Exec Capital
Executive Recruitment and Search is our specialism we are a London based headhunting boutique covering the South East of the UK.
EXEC CAPITAL is a boutique recruitment agency that specialises in connecting start-ups and businesses with senior management professionals. We take a tailored approach to our recruiting with a 1-on-1 experience where we help clients identify their management needs before starting the recruitment process.
We’ll help identify and hire the perfect candidate to scale your business to the next level. Whatever your recruitment needs are, Exec Capital is here to help. The world of work is evolving faster than ever before. Your senior management professionals play a crucial role in future-proofing your business and navigating the changes to come.
What makes EXEC CAPITAL different is that we’re a team of management professionals with experience working with businesses across virtually every industry. We’re the industry’s leading recruitment specialists for management professionals across London and the Southeast.
Who We Are
At Exec Capital Recruitment, we understand that finding the right leaders is crucial to achieving your business objectives. With years of experience in executive search, we are dedicated to identifying and placing candidates who possess the skills, experience, and vision necessary to lead your company to new heights.
Our team of seasoned recruitment consultants has a deep understanding of various industries, from finance and technology to healthcare and manufacturing. We leverage this expertise to provide a personalized, results-driven approach to executive recruitment, ensuring that every candidate we recommend is a perfect fit for your organizational culture and strategic goals.
Our Services
Executive Search
We offer comprehensive executive search services designed to help you find the best leaders in the market. Our rigorous search process includes:
- In-Depth Consultation: We take the time to understand your company's needs, culture, and strategic direction to ensure we find candidates who align with your vision.
- Market Research: We conduct thorough market research to identify and engage with top talent, including passive candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities.
- Candidate Assessment: Our detailed evaluation process ensures that every candidate we present has the necessary qualifications, experience, and leadership capabilities.
- Negotiation & Onboarding: We assist with offer negotiations and support the onboarding process to ensure a smooth transition for both the candidate and your organization.
Interim Executive Placement
Need experienced leadership on a temporary basis? Our interim executive placement service connects you with senior professionals who can step in and make an immediate impact. Whether you need an interim CEO, CFO, or another C-suite executive, we have a network of seasoned leaders ready to help you navigate periods of change or fill critical gaps.
Board Advisory & Recruitment
Building a strong board of directors is essential for governance and strategic oversight. Our board advisory and recruitment services focus on identifying individuals with the expertise and independence required to guide your organization effectively. We work closely with you to ensure your board is well-rounded, diverse, and aligned with your long-term objectives.
Exec Capital
What Should Executives Really Be Paid in 2026? The Truth About C-Suite, Director and FCA SMF Salaries
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Welcome to Executive Leadership Insights, the podcast where we help business leaders, boards, investors and senior executives make smarter leadership decisions.
One of the most common questions we hear from clients and candidates is remarkably simple:
"What is the market actually paying?"
Whether you're hiring a Chief Executive Officer, benchmarking a Finance Director, negotiating a Managing Director package, or recruiting an FCA-approved Senior Manager, understanding executive compensation has never been more important.
Get it wrong and you risk losing exceptional talent, overpaying for the wrong hire, or creating internal pay issues that damage morale and retention.
Today we're exploring three essential resources from Exec Capital:
- The SMF Salary Guide for FCA-regulated firms
- The C-Suite Salary Guide
- The Directors Salary Guide
Together, these guides provide one of the most comprehensive views of executive compensation in the UK market today, covering everything from CEOs and CFOs to regulated Senior Management Function holders and Director-level leaders across multiple sectors.
Segment 1: Why Executive Salary Benchmarking Matters More Than Ever
Executive compensation is changing.
Hybrid working, private equity investment, talent shortages, increased regulation, and competition for experienced leadership talent have all transformed the market.
The days when organisations could simply rely on historical salary data are gone.
Executive pay is influenced by multiple factors, including:
- Company size
- Ownership structure
- Industry sector
- Geographic location
- Regulatory complexity
- Individual track record
Even executives holding the same title can earn dramatically different compensation packages depending on the context. A CEO in a £20 million revenue business may earn a fraction of what a CEO in a PE-backed platform or listed company receives. Similarly, a regulated CFO operating under FCA oversight may command a significant premium compared to an equivalent role in a non-regulated business.
That's why accurate salary benchmarking is no longer a nice-to-have.
It's a strategic necessity.
Segment 2: Inside the C-Suite Salary Guide
Let's start with the C-Suite Salary Guide.
This guide covers compensation across the most important executive leadership positions in UK businesses, including CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CTOs, CMOs, CHROs and other C-suite functions.
One of the key takeaways is the enormous variation in executive pay.
For example:
A CEO in a smaller owner-managed business may earn between £120,000 and £250,000.
At mid-market level, CEO compensation often rises to £200,000–£400,000.
For private equity-backed businesses, packages can be substantially higher when bonuses and equity participation are included.
At listed company level, total executive compensation can reach several million pounds annually.
But the guide doesn't simply focus on salary.
It explains the full executive reward structure, including:
- Annual bonuses
- Long-term incentive plans
- Equity participation
- Pension arrangements
- Benefits
- Performance incentives
Because sophisticated executives rarely evaluate opportunities based solely on base salary.
The total package matters.
For boards and hiring managers, understanding these dynamics can make the difference between securing a top-tier executive and losing them to a competitor.
Segment 3: The Often Overlooked Director Market
While much attention is given to C-suite executives, many organisations succeed or fail based on the quality of their Director-level leadership team.
That's where the Directors Salary Guide becomes particularly valuable.
The guide covers compensation benchmarks across major Director functions, including:
- Finance Directors
- Sales Directors
- Marketing Directors
- Operations Directors
- HR Directors
- IT Directors
- Managing Directors
These individuals often form the bridge between strategy and execution.
They lead major business functions, manage large teams, and frequently become tomorrow's C-suite leaders.
The guide highlights how compensation can vary significantly according to business size, sector, ownership structure and market demand. It also identifies where specialist expertise attracts premium salaries and why some Director-level positions have experienced significant growth in compensation over recent years.
For candidates, the guide offers valuable insight into market positioning.
For employers, it provides a framework for attracting and retaining critical leadership talent.
Segment 4: Understanding FCA SMF Compensation
Now let's move into one of the most specialised areas of executive recruitment: FCA-regulated firms.
The Senior Managers and Certification Regime has fundamentally changed accountability within financial services organisations.
With greater responsibility comes greater scrutiny—and often greater compensation.
Exec Capital's SMF Salary Guide focuses specifically on Senior Management Function roles within regulated businesses.
These include positions such as:
- SMF1 Chief Executive
- SMF2 Chief Finance Function
- SMF3 Executive Director
- Compliance leadership roles
- Risk leadership roles
- Other regulated senior management positions
One particularly interesting insight from the guide is how compensation scales with regulatory complexity.
For example, SMF2 CFO salaries in smaller regulated firms typically sit within a significantly different range compared with larger institutions operating more complex structures and governance frameworks. Executive Director compensation also varies widely depending on the commercial responsibility and regulatory obligations attached to the role.
For regulated firms, understanding these benchmarks is critical because the pool of qualified and approved candidates is often highly competitive.
Segment 5: The Hidden Components of Executive Compensation
One mistake many organisations make is focusing only on salary.
Executive compensation is far more sophisticated.
The most effective packages often include:
- Performance bonuses
- Long-term incentives
- Equity participation
- Deferred compensation
- Pension contributions
- Executive benefits
- Retention mechanisms
In private equity-backed businesses, equity participation can sometimes outweigh salary as a motivator.
In listed companies, long-term incentive plans often form a substantial portion of total compensation.
In regulated environments, governance and risk considerations play a much larger role in reward design.
The guides help organisations understand not only what executives are paid but why they are paid that way.
Segment 6: Using Salary Data Strategically
Salary benchmarking isn't simply about matching the market.
It's about making strategic decisions.
When organisations understand market compensation accurately, they can:
- Reduce hiring risk
- Improve retention
- Strengthen succession planning
- Build competitive reward structures
- Attract higher-quality candidates
- Support board-level compensation discussions
Likewise, executives can use salary data to assess opportunities, prepare for negotiations and understand their market value.
The best outcomes occur when both sides enter discussions informed by reliable market intelligence.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you're a board member planning a leadership hire, a private equity investor assessing management team costs, an HR leader designing reward structures, or an executive evaluating your next move, understanding executive compensation is essential.
Exec Capital's salary guides provide practical, up-to-date benchmarking across three critical areas:
The C-Suite Salary Guide.
The Directors Salary Guide.
And the FCA SMF Salary Guide.
Together they offer a comprehensive view of executive pay across the UK market and help organisations make more informed leadership decisions.
To explore the guides in full, visit:
- C-Suite Salary Guide: https://www.execcapital.co.uk/c-suite-salary-guide/
- Directors Salary Guide: https://www.execcapital.co.uk/directors-salary-guide/
- SMF Salary Guide: https://www.execcapital.co.uk/smf-salary-guide/
Thank you for listening to Executive Leadership Insights.
Join us next time as we discuss executive recruitment, leadership strategy, and the trends shaping the future of senior leadership.
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