Your Centre for CFO, FD & Financial Controller Recruitment

Your Centre for CFO, FD & Financial Controller Recruitment

FD Capital is a UK boutique senior finance recruitment agency placing fractional, interim, and permanent Chief Financial Officers, Finance Directors, Financial Controllers, and Heads of Finance into UK businesses. Founded in 2018 by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Fellow of the ICAEW, alongside joint founder Jodie Garrington, FD Capital operates as a founder-led alternative to the larger scale fractional CFO networks that dominate the UK market. We serve businesses that want direct access to senior decision-makers throughout the recruitment process, candidates genuinely assessed by experienced recruiters, and the professional standing of an ICAEW-regulated practice rather than a recruitment volume model.

The UK fractional CFO and FD market has matured significantly since 2010, with several large international networks and franchise-based providers building substantial scale. These networks offer legitimate commercial value, particularly for businesses wanting standardised service delivery or geographic breadth. FD Capital deliberately operates a different model — smaller scale, founder-led, ICAEW-regulated, with candidate assessment conducted personally by the founders rather than delegated to junior consultants or distributed regional networks. For many mid-market UK businesses, this boutique approach delivers materially better outcomes on the specific appointments that matter most.

Call 020 3287 9501 or email recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk. Shortlists typically delivered within seven to ten working days, with Adrian personally handling CFO-level mandates throughout.

“We evaluated three different fractional CFO providers. The larger networks offered standardised delivery but felt like being handed off to whoever was available. FD Capital felt genuinely different — the founders took our briefing personally, the candidates presented were substantively interviewed rather than just pulled from a database, and the engagement terms reflected a bespoke relationship rather than a standard subscription. Ten days from briefing to hired. The fractional CFO has been transformative.”

— CEO, UK B2B services scale-up

The UK Fractional and Senior Finance Market: What to Evaluate

Businesses exploring fractional CFO, interim CFO, or permanent senior finance recruitment face a market with several distinct provider types. Understanding the differences helps inform the right choice for specific requirements.

Large international fractional networks

Several substantial international networks operate fractional CFO services in the UK, typically through franchise or federated models with hundreds of regional CFOs across multiple countries. These networks offer legitimate commercial value including standardised service delivery, geographic breadth, large candidate pools, and established brand recognition. For businesses wanting a straightforward subscription-style engagement with predictable service structure, these networks work well.

Trade-offs to consider: service quality depends heavily on the specific regional CFO allocated rather than the network brand; candidate assessment often uses network matching rather than bespoke assessment; and the subscription commercial model may not suit businesses needing tailored search for specific appointments rather than network introduction.

Major executive search firms

Global executive search firms (the best-known names in the sector) offer deep senior consultant experience and premium brand credibility, particularly for the most senior FTSE-scale appointments. Their commercial model involves high fees and typically substantial minimum mandate values.

Trade-offs to consider: typically oriented toward the largest permanent appointments rather than fractional or mid-market work; fee structures exceed specialist boutique alternatives; minimum mandate values may not suit mid-market businesses.

Generalist recruitment firms

Large generalist recruitment firms with senior finance divisions offer scale and breadth, working across many functions and sectors. For volume hiring or multi-discipline searches they’re appropriate.

Trade-offs: senior finance is typically one of many disciplines rather than core focus; consultants often rotate across sectors reducing specialism; candidate pools are broad rather than deep at the senior finance level.

Boutique senior finance specialists

Boutique specialists including FD Capital combine founder-led service with senior finance focus. Different boutiques have different characteristics — some specialise by sector, some by engagement type, some by geography. What they share is smaller scale, deeper specialism, and typically more personal founder involvement than the larger alternatives.

Trade-offs to consider: smaller candidate pools by absolute scale (though typically more deeply networked at senior level); more variable between boutique firms in quality and approach; fewer marketing resources to build visibility than the major networks.

Individual independent consultants

Some senior finance recruitment happens through individual consultants working independently. For specific mandates with strong personal relationships, this works well.

Trade-offs: limited candidate network depth compared to firms; service concentrated in the individual rather than operating as a sustainable institution; no infrastructure for scaled candidate sourcing or assessment.

Why Businesses Choose FD Capital

Specific reasons clients give for choosing FD Capital over the larger scale alternatives.

Founder-led throughout

Adrian and Jodie are personally involved in every senior finance mandate. This isn’t marketing positioning — it’s operational reality. Adrian attends CFO briefings personally, Jodie leads candidate assessment across all mandates, and the firm’s most experienced people stay engaged through appointment rather than handing off after initial sales contact. For many buyers facing important appointments, direct access to the founders throughout the process is materially more valuable than a standardised network service.

ICAEW regulated practice

FD Capital operates under an ICAEW practising certificate held by Adrian. This is distinctive in UK recruitment — most recruitment firms operate outside the ICAEW regulatory framework. For buyers hiring for regulated finance roles, audit committee-facing positions, or any appointment where the recruiter’s professional standing supports candidate credibility, ICAEW regulation is material. It’s also a structural commitment to the professional standards that govern the finance profession itself.

Candidate assessment by experienced recruiters

Every candidate FD Capital presents has had substantive conversation with Jodie or Adrian before appearing on client shortlists. This reflects our core methodology: candidate assessment is where recruitment value is created, and it can’t be delegated to automated matching or junior consultants without quality degradation. The shortlists we present include written individual candidate assessments covering technical fit, cultural assessment, motivation for the role, and specific strengths or development areas relevant to the client context.

Bespoke search rather than network matching

FD Capital’s model is retained executive search methodology applied to senior finance specifically. We conduct market mapping, targeted candidate identification, and assessment against specific mandate requirements. This is different from network matching models where clients are connected to available members of an existing network. Both approaches have legitimate use cases, but for mandates where the specific candidate profile matters materially, bespoke search typically delivers better outcomes than network matching.

Full engagement range

We handle permanent, interim, and fractional senior finance appointments within one firm — the same founders, the same methodology, the same candidate network assessed for each engagement type. This matters for businesses whose requirements evolve: a fractional engagement that becomes permanent, an interim appointment that bridges to a longer-term hire, or a series of related appointments as the business grows. Handling these through a single trusted relationship rather than multiple providers simplifies the commercial experience.

Sector depth where it exists; honest positioning where it doesn’t

We’ve built specific depth in sectors including professional services, financial services, technology and SaaS, private equity-backed businesses, manufacturing, property, e-commerce, biotechnology, charity and not-for-profit, oil and gas, renewable energy, and education. For mandates in these sectors, our specific sector content supports credible briefing and candidate matching. For sectors where we don’t have specific depth, we’re honest about this rather than claiming universal coverage — and we can credibly work across most sectors through our broader senior finance network.

Services We Provide

FD Capital’s service range covers the full scope of senior finance recruitment.

Fractional CFO recruitment

Part-time Chief Financial Officer leadership, typically 1-3 days per week, for businesses needing senior finance expertise without full-time commercial justification. Typical contexts include SMEs with £5-20m revenues, scale-ups between hiring stages, PE-backed platforms pre-full-scale, and specialist early-stage businesses. See our fractional CFO recruitment page for detailed coverage.

Fractional FD recruitment

Part-time Finance Director leadership for businesses where FD title is the preferred senior finance title. Fractional FD engagements follow similar structural patterns to fractional CFO roles. See our fractional FD recruitment page.

Interim CFO and FD recruitment

Full-time interim senior finance leadership for defined periods, typically 3-12 months. Common interim engagements include CFO transition cover, transformation projects, fundraising preparation, M&A integration, maternity cover, and crisis situations. See our interim CFO and interim Finance Director recruitment pages.

Permanent CFO and FD recruitment

Full-time long-term senior finance leadership appointments. Our permanent recruitment operates through retained search methodology with disciplined process from briefing through appointment. See our CFO recruitment and Finance Director recruitment pages.

Financial Controller recruitment

Senior technical finance role covering financial reporting, statutory accounting, audit coordination, and typically the management of finance operations. Financial Controller appointments span owner-managed businesses, scale-ups, PE-backed platforms, and listed groups. See our Financial Controller recruitment page.

Non-Executive Director recruitment

Independent board positions including finance-focused Non-Executive Directors, PE-experienced NEDs, and turnaround NEDs. See our NED recruitment and Non-Executive FD pages.

Part-time senior finance recruitment

Distinct from fractional engagements: part-time permanent appointments on reduced hours (typically 3-4 days per week), typically suited to returners, semi-retired professionals, or SMEs wanting consistent in-house leadership at commercially appropriate cost. See our Part-Time FD, Part-Time CFO, and Part-Time Financial Controller pages.

When Each Engagement Model Makes Sense

Choosing between fractional, interim, permanent, and part-time engagement is often the key commercial decision in senior finance recruitment. Each has specific contexts where it works best.

Fractional works when

The business needs senior finance expertise but cannot justify full-time commitment — typically revenues in the £2-20m range, scale-up contexts between growth stages, specialist early-stage businesses where senior finance input is needed periodically rather than daily, or specific project contexts requiring strategic finance leadership without ongoing operational demand.

Fractional engagements typically operate 1-3 days per week on day-rate commercial terms, often through the candidate’s own limited company or umbrella arrangement. The candidate may simultaneously engage with other fractional clients, bringing cross-client insight and maintaining their own active practice.

Interim works when

The business needs full-time senior finance leadership for a defined period — typically 3-12 months. Interim differs from fractional in being full-time commitment during the engagement period. Common interim contexts include transformation programmes, CFO transition gaps, fundraising preparation against a specific investor timeline, M&A integration, maternity cover, and crisis response.

Interim engagements typically operate on day-rate terms with full-time availability. Interim candidates are typically experienced senior finance professionals operating on intentional interim careers rather than between permanent roles.

Permanent works when

The business needs sustained long-term senior finance leadership and is commercially positioned to support a full-time PAYE appointment. Permanent appointments make sense when the business scale commercially justifies full-time senior finance commitment, when the strategic context calls for deep institutional investment of the appointee in the business over time, or when the specific role characteristics aren’t well-served by rotating interim or fractional cover.

Part-time permanent works when

The business wants consistent in-house finance leadership with deeper embedding than fractional provides but cannot commercially justify or doesn’t need full-time cost. Particularly suited to SMEs wanting in-house leadership at commercially appropriate scale, returner candidates rebuilding careers, and semi-retired senior finance professionals seeking continuing engagement.

Part-time permanent differs from fractional in being PAYE employment with typical employment benefits rather than day-rate engagement, creating deeper institutional commitment on both sides.

How FD Capital Works

Initial briefing

Every mandate begins with detailed briefing call, typically within 24 hours of initial enquiry. For CFO-level mandates and any senior finance appointment at significant scale, Adrian leads the briefing personally. Briefings cover commercial context, role scope and responsibilities, reporting structure, candidate profile requirements, compensation envelope, and specific success factors. We invest time in getting this stage right because briefing quality determines search quality.

Written role specification

By day two of the mandate, we produce a written role specification documenting the briefing content in structured form. This specification documents both requirements and the judgment framework we will apply during shortlisting — making our assessment transparent to clients.

Network-driven search

Our senior finance network has been built over the firm’s operational history and comprises actively engaged senior finance professionals across the UK. For any mandate, we identify directly relevant candidates from network first, supplemented by targeted outreach to candidates identified through market mapping. We typically don’t advertise senior finance roles publicly — this protects client confidentiality and candidate positioning, and consistently delivers better candidates than advertising-led recruitment.

Candidate assessment

Jodie leads candidate assessment. Assessment covers technical capability (verified through detailed professional conversation, not just CV review), cultural and behavioural fit (structured assessment against the specific client context), commercial judgment (through scenario discussion), and specific factors relevant to the role. Every shortlisted candidate has had substantive conversation with FD Capital before presentation — we don’t present candidates we haven’t personally assessed.

Shortlist presentation

Shortlists are typically presented at day seven to ten from briefing, with three to six candidates depending on role scope and candidate market depth. Each candidate is accompanied by our written assessment covering technical fit, cultural assessment, motivation for the role, and specific considerations. Shortlists are deliberately short and high-quality rather than long and volume-based.

Interview process support

We support clients through interview processes — logistics coordination, candidate feedback capture, interview structure advice where helpful, and candidate expectation management. For senior appointments interview processes typically involve two to three rounds including meetings with board members and key stakeholders.

Offer, acceptance, and onboarding

Once a preferred candidate emerges, we support the offer conversation, resignation process, and onboarding. Senior finance appointments involve meaningful notice periods (typically 3-6 months for senior roles) and our involvement through this period reduces the risk of candidate loss during transition. We maintain contact with both client and candidate through the first 12 months to address any early issues.

Commercial Terms

Our commercial approach is transparent and differentiated from the subscription models operated by some larger scale providers.

Permanent recruitment

Retained search terms with fees structured as a percentage of first-year total compensation, typically 15-25% depending on role seniority and mandate complexity. Fees payable across three milestones: on signed engagement, on shortlist presentation, and on successful candidate start. Permanent placements include replacement guarantees — if a placed candidate leaves within a specified period for reasons other than client-side changes, we conduct a replacement search at no additional fee.

Interim placements

Margin on day rate model with transparent commercial terms. The client pays the candidate’s day rate plus FD Capital’s margin. This aligns cost with engagement duration and provides commercial flexibility. IR35 assessment applies where relevant; we document engagement status at briefing.

Fractional placements

Introduction fee model where the candidate engages directly with the client on commercial terms negotiated between them. This differs from subscription models where the provider sits between client and candidate on ongoing terms. Our approach gives clients direct commercial relationships with the candidate rather than ongoing third-party involvement in the engagement terms.

No subscription lock-ins

We don’t operate subscription models that lock clients into ongoing commercial commitments beyond specific engagements. Each mandate is commercially discrete — clients pay for the specific service delivered without ongoing fees. This suits businesses that want transparent transaction-based engagement rather than subscription service relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does FD Capital differ from larger fractional CFO networks?

Several specific differences. First, we’re founder-led throughout — Adrian and Jodie are personally involved in every senior mandate rather than handing off after initial contact. Second, we’re ICAEW-regulated which is uncommon in recruitment. Third, we use bespoke search methodology rather than network matching. Fourth, we handle permanent, interim, and fractional through the same firm rather than specialising narrowly. Fifth, we don’t operate subscription models. These differences don’t mean larger networks are inappropriate — they’re appropriate for different buyer contexts. But for buyers wanting direct founder involvement and bespoke search, our model delivers materially better outcomes.

Can you provide the scale of coverage larger networks offer?

We operate at different scale. Larger international networks have hundreds of CFOs across multiple countries. Our candidate network is deep within UK senior finance rather than broad across multiple geographies. For most UK mid-market businesses, the UK depth matters more than international breadth — the candidate for their specific role is almost certainly UK-based. For buyers specifically needing multi-country simultaneous CFO coverage, international networks may be better fits.

What’s the ICAEW practising certificate about?

Adrian holds an ICAEW practising certificate, which means FD Capital operates under the ICAEW regulatory framework applying to professional accountancy practices. This includes continuing professional development requirements, professional indemnity insurance, complaints and disciplinary procedures, and adherence to ICAEW ethics standards. Most recruitment firms operate outside this framework. For buyers valuing the professional standing associated with ICAEW regulation, this is a genuine distinguishing factor.

Do you offer the same standardised service delivery as subscription networks?

No — and by design. Subscription networks offer standardised service as a feature for buyers wanting predictable delivery. Our approach is bespoke — every mandate is handled according to its specific requirements rather than standardised to a common template. This means more variation in service specifics but typically better outcomes on the specific appointment. Buyers who want predictable standardised delivery may prefer subscription models; buyers who want bespoke search typically prefer our approach.

How quickly can you deliver candidates?

Standard senior finance mandates: shortlist in 7-10 working days, interviews over 2-3 weeks, offer and acceptance over 1-2 weeks. For urgent situations, we can accelerate substantially — shortlisted candidates within 48-72 hours is achievable for genuine urgent mandates. See our short notice Finance Director recruitment page for urgent deployment capability.

Do you cover outside London?

Yes, across the UK. We place senior finance leaders in London and the South East, Birmingham and the West Midlands, Manchester and the North West, Bristol and the South West, Leeds and Yorkshire, Oxford and Cambridge, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Head office is London-based but practice covers the full UK geography.

What sectors do you cover?

All major UK commercial sectors. Specific depth in professional services, financial services, technology and SaaS, private equity-backed businesses, manufacturing, property, retail and e-commerce, healthcare and biotechnology, not-for-profit and charities, public sector, education, and energy (oil and gas, renewables). Each sector has dedicated content on our website with specific coverage.

Do you work with Big 4 candidates?

Yes. Our candidate network includes Big 4 Partners, Directors, and Senior Managers moving into in-house roles, as well as candidates building in-house careers following Big 4 training. Jodie’s prior experience recruiting for Big 4 firms including KPMG means our Big 4 candidate assessment is conducted with genuine firm-specific understanding.

Do you operate a candidate franchise model?

No. FD Capital is a single firm employing recruitment specialists, not a franchise or distributed network. This is a deliberate structural choice — it means service quality is consistent across clients and the founders can maintain personal involvement rather than delegating to franchise members. It’s different from franchise models but not inherently better or worse for every buyer context.

What about candidate CVs being shared with multiple clients?

Candidate confidentiality is central to our process. Candidates are only presented to specific clients with their explicit consent, typically after a candidate briefing conversation confirming genuine interest. Candidates are never circulated speculatively or shared with multiple clients without specific consent. This matters especially for senior candidates where their current employer must not become aware of job search activity.

How do you handle conflict of interest?

We document active mandates and engagements and apply specific conflict management where required — particularly where clients are competitors in the same sector or where candidates have specific restrictive covenant considerations. Conflicts are flagged explicitly at briefing and managed through specific arrangements where necessary.

Do you offer candidate guarantees?

Yes. Permanent placements include replacement guarantees on standard terms — if a placed candidate leaves within a specified period (typically twelve weeks) for reasons other than client-side changes, we conduct a replacement search at no additional fee.

Can we meet you before engaging?

Absolutely. We encourage initial conversations before formal engagement. Adrian or Jodie will take introductory calls to discuss specific requirements, explain our approach in detail, and help buyers assess whether FD Capital is the right fit for their specific context. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll say so and suggest more suitable alternatives.

Related Senior Finance Recruitment Services

Businesses exploring CFO, FD, and senior finance recruitment may also be interested in: Fractional CFO | Fractional FD | Interim CFO | Interim Finance Director | CFO Recruitment | Finance Director Recruitment | Financial Controller Recruitment | Senior Finance Recruitment Agency | Part-Time FD | NED Recruitment | Hire an FD or CFO