEOs are engaged to deliver, not to manage
• Bridge leadership that buys time for the right permanent hire without operational disruption

The less obvious benefit is the decision point the model creates. A permanent CEO appointment is hard to reverse; a fractional one can be reviewed, scaled or converted as the business learns what it needs. For a company at an uncertain or transitional stage, that optionality is often worth as much as the cost saving.

Fractional CEO Jobs and Roles

This page is written for businesses hiring a fractional CEO. If you are an experienced chief executive looking for fractional CEO jobs, part-time CEO roles or portfolio work, we would like to hear from you. Register your details through our candidate registration page, telling us your sectors, the situations you have led (founder transition, raise, turnaround, exit), your available days and where you can work. Current roles we are recruiting for are listed on our opportunities page, although many fractional CEO mandates are filled through our network before they are advertised.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fractional CEO?

A fractional CEO is an experienced Chief Executive who works with your business on a part-time or defined-day basis — typically one to three days per week — providing board-level strategic leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time permanent appointment.

How much does a fractional CEO cost in the UK?

Fractional CEOs charge a day rate, and the total cost depends on the rate and the number of days. Rates vary with the size and complexity of the business, the situation (turnaround and exit work command a premium), ownership, regulation and whether the CEO joins the board. We quote a single all-inclusive day rate with our fee included, and give you a realistic range for your brief on the first call. A fractional engagement typically costs a small fraction of a permanent CEO package.

How quickly can you place a fractional CEO?

It depends on the brief, the seniority required and how quickly you can interview. Fractional searches usually move faster than permanent ones because candidates are generally available without long notice periods. We agree the timetable with you at briefing and keep you updated throughout. For urgent requirements we can move faster.

Can a fractional CEO work for a PE-backed business?

Yes. PE-backed businesses are one of the most common contexts for a fractional CEO appointment. Investors often require experienced operational leadership at the portfolio company level — either as a bridge while a permanent hire is found, or as an ongoing strategic resource during a value creation programme.

What is the difference between a fractional CEO and an interim CEO?

A fractional CEO works part-time across multiple clients on an ongoing basis. An interim CEO is typically full-time for a defined period, engaged to manage a leadership transition, turnaround, or defined programme. If you need part-time strategic leadership on an ongoing basis, fractional is usually the better fit. If you need full-time operational leadership for a defined term, interim is the appropriate model.

Is a fractional CEO a statutory director?

Not necessarily, but most are appointed to the board. If they are, they carry the same legal duties as any other director, must verify their identity with Companies House before appointment, and should be covered by your D&O insurance.

Does IR35 apply to a fractional CEO?

It can. Medium and large clients must assess status and issue a determination; for small clients, the CEO’s own company decides. CEO roles involve control and often a directorship, so take advice and document the decision.

What does a fractional CEO earn?

Fractional CEOs are usually paid a day rate rather than a salary, so earnings depend on the rate and the number of client days they work. For permanent chief executive pay, our CEO salary guide is a better reference point.

Can a fractional CEO become our permanent CEO?

Yes, and it is a common outcome. The fractional period lets both sides test the fit before committing. Conversion terms are agreed in advance in our terms of business.

Do you recruit fractional CEOs outside London?

Yes. Exec Capital recruits fractional CEOs across the UK — London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh, and all major business centres. Many fractional CEO engagements are partly or fully remote, which significantly expands the available candidate pool beyond any single geography.

How is Exec Capital different from a generalist recruitment agency?

Exec Capital recruits exclusively at C-suite and board level, including fractional, interim and permanent CEOs across technology, financial services, PE-backed portfolios and founder-led organisations. Every search is run by our specialist team, with Adrian Lawrence FCA overseeing each mandate. Generalist agencies recruit across every function and seniority level. We focus entirely on senior executive appointments.