As boardrooms evolve, traditional NED roles face new pressure. Discover how Fractional CMOs are reshaping strategic leadership, governance, and growth.
Introduction – Has the NED Had Its Day?
For years, Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) have held an almost untouchable status in British boardrooms. They’re the seasoned voices of reason — the guardians of governance and strategy. But let’s be honest: in many companies, the reality rarely lives up to the mythology.
Most NEDs spend a handful of days a year with the business. They offer well-intentioned advice, review board papers, and ask good questions. But in a world where competitive advantage can be won or lost in a single quarter, is periodic oversight really enough?
Meanwhile, a new figure has entered the boardroom — quietly at first, now with growing force: the Fractional CMO. They’re not just observing. They’re in the trenches. They combine independent strategic insight with hands-on commercial leadership, often delivering more tangible impact in one month than a NED might in a year.
So it begs the uncomfortable question:
Is the traditional NED model being outpaced — even replaced — by embedded fractional executives who deliver strategic value with teeth?
This isn’t a swipe at NEDs’ experience. Many bring immense value. But the economic logic is shifting. CEOs and investors are starting to ask why they’re paying premium day rates for high-level advice, when they could have a senior strategic leader embedded weekly, driving growth while still offering the independence and oversight boards value.
The boardroom power dynamics are changing. And it might just be the Fractional CMO — not the CRO, not the CGO — who is quietly redefining what strategic leadership looks like.
What Is a Non-Executive Director? A Pillar of Oversight… for a Different Era
Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) have long been viewed as the steady hand on the tiller — bringing independent oversight, strategic guidance, and governance rigour to company boards. Unlike executive directors, they’re not involved in day-to-day operations. Instead, their value lies in asking sharp questions, challenging assumptions, and ensuring the organisation acts in the best interests of its stakeholders.
Traditionally, their remit includes:
- Independent oversight – bringing a detached, objective perspective to board discussions and decisions.
- Strategic guidance – contributing to the development of corporate strategy, drawing on broad career experience.
- Constructive challenge – acting as critical friends to the executive team, questioning assumptions and holding leadership to account.
- Focus on stakeholders – ensuring that shareholders, employees, customers, and communities are properly considered in strategic decisions.
- Governance assurance – helping maintain ethical standards, regulatory compliance, and risk oversight.
For decades, this model worked well. NEDs offered a valuable strategic counterweight to executives who were deep in operational delivery. Their distance from day-to-day activity gave them clarity, and their accumulated experience lent authority to boardroom debates.
But the business environment has changed. Strategic inflection points happen faster. Technology cycles turn over in months, not years. Market pressures demand rapid iteration, not quarterly reflection. And increasingly, the “arms-length” model of strategic input struggles to keep pace with the operational realities of modern businesses.
“The NED role was designed for an era when strategic change was measured in years, not weeks.”
Why NEDs Are Appointed — and What They Really Cost
The rationale for appointing a Non-Executive Director has traditionally been compelling. Boards value breadth of experience, independent perspective, and the ability to contribute at a strategic level without adding another full-time executive salary.
Typical reasons businesses appoint NEDs include:
- Breadth of Experience - NEDs often bring decades of cross-sector knowledge, leadership credentials, and boardroom experience. This accumulated wisdom can help leadership teams navigate unfamiliar challenges, from regulatory shifts to expansion strategies.
- Independent Perspective - NEDs sit slightly apart from the executive, enabling them to offer a clear, detached view of the organisation’s strategy and performance. This independence is seen as vital for good governance and balanced decision-making.
- Strategic Contribution - By acting as trusted advisors, NEDs help shape long-term strategy, contribute to risk oversight, and often play a key role in preparing for events such as IPOs, mergers, or exits.
However, this governance-focused role comes at a considerable price. In the UK, the typical NED remuneration ranges between £30,000 and £80,000 per annum, depending on the size and sector of the company. For larger or listed organisations, the figure can climb well into six figures, particularly for committee chairs or those with specialist expertise (e.g. audit or remuneration committees).
And yet, for this cost, most NEDs only commit 1–2 days per month to board activities. This usually involves board meetings, committee work, occasional site visits, and stakeholder events. Their influence is strategic but episodic — often limited to reviewing papers prepared by others, asking questions, and signing off decisions.
For many founder-led or mid-market businesses, this represents a significant investment for relatively limited engagement. While NEDs undoubtedly bring value in governance and strategy, their impact on day-to-day commercial performance is often indirect.
“Many NEDs offer valuable oversight — but their contribution is structured around board calendars, not business momentum. In fast-moving environments, that can create a gap between strategic intent and operational reality.”
Enter the Fractional CMO
While NEDs have long been the default choice for adding strategic firepower without increasing the executive headcount, a new model has quietly been reshaping boardrooms and leadership teams: the Fractional CMO.
On the surface, the roles appear to share similarities. Both bring independent oversight, strategic guidance, and cross-sector expertise to the leadership table. But this is where the similarities end. A Fractional CMO operates far more deeply, frequently, and commercially inside the business than a traditional NED ever could.
Read more in our article: What is a Fractional CMO.
Here’s how the two compare in practice:
Fractional CMOs combine the strategic distance of a NED with the operational precision of a senior executive. They are typically engaged for a set number of days per month, allowing them to:
- Embed within leadership teams, participating in board or SLT meetings to shape strategy.
- Direct internal teams and external agencies, ensuring marketing activity is aligned to commercial goals.
- Define and execute growth strategies, not just advise on them.
- Bring an objective perspective — challenging assumptions and cutting through legacy thinking with the credibility of seasoned operators.
- Adapt their engagement over time, scaling up during critical inflection points and stepping back as capability builds.
Importantly, a Fractional CMO is not there to build an empire or “own” marketing indefinitely. Their value lies in clarifying direction, professionalising the function, and unlocking growth potential, often far faster than a permanent hire could achieve.
“Fractional CMOs operate in the space between strategy and execution. They bring senior leadership thinking, but with sleeves rolled up. That blend of objectivity and embedded impact is something NEDs simply aren’t designed to deliver.”
How Can NEDs Survive in the Era of Fractional CMOs?
The rise of the fractional marketing leadership doesn’t have to spell extinction for the traditional NED — but it does require adaptation. As businesses demand more commercially accountable leadership, NEDs who rely solely on boardroom experience and light-touch strategic input risk being outpaced by fractional leaders who deliver tangible results.
To remain relevant, NEDs will need to evolve their value proposition in several key ways:
1. Sharpen Commercial Relevance
NEDs can no longer afford to hover at 30,000 feet. Boards increasingly expect non-executives to bring deep domain insight and demonstrate a clear link between their contributions and commercial performance. Those with strategic marketing, digital transformation, or customer growth expertise will be far better positioned to complement — rather than compete with — fractional leadership.
2. Collaborate, Don’t Compete
Rather than viewing Fractional CMOs as a threat, smart NEDs are learning to work alongside them. A NED can provide governance, external stakeholder perspectives, and long-term accountability, while a Fractional CMO brings operational precision and market-facing expertise. Together, this creates a powerful blend of strategic oversight and executional firepower — a combination increasingly valued by CEOs and investors.
3. Increase Engagement Cadence
A once-a-month board meeting may no longer cut it. Many NEDs will need to increase their involvement, not necessarily in days spent but in cadence and quality of interaction. Engaging in strategic sprints, working groups, or periodic deep dives alongside fractional leaders can help maintain influence while staying relevant to the pace of modern business.
4. Reframe the Role for Scale and Transformation
Businesses undergoing scaling, transformation, or pre-exit preparation often need both oversight and leadership. NEDs who can reposition themselves as strategic stewards during change — complementing the more embedded role of fractional executives — can preserve their seat at the table. This might involve broadening their remit to include mentorship, ecosystem introductions, or targeted governance on growth strategy.
5. Demonstrate ROI
Just like Fractional CMOs, NEDs are under growing pressure to justify their cost. Boards increasingly scrutinise whether high day rates are matched by tangible value. NEDs who can evidence their impact on decision-making quality, risk management, and stakeholder outcomes will stand apart from those who rely on status alone.
“The smartest NEDs aren’t resisting the rise of fractional leadership — they’re finding ways to make themselves indispensable in tandem with it.”
Conclusion: The NED Isn’t Dead (Yet) — But the Game Has Changed
The emergence of the Fractional CMO represents more than just a new operating model — it signals a shift in what boards and leadership teams value. Businesses no longer have the luxury of choosing between detached strategic oversight and hands-on marketing leadership. They want both — and they want it to deliver measurable commercial outcomes.
In this new business paradigm, traditional NED roles that rely on status, networks, and light-touch contribution are under pressure. Fractional CMOs bring commercial acumen, strategic clarity, and embedded execution at a cadence that outpaces many board-only contributions. For some NEDs, this will feel like direct competition. For others, it’s an invitation to evolve.
The smartest organisations are combining these two forces — using Fractional CMOs to drive growth, transformation, and operational marketing excellence, while leveraging NEDs for governance, challenge, and long-term stewardship. Together, they create a leadership ecosystem that is both agile and accountable.
The question isn’t whether NEDs can survive the rise of fractional leadership. It’s whether they are willing to adapt their value proposition to remain indispensable in a world where strategic marketing has moved closer to the centre of the boardroom table.
“Fractional CMOs haven’t killed the NED. They’ve simply raised the bar for what strategic contribution looks like.”
Suggested Further Reading
What Does a Fractional CMO Do?
Top Reasons for Businesses to Hire a Fractional CMO
Signs Your Business Needs a Fractional CMO
About VCMO
VCMO is a UK-based provider of fractional marketing services, supporting B2B SMEs—ranging from funded scale-ups to mid-tier and private equity-backed businesses—through key moments of growth and transformation. Its Chartered Fractional CMOs and SOSTAC® certified planners embed strategic marketing leadership into organisations navigating product launches, new market entry, acquisitions, and leadership gaps.
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