FractionalFRACTIONAL|LOS ANGELES
Non-executive directors

Independent judgement, for exactly as long as it matters

Non-executive directors drawn from our collective of curated, vetted C-suite operators: years of hands-on leadership, brought to board level. Matched to the stage, sector and challenge of your business, and engaged for the time the role actually needs.

350+Vetted operators
1–2 daysA month, typically
WeeksTo appoint
A bright modern boardroom with a long table in soft morning light
Proven leadership

Our directors have led at

First Abu Dhabi Bank
Mubadala
Emirates NBD
Majid Al Futtaim
HSBC
Goldman Sachs
McKinsey & Company
PwC
A senior executive by a window, reviewing board papers
The definition

What a non-executive director is

A non-executive director is a board member with no role in day-to-day management. They govern rather than manage: challenging and supporting the executive team, bringing independence to the decisions that matter most, and giving investors confidence in how the company is run.

IndependentNo stake in the day-to-day, no reporting line, no conflict. Their value is a clear view from outside the management team.
On the boardA formal seat with directors’ duties, not an informal adviser. They share responsibility for how the company is governed.
Light-touch by designBoard work is naturally part time: typically a day or two a month, rising around defined moments and settling again after.
An operator by backgroundOur directors come from the collective: C-suite leaders who have run the functions boards oversee.
Governance as a service

Two lanes, one collective

In the business, our executives execute. On the board, our directors govern. Fractional embeds C-suite leaders who own outcomes inside the business. A non-executive director sits above the business: holding leadership to account, bringing independence to the big decisions, and giving investors confidence in how the company is run.

01

Governing, not managing

The director shapes and scrutinises the decisions; the executive team runs the business and owns delivery.

02

Independent, not embedded

A non-executive director stays outside the day-to-day on purpose. Distance is what makes the challenge credible.

03

Accountable oversight, not occasional advice

A board seat carries directors’ duties and a standing responsibility, not opinions offered from the sidelines.

When to appoint

When to appoint your first non-executive director

Most companies build governance in stages, and the right moment for a first board seat usually arrives earlier than founders expect. The ladder runs from a single trusted voice to an independently led board.

01

A trusted advisor

One experienced voice, engaged informally around specific questions. Right while the business is early and the decisions are still reversible.

02

An advisory board

A small circle of advisers with a rhythm but no formal duties. Right when you want breadth of experience without governance obligations.

03

A first non-executive director

A formal, independent seat. Right when investors arrive, succession is on the table, or the weight of decisions calls for accountable oversight.

04

An independent chair

Independent leadership of the board itself. Right as the board grows, ahead of a listing, or when the founder steps back from day-to-day control.

The comparison

A non-executive director, an advisory board member, a fractional executive, or a consultant

Four ways to bring senior experience to bear. They sit in different seats and carry different duties.

Non-executive director

Advisory board member

Fractional executive

Consultant

The seat
Non-executive director

A formal seat on the board, with directors’ duties.

Advisory board member

No formal seat and no legal duties.

Fractional executive

Embedded inside the business, in the leadership team.

Consultant

Outside the business, engaged for a defined piece of work.

The work
Non-executive director

Governs: challenges, scrutinises and holds leadership to account.

Advisory board member

Offers experience and connections when asked.

Fractional executive

Executes: owns the outcomes in their domain.

Consultant

Advises: recommends, then hands the work back.

Accountability
Non-executive director

Shares formal responsibility for how the company is governed.

Advisory board member

Goodwill only; no accountability for outcomes.

Fractional executive

Accountable for delivery in their function.

Consultant

Accountable to the brief, not the outcome.

The rhythm
Non-executive director

Typically a day or two a month, on a board cadence.

Advisory board member

Occasional sessions, as needed.

Fractional executive

Regular days in the business every week.

Consultant

Intensive for the project, then gone.

Right when
Non-executive director

Investors, regulators or the weight of decisions call for independent oversight.

Advisory board member

You want breadth of input without formal governance.

Fractional executive

A function needs senior leadership and delivery.

Consultant

A defined problem needs outside analysis.

A senior executive at the window of a bright boardroom before a meeting
The seat is part time. The responsibility is not.
How it works

From the brief to the boardroom

A structured search, run the way we run every appointment. Tell us where the board needs strengthening and we handle the rest.

01

The brief

We work through where the board is today, the decisions ahead, and the experience and independence the seat needs.

02

The match

We search the collective of 350+ curated C-suite operators for directors whose experience fits the stage, sector and challenge.

03

The meetings

You meet a short list. Fit with the chair and the executive team decides more than a CV does.

04

The appointment

You appoint. We put the structure around the engagement so it starts properly.

05

Ongoing support

We stay close for the life of the engagement, keep the structure working, and stand behind the appointment with the whole collective.

The local context

Governance expectations are local

Board expectations differ by market: what investors require, what regulators expect, and what independence formally means are all set locally. The appointment has to fit the rules and the culture of the market the company operates in.

We match directors with that context in mind. The brief is where we work through what your market, your investors and, where relevant, your regulator will expect of a Los Angeles board seat.

Investor expectations

Term sheets and shareholder agreements increasingly specify independent board seats. We help you fill them credibly.

Family businesses

Independent directors who bring objectivity to succession and outside investment while the family’s mandate stays intact.

Right-sized governance

Start with a single independent voice and grow the board as the company matures. Governance should fit the company it serves.

Common questions

The questions boards ask first

Entertainment and media companies benefit from independent governance when they raise capital, integrate PE investment or scale beyond founder-led operations. PE-backed companies need independent board voices from day one to navigate sponsor-founder alignment and operational transitions. Family-backed ventures benefit from independent perspective as they scale and bring in outside capital. For any LA company facing growth capital, investor scrutiny or operational maturity, an independent director strengthens board credibility and decision quality.

A board advisor is informal, carries no fiduciary duty or legal accountability and offers counsel without a vote. A board director holds a formal seat, carries fiduciary duty and personal liability and has voting power. Entertainment and media companies often start with advisors; as capital arrives or PE involvement deepens, formal director seats are required. The transition can happen progressively as the company matures and complexity increases.

Typically 2 to 4 board meetings per year (1 to 2 hours each), plus pre-meeting preparation (1 to 2 hours per meeting). On-call availability for the CEO or founder on major decisions is expected but unscheduled. The commitment rises during financing events, acquisitions or strategic transitions, then settles. Experienced directors prepare efficiently and understand how to make the role work around their other commitments.

Our collective includes executives with deep entertainment and media operating backgrounds: people who have run studios, networks, talent agencies and digital platforms, combined with finance and PE experience. We assess for both industry fluency and governance capability. We also source directors without entertainment background but with strong PE or growth experience who can learn the business and bring fresh perspective to board dynamics.

Yes. That is one of the core value-adds of an independent director on PE-backed boards. A strong independent brings credibility with both founder and sponsor, understands the tension points, and helps the board navigate them. They help the sponsor see the founder perspective and help the founder understand sponsor return requirements. The goal is a board that makes decisions quickly and confidently, not one that becomes a battleground.

Compensation varies significantly by stage and company maturity. Growth-stage companies typically offer modest cash retainers (USD 25,000 to USD 50,000 per annum) plus equity (0.1% to 0.5% vesting over 3 to 4 years). PE-backed and more mature companies offer cash retainers (USD 50,000 to USD 100,000+ per annum) plus equity or distributions. Entertainment companies often add project-based participation for relevant ventures. These are market benchmarks, not our terms. The best directors care about the company, the team and the role as much as the compensation.

A strong independent director helps the board navigate exit planning, buyer diligence and deal structure. They bring objectivity when founder and investor interests diverge around timing, terms or structure. They also help ensure the deal serves all shareholders fairly. Having independent board governance in place well before an exit conversation makes the process cleaner and faster. Many buyers read the board before they read the business.

For executives

Ready for board work?

Senior operators with the experience and independence for a non-executive seat can join the collective as a director.

A detail of a boardroom table with papers and a pen set out for a meeting
Get started

Tell us where the board needs strengthening.

A first independent seat, a stronger committee, or a chair for the next chapter. Outline the moment in the guided brief and we will scope the right appointment.

Brief a board search