Audience
- Founders
- MDs
- CMOs
- Agency owners
- Growth businesses
- Post-investment teams
Fractional
Senior experience. Without another full-time salary.
Sometimes you need an experienced CMO, Marketing Director or agency leader in the business, just not necessarily five days a week.
What it solves
- There's no senior marketing leader in place
- The founder or MD is carrying too much
- The team can execute but needs experienced direction
- Growth or change has moved faster than the leadership structure
- A permanent appointment would take too long
- The business needs somebody to do the work, not hand over another slide deck
When this makes sense
- A full-time senior hire feels too early
- There's a leadership gap that can't wait
- You need experienced marketing thinking one, two or three days a week
- The team needs mentoring and direction
- The permanent structure is still being worked out
What is a Fractional marketing leader?
A Fractional marketing leader is an experienced senior marketer who joins a business for a defined period or number of days to lead, advise and help deliver against an agreed commercial problem.
Unlike traditional consultancy, they're typically embedded in the business and accountable for helping make things happen, not just recommending what somebody else should do.
Fractional process
Senior capability, just not necessarily five days a week.
See exactly how I recruitStart with the outcome
What does the business need this person to fix, build, lead or change?
Work out what level you actually need
CMO? Marketing Director? Agency MD? Specialist leader? One day a week or three? Don't overhire the title.
Find somebody who's done it before
Relevant experience matters because an interim needs to get useful quickly.
Get clear on scope
Agree priorities, access, decision-making and what success should look like.
Review impact
The point isn't to fill somebody's diary. It's to make progress against the reason they were brought in.
Fractional vs interim vs consultancy
Don't get too hung up on the label. Get clear on the problem.
Fractional means senior experience for the amount of time the business actually needs.
That might be one day a week, three days a week, a defined interim period or support while you work out the permanent structure.
The right leader gets properly into the business. They don't drop in once a month, produce a PowerPoint and vanish.
Public recommendations
What people say about working with David.
Short excerpts from public LinkedIn recommendations, used here because they speak to the work behind the brief.
Read LinkedIn recommendationsHonest adviceMark VarleyCommercial & agency leader · June 2026 “He has a refreshingly honest approach and believes in doing things the right way.”
Public LinkedIn recommendation
Delivered against the briefBradley ToothFounder at You Know Who · June 2023 “Honest, reliable and personable.”
Public LinkedIn recommendation
Common mistakes
What usually gets in the way.
Hiring a tactical freelancer when the problem is leadership
Bringing somebody senior in without giving them enough access to make a difference
Leaving the outcome vague
Assuming Fractional support is automatically cheaper rather than asking whether it's the right model
Related services
Other routes that may fit the brief.
Retained Search
Retained SearchMarket Intelligence & Advisory
Market Intelligence & AdvisoryRelated insight
Useful reading before you hire.
What is a Fractional Marketing Leader?
What is a Fractional Marketing Leader?Do You Actually Need a Full-Time Marketing Director?
Do You Actually Need a Full-Time Marketing Director?FAQs
Clear answers before a conversation.
What is a Fractional marketing leader?
A Fractional marketing leader is an experienced senior marketer who works with a business for a defined number of days or period to provide leadership, direction and practical support.
Is Fractional the same as interim marketing leadership?
Sometimes. Fractional often means part-time senior leadership. Interim usually means a defined temporary period. In reality, the right model depends on the business problem.
How is Fractional different from consultancy?
Consultancy is often advisory. A good Fractional leader gets closer to the business, helps lead the work and stays involved when decisions meet reality.
Which roles can be filled on an interim or fractional basis?
Common roles include Interim CMO, Interim Marketing Director, Interim Head of Marketing, Interim Growth Director, Interim Digital Director and senior agency leadership.
How many days a week does a Fractional leader usually work?
It depends on the problem. Some businesses need one day a week, others need two or three. The right answer comes from the outcome, not the title.
Next step
Need senior marketing leadership without rushing into another permanent hire?
Tell David what's going on and he'll tell you whether Fractional support makes sense.