About Fractional Quest

The executive search firm for fractional, interim and permanent leaders.

We find CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, COOs, CPOs, CHROs, CISOs and non-executive directors for UK scale-ups, PE-backed portfolios and growing businesses — for a few days a week, for a fixed term or for good — with a shortlist of 3–5 on every brief.

In the press

Financial Times The executives going ‘fractional’, not freelance (paywall)
The FT on senior people who now lead inside several companies at once. We search for them, and for the permanent and interim executives a business still needs full-time.

3–5

Shortlist · per brief, five-stage vetting

Permanent

We recruit · fractional and interim too

Set out

IR35 position · on every brief

Published

Day rate transparency · no quote-on-enquiry

Why we exist.

Senior hiring now comes in more than one shape. A company may need a CFO two days a week, an interim COO for six months, a permanent Marketing Director or a non-executive for the board.

Most search firms are built around one of those shapes, so the brief gets bent to fit the firm.

We built Fractional Quest to run every shape from one brief — fractional, interim, part-time, temporary, permanent and non-executive.

Day rates published for fractional and interim roles.

A shortlist of 3–5 on every brief, each with pay or day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.

The first call costs you nothing and the brief takes 15 minutes.

We're independent. No PE backers in the cap table, no roll-up of recruiter agencies.

Founder-led, UK-based, focused on one thing — making senior hiring in the UK straightforward, whatever shape the role takes.

Fractional Quest Ltd is registered in England and Wales (Company No 17322105).

The same rules apply whatever the shape. A leader appointed to the board takes on the legal responsibilities of a company director, whether they work two days a week or five.

The IoD's guide to the role of the non-executive director explains that non-executives carry the same legal duties as executive directors.

Listed boards also answer to the FRC's UK Corporate Governance Code.

Employment law sorts people into its own employment status categories, including director and office holder, separate from tax.

A permanent hire needs a right-to-work check before they start.

Questions about Fractional Quest.

What does Fractional Quest do?

We find senior leaders for UK companies — fractional, interim, part-time, temporary and permanent executives, and non-executive directors. Day rates published, five-stage vetting, and a shortlist of 3–5 on every brief.

How is Fractional Quest different from retained executive search?

Day rates are transparent, every candidate goes through five-stage vetting, and every brief ends in a shortlist of 3–5.

Which roles do you cover?

CEO, CFO, CMO, CTO, COO, CPO, CHRO, CISO, plus head of growth, head of sales, general counsel, finance director, financial controller, FP&A, ops leadership and non-executive directors. See the role pages for the roles on the board and published day rates. For interim work, the Institute of Interim Management is the professional body for interim managers.

Are fractional executives outside IR35?

It depends on how the engagement runs in practice, not on the contract's label. A medium or large client makes the status determination (HMRC); for a small private-sector client, the executive's own company does. See /ir35-guide.

What rules does executive search work under?

Recruitment in Great Britain runs under the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. Candidates' personal data is covered by UK GDPR, and the ICO's guidance on recruitment and selection is written for recruiters and head-hunters as well as employers. For the hiring team, Acas's guidance on hiring someone covers fair advertising, interviewing and the offer.

How do I submit a brief?

Submit a brief via /book-a-meeting — outline your stage, sector and timing. We come back with a shortlist of 3–5 candidates, each with day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.

Explore

More of the same shape — internal.

InternalHow we vet

The five-stage process for vetting fractional executives.

InternalIR35 guide

The tests, and who makes the determination.

InternalSubmit a brief

A shortlist of 3–5 for hiring teams.

The executive search firm for fractional, interim and permanent leaders.

Why we exist.

Bring the brief. We bring the shortlist.