Fractional CIO Investment Salary UK
Salary

Fractional CIO Investment Salary UK

Chief Investment Officer salary benchmarks and day rates for 2026, with data from PayScale, UK Tax Calculators, and industry sources.

£800-2,000
Day Rate
2-6 weeks
Time to Hire
50-70%
Cost Savings
🧮

Quick Cost Calculator

See your potential savings

Monthly Cost£8,000
vs Full-Time£22,000
You Save£14,000 (64%)
Full Calculator →
📖1 min read
📅Updated 1 Feb 2026
📝154 words
💷
£800-1500
Day Rate
📅
1-3
Days/Week
💰
50-70%
Cost Savings
🎯
500+
UK Placements
💡

Key Takeaways

  • 1Fractional CFOs work 1-3 days per week, providing senior expertise without full-time costs
  • 2UK day rates range from £800 to £1500, depending on experience and sector
  • 3Typical engagements save 50-70% compared to full-time executive hires
  • 4Ideal for startups, scale-ups, and SMEs needing strategic leadership
  • 5No employment overhead: no pension, NI, benefits, or notice periods

Latest Fractional Jobs

0jobs found
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What is a Fractional Chief Investment Officer?

Quick Definition

A fractional Chief Investment Officer provides strategic investment leadership on a part-time basis, typically working 1-2 days per week. They deliver portfolio strategy, asset allocation oversight, manager selection, and investment governance for asset managers, family offices, and corporate treasuries without the £200,000+ cost of a full-time CIO. Fractional CIOs are ideal for smaller funds and family offices needing expert investment leadership.

Chief Investment Officer Salary Overview UK 2026

The Chief Investment Officer role in asset management and institutional investment commands premium compensation. According to [PayScale](https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Chief_Investment_Officer_(CIO)/Salary), the average CIO salary is **£129,914** in 2026, with the highest earners reaching **£221,000**.

[UK Tax Calculators](https://www.uktaxcalculators.co.uk/careers/how-much-does-a-chief-investment-officer-%28cio%29-earn/) reports a wider range of **£104,292 to £306,384**, with an average of **£210,852**. This places CIOs in the 97th-99th income percentile.

Experience drives significant compensation differences, with PayScale showing £124,916 for 10-19 years experience rising to £144,828 for late career (20+ years).

CIO Investment Salary Ranges UK 2026

SourceLowestAverageHighest
PayScale£21,000£129,914£221,000
UK Tax Calculators£104,292£210,852£306,384

CIO Investment Day Rates by Sector

SectorDay Rate RangeAnnual Equivalent
Asset Management£1,200-£1,600/day£240,000-£320,000
Family Office£1,100-£1,500/day£220,000-£300,000
Corporate Treasury£1,000-£1,400/day£200,000-£280,000
Pension Fund£1,100-£1,500/day£220,000-£300,000
Endowment/Foundation£1,000-£1,300/day£200,000-£260,000

CIO Engagement Type Comparison

Engagement TypeDay Rate RangeTypical CommitmentAnnual Equivalent
Full-time permanentN/A (salaried)5 days/week£130,000-£306,000
Interim CIO£1,200-£1,6004-5 days/week£250,000-£332,000
Fractional CIO£1,000-£1,4001-2 days/week£52,000-£145,000
Advisory retainer£5,000-£15,000/monthAs needed£60,000-£180,000

Fractional CIO Value Proposition

Fractional CIO arrangements offer compelling economics for smaller asset managers and family offices:

**Cost comparison (1 day per week)**: - Fractional CIO: £1,000-£1,400/day × 52 weeks = **£52,000-£72,800/year** - Full-time CIO: £210,000 salary + 30% benefits = **£273,000/year** - **Savings: £200,000+ annually**

Fractional CIOs deliver investment strategy, asset allocation, manager due diligence, investment committee support, and governance oversight without full-time overhead.

CIO Qualifications & Background

Chief Investment Officers typically require:

- **CFA Charter**: Industry standard for investment professionals - **20+ years experience**: Including senior portfolio management roles - **Asset class expertise**: Multi-asset, fixed income, equities, alternatives - **Regulatory knowledge**: FCA, pension regulations, fiduciary duties

Many CIOs have backgrounds at major asset managers (Schroders, BlackRock, Legal & General), investment consultants (Mercer, WTW), or large pension schemes.

CIO Compensation by AUM

AUM RangeTypical SalaryDay Rate Premium
£10bn+£250,000-£400,000+40-60%
£1bn-£10bn£180,000-£280,000+20-30%
£500m-£1bn£140,000-£200,000+10-15%
£100m-£500m£110,000-£160,000Standard
<£100m£90,000-£130,000Standard
💰

Cost Comparison

Fractional vs Full-Time Executive

Full-Time Executive£286k/year
Salary + Benefits + Overhead
Fractional Executive£106k/year
1-2 days/week average

Your Potential Savings

£180k+

63%
saved
📊

Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%
Operations25%
Leadership20%
Governance15%
Technology10%

Fractional CIO (Chief Investment Officer) Salary Guide UK

Fractional Chief Investment Officers provide strategic investment leadership for asset managers, family offices, and corporates seeking expert portfolio oversight without full-time costs. CIO rates reflect the high-stakes nature of investment decisions.

💰

CIO [Day Rates](/fractional-executive-day-rates "Fractional Executive Day Rates") by Sector

SectorDay RateAnnual Equivalent
Asset Management£1,200-£1,600/day£240-320k
Family Office£1,100-£1,500/day£220-300k
Corporate Treasury£1,000-£1,400/day£200-280k
💰

Factors Affecting Investment Officer Rates

AUM track record: Managing £100M+ adds significant premium

Asset class breadth: Multi-asset expertise (equities, fixed income, alternatives)

Performance record: Consistent alpha generation commands top rates

🛡️

Regulatory: FCA authorisation and SMCR compliance experience

📌

Related Pages

UK Fractional Executive Day Rates

Compare day rates across C-suite roles

CFOThis Role£800 - £1500/day
£1100
CTO£900 - £1600/day
£1200
CMO£750 - £1400/day
£1000
COO£800 - £1400/day
£1050
CDO£900 - £1450/day
£1150
CISO£900 - £1550/day
£1200
Rate Range
Average
Source: UK Market Data 2025
⚖️

Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time

Choose the right engagement model

AspectFractionalInterimFull-Time
Time Commitment1-3 days/week4-5 days/week5 days/week
DurationOngoing/flexible3-12 monthsPermanent
Annual Cost£50-150k£150-300k£200-400k+
Best ForSMEs, startups, scale-upsCrisis, transitionsLarge enterprises
Flexibility★★★ High★★☆ Medium★☆☆ Low

Costs are indicative UK market rates. Actual costs vary by role, experience, and sector.

Calculate Your Day Rate

Fractional CFO Earnings

Calculate Your Potential Income

£1,000
£750Avg: £1000£1500
2.5 days
1 day5 days
2 clients
14
Weekly
£5,000
Monthly
£21,650
Annual
£240,000

Based on 2.5 days/week x 2 clients x 48 working weeks. CFO UK average day rate: £1000.

BetaThis calculator provides rough estimates for illustration only. Actual rates and salaries vary based on location, experience, industry, and market conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

The average CIO salary in the UK is £129,914 according to PayScale (2026). UK Tax Calculators reports an average of £210,852 with a range of £104,292-£306,384, placing CIOs in the 97th-99th income percentile.

💬Have more questions? Contact us
📊

The Fractional Executive Trend

Industry data on the rise of fractional leadership

😊
78%

of executives who moved to fractional work report higher job satisfaction

Source: Harvard Business Review
💰
50-70%

cost savings compared to full-time executive hires for SMEs

Source: Forbes
📈
3x

growth in fractional executive demand since 2020

Source: LinkedIn Economic Graph
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Platform Stats

213+
Jobs Listed
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Fractional Client
£1,000+
Avg Day Rate
15+
Years Experience

Founder's background

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📊 CIO Market Snapshot

Demand Index+12% YoY
Day Rate£1,000-1,500
Avg Placement6-10 weeks

💰 CIO Day Rates

£1,000-1,500per day
JuniorMidSenior

Based on 2026 market data for UK CIO roles.

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Why Fractional CIO?

45-60% cost savings
No long-term commitment
Senior expertise on demand
Flexible 1-3 days/week

🏢 Top Industries

EnterpriseHealthcareFinancial ServicesRetail

💡 Key Skills

IT Strategy
Vendor Management
Digital Transformation
Infrastructure

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