CFO Salary UK 2026: What a First CFO Costs a Scaleup
If you are planning a first CFO hire, the base salary is only part of the number. This is what the UK market looks like in 2026, with the sources so you can check the figures yourself.
CFO base salary by company size
Series A to B: £120,000 to £180,000, with 20 to 40% bonus
SME, £5m to £50m revenue: £110,000 to £200,000, with 20 to 50% bonus
PE-backed, £10m to £150m revenue: £150,000 to £230,000 base, with 20 to 40% bonus and equity
Mid-market, £50m to £250m revenue: £180,000 to £350,000, with 30 to 60% bonus
London sits at the top of each band. Outside London, expect 60 to 90% of the London figure for an equivalent role.
What else goes into the cost
Three things push the real number above the base.
Equity. In PE-backed businesses, meaningful equity (EMI options, sweet equity or co-invest) is usually the deciding factor for the best candidates, not the base.
Title. A CFO title carries a 10 to 20% premium over Finance Director at the same company size. If the role is really an FD, say so and pay accordingly.
Search fees. A retained search for a CFO typically runs 25 to 33% of first-year compensation.
How long it takes
A CFO search in a PE-backed business usually runs three to five months from brief to appointment, and most senior finance leaders are on three to six month notice periods. If you need someone in the seat before a raise or exit, start early.
What this means for a first CFO hire
For most scaleups, the sensible budget is a £150,000 to £200,000 base, a bonus tied to EBITDA or cash, and a real equity conversation. Below that you will attract strong Finance Directors who want the CFO title, which can work well if the brief is honest about the scope.
We recruit CFOs, Finance Directors and Heads of Finance for UK scaleups and PE-backed businesses, assessed for judgement and fit before qualification. See finance leadership recruitment for the roles we fill, or how we work with you for how a retained search runs.
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