London Finance Director & CFO Recruitment

We place FDs and CFOs across London within 3–7 working days.

Fractional, part-time, interim or permanent — FD Capital is a specialist Finance Director and CFO recruiter. We work exclusively at FD and CFO level, so every search benefits from a team that knows this market deeply.

Most London shortlists land within a week. For interim requirements, often faster.

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London is home to more Finance Director and CFO appointments than any other UK city — and it is also the most competitive market in the country. Whether you are a founder-led business in Shoreditch needing your first fractional Finance Director, a PE-backed company in Mayfair recruiting a permanent CFO ahead of exit, or a regulated firm in Canary Wharf requiring an interim CFO for a transformation programme, FD Capital places senior finance leaders across all of London’s business districts.

We are a specialist Finance Director and CFO recruitment agency operating exclusively at the senior finance level. We do not place financial controllers, management accountants or junior finance staff — every candidate in our network is a qualified, board-level FD or CFO. This specialisation means we move faster, know the market more deeply, and maintain relationships with London finance leaders who are not actively job-hunting but are open to the right opportunity.

Most London FD and CFO shortlists are delivered within 3 to 7 working days. For interim and fractional requirements, we can often place a candidate within the week. Call us on 020 3287 9501 or read on to understand which type of appointment is right for your business

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London's Finance Leadership Market

London accounts for the majority of UK FD and CFO activity across every engagement type. The city’s finance leadership market is characterised by:

Financial services concentration — London hosts the UK headquarters of the major banks, insurers, asset managers and fintech businesses, all of which require senior finance leadership with regulatory and investor-facing experience.
Private equity and venture capital density — the majority of UK PE and VC deal activity originates in or passes through London. Portfolio companies require FDs and CFOs who understand deal structures, debt covenants, EBITDA optimisation and exit readiness.
Scale-up and technology cluster — London’s tech ecosystem, centred on East London and spreading across the city, generates a consistent pipeline of Series A and B businesses requiring their first senior finance hire.
FCA-regulated firms — London has a high concentration of firms subject to FCA oversight. These businesses often require FDs and CFOs with SMCR experience and the ability to engage with regulatory reporting requirements.
Multinational and listed company headquarters — London is the base for the majority of UK-listed companies and many European regional HQs, which require experienced group finance leadership.

This breadth of demand means our London candidates are genuinely senior — typically ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified, with Big Four or mid-tier practice backgrounds, and extensive commercial finance experience across multiple business types.

Finance Directors in London

The Finance Director title is most common in UK-founded businesses, private companies, owner-managed businesses and not-for-profit organisations. In London, FD Capital places Finance Directors across all engagement types — fractional, part-time, interim and permanent — and across every sector from financial services to technology, property, education and professional services. See our full Finance Directors hub for a complete overview.

Fractional Finance Director — London

A fractional Finance Director is the most popular model for London’s growing businesses. The fractional arrangement — typically one to three days per week — gives a business board-level financial leadership without the full-time cost. In London, fractional FDs are common in:

Technology and SaaS businesses at Series A or pre-Series A, where investor reporting, KPI frameworks and cash management are critical but a full-time FD is premature.
Professional services firms — law firms, consultancies, creative agencies — that have outgrown their bookkeeper or accountant and need strategic finance oversight.
Family-owned businesses preparing for sale, refinancing or a management buyout, where an experienced fractional FD for family businesses can structure the business for the transaction.
E-commerce and direct-to-consumer brands scaling rapidly, where a fractional FD for fast-growing e-commerce brings financial rigour to complex multi-channel revenue models.

London fractional FD day rates typically run from £800 to £1,600 per day depending on the complexity of the brief and the seniority of the candidate. See our full fractional FD vs CFO comparison if you are unsure which title fits your business.

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Acquisitions and disposals Annual statutory accounts

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Fundraising – debt and equity

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Reporting packs for private equity and venture capital houses

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Monthly management accounts

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Management buy-outs

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Turnaround situations

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Special projects

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Strategic advice for your stakeholders

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System migrations

Part-Time Finance Director — London

A part-time Finance Director in London works a fixed number of contracted days per week — usually one to three — on a permanent or long-term rolling basis. Part-time FD arrangements differ from fractional in that they are typically more stable engagements with a clearer ongoing scope. They are well-suited to businesses that have a consistent finance leadership requirement but cannot justify a five-day-a-week appointment.

Common London part-time FD scenarios include owner-managed businesses with revenues of £5m–£20m; charities and housing associations with complex fund accounting; and private equity portfolio companies where a part-time FD sits alongside a part-time CFO structure. See our dedicated part-time Finance Director page for salary benchmarks and engagement structures.

Interim Finance Director — London

London has a well-developed market for interim Finance Directors. The interim model — a fixed-term appointment of three to eighteen months — is used to cover sudden vacancies, manage business transformation programmes, support post-acquisition integration, or provide senior finance leadership during a period of rapid change.

London interim FDs are particularly experienced at landing quickly and delivering value from day one — a critical requirement in a city where business moves fast and stakeholders expect immediate results. Our interim FD network includes candidates available at short notice, many of whom have repeat interim experience across multiple London and international businesses.

Interim Finance Director day rates in London typically run from £600 to £1,400 per day. Engagement through a personal service company may have IR35 implications — see our IR35 status determination guide for more detail.

Permanent Finance Director — London

Permanent Finance Director recruitment in London is typically for board-level roles in businesses with revenues above £10m. FD Capital’s permanent search process combines our deep candidate network with targeted executive search — we reach candidates who are not on job boards and are not registered with generalist recruiters.

London permanent FD salaries range from £90,000 for a smaller SME to £180,000+ for a mid-market or PE-backed business. Packages at PE-backed companies typically include a bonus element and may include carried interest or co-investment rights. See our Finance Director salary guide for detailed benchmarks.

We also run specialist permanent searches for specific FD profiles, including: Group Finance Director; Commercial Finance Director; FD headhunter searches for businesses that want a fully managed executive search process; and FDs for private equity portfolio companies

CFOs in London

Fractional CFO — London

London’s scale-up ecosystem has driven rapid growth in demand for fractional CFOs. A fractional CFO typically provides strategic financial leadership — investor relations, board reporting, financial modelling, fundraising support — on a part-week basis. In London specifically, fractional CFOs are increasingly embedded in:

SaaS and technology scale-ups that need a CFO profile for Series A or B investor conversations but are not ready for a full-time hire.
PE and VC-backed companies where the investor requires a CFO-level reporting relationship without mandating a permanent appointment in the early stages.
Fintech and regulated businesses where a CFO with FCA familiarity is needed to manage both the finance function and engagement with regulatory requirements.
International businesses opening London offices, where a fractional CFO establishes the finance function before a permanent hire is warranted.

London fractional CFO day rates run from £900 to £2,000 per day. See our full fractional CFO cost guide and how to hire a fractional CFO for more detail.

Part-Time CFO — London

A part-time CFO in London occupies a similar role to a part-time FD but typically operates in a business with greater investor complexity, a broader international footprint, or more sophisticated treasury and capital markets requirements. The part-time CFO model is common in London’s mid-market: businesses with revenues of £20m–£100m that have an established finance team but need senior CFO-level oversight on a contracted basis.

We also place part-time CFOs in the City of London and across the wider London market, including Central London, West End, East London and Greater London boroughs. See our dedicated London part-time CFO recruitment page.

Interim CFO — London

London’s interim CFO market is highly active. Common triggers for an interim CFO appointment in London include: a sudden vacancy in the finance leadership team; a pre-IPO or AIM listing preparation requiring a CFO with capital markets experience; a post-acquisition integration where a temporary CFO is needed to merge two finance functions; and financial restructuring or refinancing situations. See our dedicated London interim CFO page.

FD Capital maintains an active panel of London-based interim CFOs available at short notice, including candidates with specific experience in: IPO and flotation; merger and acquisition CFO roles; and interim CFO for PE-backed businesses.

Permanent CFO — London

Permanent CFO recruitment in London is the most competitive hiring process in the senior finance market. London CFOs at PE-backed, listed or large private businesses command total packages of £175,000 to £350,000+, and the candidate pool at the top end is relatively small. FD Capital’s CFO executive search process is built specifically for these appointments: we headhunt candidates who are not visible in the market and manage a confidential search process from brief to offer.

We are experienced in recruiting CFOs with specific backgrounds, including: CFOs with private equity experience; CFOs with venture capital backgrounds; listed company CFOs; and Group CFOs for multi-entity businesses. See our how much does a CFO earn guide for London salary benchmarks.

Finance Director vs CFO in London — Which Do You Need?

The distinction between an FD and a CFO is not always clear-cut, and in London the two titles are often used interchangeably at similar company sizes. As a general rule:

Finance Director is the more common title in UK-founded private businesses, professional services firms, owner-managed companies and not-for-profit organisations.
CFO is more common in investor-backed businesses (PE, VC, listed), US-headquartered businesses operating in the UK, larger businesses with group structures, and businesses preparing for exit or IPO.
In practice, the seniority and scope of the role matters more than the title. A part-time FD in a £15m business and a fractional CFO in a £15m VC-backed business may have very similar day-to-day responsibilities.

FD Capital recruits for both titles and can advise on which is more appropriate for your specific context. See our detailed guide: When to Hire a Finance Director Instead of a CFO.

London Sectors — Finance Director & CFO Recruitment

Financial Services & FCA-Regulated Firms

London is the UK’s financial services capital. FD Capital has a dedicated FCA regulated firms recruitment practice placing senior finance leaders — FDs, CFOs, MLROs, Chief Risk Officers and Compliance leaders — into FCA-authorised firms across the City and Canary Wharf. We are experienced with SMCR requirements and can identify candidates who are already approved persons or have experience in the senior manager certification regime. See our dedicated pages for: Financial Services CFO; Fintech CFO; Investment Management CFO; Banking CFO; Insurance CFO.

Technology, SaaS & E-Commerce

London’s technology sector — concentrated in East London, King’s Cross, Soho and across Greater London — is one of the fastest-growing markets for fractional and part-time FDs and CFOs. See our dedicated pages for: Technology Finance Directors; SaaS CFO; Technology CFO; E-Commerce CFO; Cryptocurrency & Blockchain CFO.

Private Equity & Venture Capital

London is Europe’s largest PE and VC market. FD Capital has extensive experience placing FDs and CFOs into PE-backed and VC-backed London businesses, as well as directly into PE and VC fund management companies. See: Private Equity FD; FDs for PE portfolio companies; CFO for PE-backed businesses; Fractional CFO for PE/VC companies.

Professional Services, Property & Other Sectors

We place across all major London sectors including professional services, property, education, media and retail. For a full breakdown see our sectors page. Specific London pages: Family Office Finance Director & CFO; CFOs for digital transformation; Fixed-term contract CFOs.

London FD & CFO Salary Guide

London salary and day rates for senior finance leaders carry a 10–20% premium over other UK markets, reflecting the cost of living, competition for talent and the complexity of London-headquartered businesses. The table below shows indicative ranges. See our full Finance Director salary guide and CFO salary guide for detailed benchmarks.

Engagement Type	Day Rate	Annual / Package	Notes
Fractional FD	£900–£1,800/day	£80,000–£150,000 equiv.	1–3 days/week
Part-Time FD	N/A	£70,000–£130,000 p.a. pro-rata	Contracted days/week
Interim FD	£700–£1,500/day	N/A	IR35 status dependent
Permanent FD (SME)	N/A	£95,000–£160,000	Full package incl. bonus
Permanent FD (PE)	N/A	£140,000–£220,000+	Bonus + equity/carry
Fractional CFO	£1,000–£2,000/day	£100,000–£200,000 equiv.	1–3 days/week
Part-Time CFO	N/A	£90,000–£160,000 p.a. pro-rata	Contracted days/week
Interim CFO	£800–£1,800/day	N/A	IR35 status dependent
Permanent CFO (growth)	N/A	£130,000–£220,000	Full package
Permanent CFO (PE/listed)	N/A	£200,000–£400,000+	Carry, LTIP, equity

FD Capital was founded by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Chartered Accountant with over two decades of experience in finance leadership and executive search. Adrian holds a BSc from Queen Mary College, University of London and is a Fellow of the ICAEW. Based in London throughout his career, Adrian has worked directly with businesses across the City, West End, and wider Greater London area — from early-stage ventures in Tech City to established businesses in the financial services corridor. That local market knowledge informs every CFO and Finance Director search we conduct for London-based clients. He personally leads our most senior searches and interviews candidates himself. FD Capital is operated by an ICAEW-registered practice.

How We Work — London FD & CFO Recruitment

FD Capital’s London recruitment process is built for speed and quality. We do not advertise roles and wait — we approach our candidate network directly, which means we reach people who are not browsing job boards and who are not registered with every other recruiter in the market. Our standard process:

Brief call — we take a detailed brief on the business, the requirement, and what a successful candidate looks like in practice. For London roles this typically takes 30–60 minutes and is conducted by a senior consultant who has placed similar roles previously.
Network search — we identify and approach the right candidates from our London FD and CFO network, supplemented by targeted outreach to candidates who match the brief.
Longlist and screen — we interview candidates and produce a written shortlist with candidate profiles, including our assessment of fit, strengths and any development areas.
Shortlist delivery — typically 3 to 7 working days from brief for most London FD and CFO requirements. For urgent interim requirements we can often shortlist within 24–48 hours.
Client interviews — we manage the interview process, provide preparation notes and gather feedback from both sides.
Offer and placement — we advise on offer structuring, manage negotiations and confirm the appointment.

See our full how we work page for more detail, or meet our team.

For London FD & CFO Candidates

If you are a Finance Director or CFO based in London or the South East and are open to new opportunities — whether fractional, interim or permanent — we would like to hear from you. FD Capital works exclusively with senior finance leaders and places candidates into genuinely interesting roles across London’s most active business sectors.

To register with us, visit our candidate registration page. If you are preparing for an interview or transition, our resource library includes: FD & CFO interview questions; interview tips for Finance Director candidates; CV preparation tips for FDs and CFOs; resignation tips; how to handle counter-offers.

For interim and fractional candidates, our guide to understanding IR35 and IR35 status determination is essential reading before you take your next engagement.

Why FD Capital for London Finance Director & CFO Recruitment

There are generalist recruiters who occasionally place FDs and CFOs, and there are job boards that list finance director vacancies. FD Capital is neither. We are a specialist agency that focuses exclusively on Finance Director and CFO appointments — it is the only thing we do, and that focus makes a material difference to the quality and speed of our work.

Specialist network — our London FD and CFO candidate network has been built over seven years of exclusive senior finance placements. Many of our best candidates are not registered anywhere else.
Speed — most London shortlists are delivered in 3 to 7 working days. For interim requirements, we can often move within 24 hours.
Quality of assessment — we interview every candidate before presenting them. You receive a shortlist of people who are genuinely qualified, genuinely available and genuinely appropriate for your specific context.
No conflicts — we do not run parallel contingency searches or present the same candidate to five clients simultaneously. When you brief FD Capital, you get our undivided attention on your role.
Sector depth — our team has direct experience across financial services, technology, private equity, professional services and other key London sectors.

FD Capital is part of a group of specialist senior recruitment agencies. For C-suite roles beyond CFO, see our sister business Exec Capital. For Non-Executive Director appointments, see NED Capital.

To discuss a Finance Director or CFO requirement in London, call 020 3287 9501 or visit our contact page.

External References & Further Reading

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Finance Director & CFO Recruitment London