Senior Finance Recruitment Agency

Senior Finance Recruitment Agency

FD Capital is a UK senior finance recruitment agency specialising exclusively in the placement of Finance Directors, Chief Financial Officers, Financial Controllers, Heads of Finance, and Non-Executive Directors. Founded in 2018 by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Fellow of the ICAEW, alongside joint founder Jodie Garrington, FD Capital operates as a boutique finance recruitment firm with national UK coverage and particular depth in London, the South East, and major regional centres including Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Oxford, and Cambridge. Our candidate network spans ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, and CIPFA-qualified senior finance professionals across permanent, interim, and fractional engagement models.

Senior finance recruitment is a distinct discipline from general finance recruitment. The placement of a CFO, Finance Director, or Financial Controller into a business is one of the highest-stakes hiring decisions an organisation makes — these roles combine technical finance expertise with board-level commercial judgment, stakeholder management, investor engagement, and operational leadership. Getting the appointment right transforms a business’s strategic and operational trajectory; getting it wrong creates months or years of remediation work and significant opportunity cost. FD Capital’s practice is built on recognition of this commercial reality — we focus exclusively on senior finance appointments where the quality of shortlist, depth of candidate assessment, and fit to the specific business context materially determine outcomes.

Call 020 3287 9501 or email recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk. Shortlists typically delivered within seven to ten working days.

“We’ve used several senior finance recruiters over the years. FD Capital is distinctively different — founder-led, properly consultative, and the candidates they present are genuinely vetted rather than scraped from a database. They delivered our CFO in three weeks from a brief to a board-ready shortlist.”

— CEO, UK PE-backed scale-up business

About FD Capital as a Senior Finance Recruitment Agency

FD Capital Recruitment Ltd was founded in 2018 with a single commercial focus: the recruitment of senior finance leaders into UK businesses. We have not diversified into general recruitment, HR consulting, outsourcing, or adjacent services. Every mandate we take is for a Finance Director, CFO, Financial Controller, Head of Finance, Group Financial Controller, or Non-Executive Director role — permanent, interim, or fractional. This focus delivers several specific advantages our clients benefit from.

First, candidate network depth. Because we place exclusively at the senior finance end of the market, our network is concentrated rather than diluted. Candidates who register with us are genuinely senior finance professionals actively engaged in the market — not generalist finance staff hoping to be placed into whatever roles a generalist recruiter can find. This concentration means shortlists are higher quality and delivered faster.

Second, professional standards. FD Capital operates under an ICAEW practising certificate held by our founder Adrian Lawrence FCA. This is unusual among recruitment firms and reflects the fact that our work genuinely intersects with the ICAEW’s professional remit — we assess candidates against technical finance criteria that require genuine understanding of ICAEW standards, and we work frequently with ICAEW-regulated practices including audit firms, accountancy practices, and insolvency firms.

Third, founder-led service. Every mandate is overseen by Adrian and Jodie directly rather than handed off to junior consultants. For senior finance appointments this matters materially — the quality of briefing, the depth of candidate conversations, and the judgment applied to shortlisting all improve when the most experienced people in the firm are personally engaged.

Fourth, national coverage with regional depth. While our head office is London-based, we place senior finance leaders across the UK — 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. Remote and hybrid working arrangements have materially widened the geographic reach of senior finance recruitment, and our process reflects this.

Fifth, accreditation and ethical standards. FD Capital is an accredited member of the Good Business Charter and the Living Wage Foundation, reflecting our commitment to ethical business practice. We carbon-offset our operations through TreeNation. These accreditations reflect operational discipline and values that extend to how we work with candidates and clients.

Senior Finance Roles We Recruit

FD Capital’s practice covers the full range of senior finance leadership positions in UK businesses. Each role has distinct characteristics, candidate profiles, and typical engagement patterns.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

The most senior finance executive in a business, typically reporting to the CEO and participating as a full member of the executive committee. CFO appointments are typically made in businesses with significant operational scale (£20m+ revenues is a common threshold), investor complexity (PE-backed, listed, or multi-stakeholder ownership), or specific strategic priorities (IPO preparation, international expansion, M&A activity). See our dedicated CFO recruitment page for detailed coverage of the CFO appointment process.

Finance Director (FD)

The senior finance leader in many mid-market UK businesses, often with similar scope to a CFO title but used in businesses where the CFO title is reserved for larger scale or specific ownership structures. FD appointments span the full range of UK business scale from £5m revenue owner-managed businesses through to £200m+ listed or PE-backed businesses. See our dedicated Finance Director recruitment page.

Financial Controller (FC)

The senior technical finance role responsible for financial reporting, controls, statutory accounting, audit coordination, and typically the management of the finance operations team. Financial Controller appointments vary significantly by business scale — in smaller businesses the FC may be the senior-most finance hire; in larger businesses the FC reports to a CFO or FD. See our dedicated Financial Controller recruitment page.

Group Financial Controller

Senior FC role in multi-entity businesses, typically responsible for group consolidation, intercompany eliminations, group audit coordination, and the oversight of subsidiary finance teams. Group FC roles are particularly common in PE-backed platforms with multiple acquired entities, in listed groups with subsidiary operations, and in internationally diversified businesses. See our Group Financial Controller recruitment page.

Head of Finance

Senior finance leadership title used in some UK businesses as an alternative to Financial Controller or Finance Director, sometimes reflecting specific organisational preferences around title use. Head of Finance appointments cover similar scope to FC or FD roles depending on business scale and structure.

Director of Finance

Title more commonly used in public sector, NHS, higher education, and charitable organisations for the senior finance role. Director of Finance appointments in these sectors typically require specific sector experience — see our public sector finance directors page and NHS Finance Director recruitment page.

Non-Executive Director (NED)

Independent board position without executive responsibility. NED appointments differ materially from executive finance recruitment — they are governance positions requiring board-level experience rather than operational finance leadership. See our NED recruitment, Non-Executive FD, and PE-experienced NED pages for detailed coverage of each NED variant.

Engagement Models: Permanent, Interim, Fractional, Part-Time

FD Capital recruits senior finance leaders across four engagement models, each appropriate to different organisational circumstances.

Permanent senior finance recruitment

The dominant engagement model, appropriate for businesses seeking long-term finance leadership on a full-time PAYE employment basis. Permanent mandates are conducted as retained searches with clear deliverables and timescales. Shortlist presentation typically at day seven to ten from initial briefing; appointment typically completing within 28 to 70 days depending on candidate notice periods and interview process complexity.

Interim senior finance recruitment

Full-time cover for a defined period, typically three to twelve months. Interim appointments are appropriate for maternity cover, CFO transition periods, transformation programmes, fundraising preparation, M&A integration, or crisis management situations. Interim day rates for senior finance range from £600 to £2,000+ depending on role scale and complexity. See our interim Finance Director recruitment page for details of the interim proposition.

Fractional senior finance recruitment

Part-time senior finance leadership, typically one to three days per week, often on a self-employed or limited company contractor basis rather than PAYE. Fractional is appropriate for businesses that need senior finance expertise but cannot commercially justify a full-time appointment — typical contexts include SMEs with £2-15m revenues, scale-ups between hiring stages, and specialist early-stage businesses (climatetech, fintech, PE-backed platforms pre-scale). See our fractional CFO recruitment and fractional FD recruitment pages.

Part-time senior finance recruitment

Permanent PAYE employment on reduced hours — typically three or four days per week on an ongoing basis rather than full-time. Part-time appointments are particularly suited to SMEs wanting consistent in-house finance leadership at commercially appropriate cost, returner profiles rebuilding careers, and semi-retired senior finance professionals seeking continuing engagement. See our Part-Time FD, Part-Time CFO, and Part-Time Financial Controller pages.

Geographic Coverage: London and the UK Regions

FD Capital recruits senior finance leaders across the UK, with established depth in London and regional centres. Our geographic coverage reflects the actual distribution of UK senior finance roles rather than artificial geographic specialisation.

London senior finance recruitment

London is the largest single market for senior finance recruitment in the UK, with particular concentrations of roles in financial services (City and Canary Wharf), professional services (Central London, Holborn, Mayfair), technology and media (King’s Cross, Shoreditch, Hammersmith), and PE-backed businesses across the capital. FD Capital maintains specific strength in London senior finance recruitment, with candidates typically based in or willing to commute to central London offices. Our London coverage spans the full range of senior finance roles across all engagement models. See our London FD and CFO recruitment page for detailed London-specific coverage.

South East and Home Counties

Senior finance appointments in the South East and Home Counties (Thames Valley, M4 corridor, M25 belt) form a substantial second market. Businesses headquartered in towns such as Reading, Slough, Basingstoke, Guildford, Reigate, St Albans, and the wider Home Counties often recruit senior finance leadership through London-focused agencies given the commute patterns and candidate preferences. FD Capital’s coverage includes this full geographic zone.

Birmingham and the West Midlands

The West Midlands is the UK’s second-largest metropolitan economy, with Birmingham as a major commercial centre alongside Solihull, Coventry, Wolverhampton, and the Black Country. Senior finance recruitment in the region spans manufacturing and automotive (an historical strength), professional services, logistics, and increasingly technology and financial services as Birmingham’s commercial profile grows. See our Birmingham finance recruitment page.

Manchester and the North West

Manchester is the UK’s third-largest city and the commercial centre of the North West, with strong senior finance demand across professional services (Spinningfields), media and digital (MediaCityUK), manufacturing, and retail. The broader North West region — Liverpool, Cheshire, Lancashire — shares Manchester’s senior finance talent pool.

Bristol and the South West

Bristol has emerged as one of the strongest regional markets for senior finance recruitment outside London, with particular concentrations in aerospace and defence, financial services (Lloyds Banking Group presence), technology, and creative industries. The wider South West region spans Bath, Swindon, Gloucestershire, and Devon.

Leeds and Yorkshire

Leeds is a major professional services and financial services centre with particular concentrations in banking, legal services, and digital. Yorkshire more broadly includes commercial centres in Sheffield, York, and Hull.

Oxford and Cambridge

Both university cities have developed substantial commercial ecosystems, particularly strong in technology, life sciences, biotechnology, and professional services. Senior finance appointments in the Oxbridge ecosystem typically involve venture-backed and PE-backed businesses alongside established corporates.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Edinburgh and Glasgow form the primary Scottish commercial centres with strong financial services concentrations. Belfast and the wider Northern Ireland market have growing senior finance demand, particularly in technology and professional services.

Sector Coverage Across UK Senior Finance Recruitment

FD Capital places senior finance leaders across the full range of UK commercial sectors, with specific depth developed in sectors where we have accumulated candidate networks and placement track records over several years. Sector experience is typically material in senior finance recruitment — candidates who understand a specific sector’s accounting frameworks, commercial dynamics, and regulatory context bring immediate productivity compared to generalist candidates requiring onboarding.

Professional services, law firms, and accountancy practices

LLP accounting, partner remuneration, lock-up management, and the specific governance of partner-led firms. See our professional services finance directors page.

Financial services and FCA-regulated firms

Regulatory capital, SM&CR compliance, FCA prudential reporting, and the specific risk and compliance overlay of regulated firms. See our financial services CFO and FCA-regulated firms pages.

Technology, software, and SaaS

Recurring revenue recognition, unit economics, venture capital reporting, and scale-up dynamics. See our SaaS CFO and technology pages.

Private equity-backed businesses

PE sponsor reporting, covenant compliance, buy-and-build M&A, and exit preparation. See our Private Equity FD and private equity pages.

Manufacturing and industrial

Standard costing, inventory accounting, capex management, and the commercial cycles of industrial businesses. See our manufacturing finance directors page.

Property and real estate

Investment property accounting under IAS 40, IFRS 16 lease accounting, REIT compliance, and project finance for developers. See our property finance directors page.

Retail, e-commerce, and consumer

Multi-channel revenue recognition, inventory management, seasonal working capital, and consumer business dynamics. See our e-commerce CFO page.

Healthcare and biotechnology

R&D accounting, clinical trial expenditure, grant funding, and the specific regulatory context of life sciences. See our biotechnology finance directors page.

Not-for-profit, charities, and public sector

Charity SORP, fund accounting, regulatory reporting to the Charity Commission and Regulator of Social Housing, and the distinct governance dynamics of non-commercial entities. See our NFP and charity finance directors and public sector finance directors pages.

Oil, gas, and renewable energy

Reserves reporting, decommissioning provisions, CfD mechanics, and project finance. See our oil and gas finance directors and renewable sector FD and CFO pages.

How FD Capital Works: Our Senior Finance Recruitment Methodology

Senior finance recruitment benefits from disciplined process. Our methodology has been refined through several hundred placements since 2018 and reflects what we have learned about the specific factors that drive successful senior finance appointments.

Initial briefing and scoping

Every mandate begins with a detailed briefing call, typically within 24 hours of initial enquiry. For CFO and senior appointments this briefing is led by Adrian Lawrence personally, typically alongside Jodie Garrington. The briefing covers commercial context (business scale, ownership, strategic priorities), role scope and responsibilities, reporting structure, candidate profile (experience, qualifications, sector background), compensation envelope, and the specific factors that will make the appointment successful or unsuccessful. Briefing quality determines search quality — we invest time in getting this stage right.

Written role specification

By day two of the mandate, we produce a written role specification covering the briefing content in a structured form that we use internally for candidate assessment and that we share with candidates at appropriate stages. The specification documents not just requirements but also 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 thousands of 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 do not typically advertise senior finance roles publicly — this approach protects both client confidentiality and candidate positioning, and consistently delivers better candidates than advertising-led recruitment.

Candidate assessment and shortlisting

Jodie leads candidate assessment across FD Capital. 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 (assessed through scenario discussion), and specific factors relevant to the role. Every shortlisted candidate has had a detailed conversation with FD Capital before presentation — we do not present candidates we have not personally assessed.

Shortlist presentation

Shortlists are typically presented at day seven to ten from initial 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, salary expectations, and any specific considerations. Shortlists are deliberately short and high quality rather than long and volume-based — most of our clients make offers to a candidate from their first shortlist.

Interview process support

We support clients through the interview process — logistics coordination, candidate feedback capture, interview structure advice where helpful, and management of candidate expectations. For senior appointments this typically involves two to three interview rounds including meetings with board members and key stakeholders as applicable.

Offer, acceptance, and onboarding

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

Why Clients Choose FD Capital over Alternative Senior Finance Recruitment Agencies

The UK senior finance recruitment market is populated by a wide range of providers — major generalist recruitment firms with senior finance divisions, specialist boutique firms (of which FD Capital is one), and individual consultants working independently. Different providers suit different mandates, and clients should match their choice to their specific requirements.

Generalist recruitment firms

Large generalist firms offer scale and breadth but typically not senior finance depth. Senior finance divisions within generalist firms often rotate consultants across sectors and seniority levels, reducing specialism. For mandates where breadth matters more than depth (volume hiring, geographic coverage, multi-discipline searches), generalist firms are appropriate choices.

Major executive search firms

Global executive search firms (the best-known firms in the sector) bring strong brand credibility, global reach, and senior consultant experience. They are typically the right choice for FTSE 100 CFO appointments, major international senior finance roles, and the most sensitive board-level searches. Fee structures are typically higher than boutique alternatives and minimum mandate values apply.

Boutique senior finance specialists

Boutique specialists including FD Capital combine deep senior finance focus with the service quality of a founder-led firm. We typically compete effectively with both generalist firms (on candidate quality and assessment depth) and major executive search firms (on responsiveness, engagement depth, and cost). Our sweet spot is senior finance appointments in mid-market UK businesses — from £5m revenue owner-managed businesses through to £500m PE-backed platforms and listed mid-caps. For mandates in this range, boutique specialism consistently delivers better outcomes than generalist or major-brand alternatives.

Independent consultants

Individual recruitment consultants can offer excellent service on specific mandates where personal relationships and bespoke approach matter. However, individual consultants lack the candidate network depth and operational infrastructure of firms, and the service is concentrated in the individual rather than operating as a sustainable institution.

Senior Finance Recruitment Fees and Commercial Structure

FD Capital operates on retained search terms for permanent senior finance appointments. Our fee structure is transparent and competitive with other boutique senior finance specialists. For CFO and senior permanent appointments, fees are typically structured as a percentage of first-year total compensation (base salary plus guaranteed bonus and benefits), payable across three milestones — on signed engagement, on shortlist presentation, and on successful candidate start.

Interim and fractional placements operate on different fee structures reflecting the nature of those engagements — typically a margin on day rate for interim engagements and an introduction fee for fractional placements where the candidate engages directly with the client post-introduction. Specific terms are discussed at briefing on a mandate-by-mandate basis.

We offer candidate guarantees on permanent placements — if a placed candidate leaves within a specified period (typically twelve weeks) for reasons other than client-side changes, we will conduct a replacement search at no additional fee. This guarantee reflects our confidence in the quality of our assessment process and our commitment to successful appointments rather than transactional placements.

Frequently Asked Questions About Senior Finance Recruitment

What makes a senior finance recruitment agency different from a general recruitment firm?

Senior finance specialists focus exclusively on Finance Director, CFO, Financial Controller, and equivalent senior roles. This concentration means deeper candidate networks at the senior level, more experienced consultants leading searches, and better-matched shortlists. General recruitment firms covering senior finance as one among many disciplines typically cannot match specialist depth.

How long does senior finance recruitment typically take?

For permanent appointments, shortlist within seven to ten days, interviews over two to four weeks, offer and acceptance over one to two weeks, and notice periods of three to six months for senior candidates. Total time from briefing to candidate start is typically 28 to 70 days depending on candidate notice periods. Interim appointments complete faster (typically within 14 to 21 days) given that interim candidates are typically available at short notice.

What fees should I expect for senior finance recruitment?

UK senior finance recruitment fees typically fall in the 15-25% of first-year total compensation range for retained searches, with specific rates depending on role seniority, search complexity, and commercial relationship. We are happy to discuss specific fee structures at briefing.

Do you work on a contingent basis or retained only?

Senior finance recruitment is genuinely better served by retained methodology — the time investment required to deliver a high-quality shortlist is difficult to justify on contingent terms. We operate retained for permanent senior finance appointments. For interim placements, the commercial model is different (margin on day rate) and functions similarly regardless of retained or contingent designation.

How many candidates do you typically present on a shortlist?

Three to six candidates for most senior finance mandates. We deliberately present short, high-quality shortlists rather than long, volume-based lists. For mandates where the candidate universe is narrow (highly specialised sector requirements, unusual geographic constraints) shortlists may be smaller; for mandates with broad candidate pools we may present slightly longer shortlists.

Do you handle interim and fractional placements as well as permanent?

Yes. We place permanent, interim, and fractional senior finance leaders. These are genuinely different engagement models with different candidate profiles, and we maintain distinct candidate networks for each. Some candidates are open to multiple engagement types; many are specialised in one.

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 and real estate, retail and e-commerce, healthcare and biotechnology, not-for-profit and charities, public sector, and energy (oil and gas, renewables). Each sector has a dedicated page on our website with specific coverage.

Do you recruit outside London?

Yes, throughout the UK. Head office is London-based but our practice covers the full UK geography. Specific regional coverage pages are available for London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Oxford, and Cambridge among others.

What’s the difference between a Finance Director and a CFO?

In many UK businesses the titles are used interchangeably for the senior finance executive role. Where a distinction is drawn, CFO is typically reserved for larger businesses (£50m+ revenue), for businesses with more complex capital structures (listed, PE-backed, or multi-stakeholder), and for roles with material investor engagement or public markets exposure. FD is the more common UK title across the full range of business scale.

Do you recruit Non-Executive Directors?

Yes. NED recruitment is a distinct discipline from executive finance recruitment, and we have a dedicated NED practice. See our NED recruitment page for detail.

How do you assess cultural fit?

Jodie leads cultural fit assessment across FD Capital. We conduct structured conversations with candidates covering leadership style, communication approach, stakeholder management, and specific behavioural examples relevant to the role context. For each client, we calibrate cultural assessment to the specific organisational culture and the dynamics of the existing executive team. This assessment appears explicitly in our written candidate presentations.

Do you offer candidate guarantees?

Yes. Permanent placements include a replacement guarantee — if a placed candidate leaves within a specified period for reasons other than client-side changes, we will conduct a replacement search at no additional fee. Specific terms are agreed at engagement.

Do you work with FCA-regulated firms on senior finance recruitment?

Yes. FCA-regulated firms have specific senior finance recruitment requirements reflecting SM&CR, prudential rules, and client money regimes. See our FCA regulated firms recruitment page.

Can you work to tight timelines?

Yes. For urgent mandates we can accelerate shortlist delivery — we have delivered shortlists in three to five days on specific urgent mandates where the business context required it. Permanent appointments are then constrained by candidate notice periods, but interim appointments can complete rapidly for genuinely urgent situations.

Related Senior Finance Recruitment Services

Businesses exploring senior finance recruitment may also be interested in: CFO Recruitment | Finance Director Recruitment | Financial Controller Recruitment | CFO Executive Search | Interim Finance Director | Fractional CFO | Fractional FD | Part-Time FD | NED Recruitment | London FD & CFO Recruitment | Hire an FD or CFO