Fractional executives — including fractional CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and CIOs — are the hottest thing in the C-suite. What started as a niche workaround has gone mainstream, with companies from fast-scaling startups to Fortune 500s tapping part-time leaders for big-impact roles.
These aren’t consultants or advisors — they’re deeply embedded executives, delivering high-level strategy, leadership, and results without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
But what exactly is a fractional executive? How is this different from an interim or outsourced solution? And when does it make sense to go fractional in the first place?