Does the Modern C-Suite Have to Be Permanent?

Julia Payne has been published in The Edge, The Institute of Leadership’s magazine, discussing whether the modern C-suite still needs to be built around permanent executive roles.

Because the old leadership model was designed for stability.

But many businesses are no longer operating in stable conditions.

Strategies shift faster. Customer expectations move faster. Markets change faster. And the leadership capability a business needs at one stage may not be the same capability it needs six months later.

That creates a difficult question for founders and boards.

Are permanent leadership structures still the best way to build momentum?

Or do growing businesses need a more flexible model?

Julia’s article explores the rise of fractional leadership and why senior capability no longer has to mean permanent executive overhead.

Fractional leadership is not a shortcut

This is not about replacing the C-suite entirely.

That would be too simplistic.

Strong businesses still need a leadership spine. They need ownership, continuity, direction and institutional knowledge.

But they also need access to specialist senior experience at the moments when it matters most.

That is where fractional leadership changes the conversation.

A fractional leader can bring strategic capability without forcing the business into a permanent hire before the timing, budget, or need is right.

For scaleups and mid-market companies, that matters.

Because hiring the wrong senior leader is expensive. Waiting too long to bring in senior capability is expensive too.

The real issue is not whether a business needs leadership.

Of course it does.

The issue is what kind of leadership it needs next.

Capability matters more than titles

“We need a CMO.”

“We need a CRO.”

“We need a full-time executive.”

But that is often the wrong starting point.

The better question is:

What capability does the business need to unlock the next stage of growth?

Sometimes that capability needs to be permanent.

Sometimes it needs to be fractional.

Sometimes the business needs a strategic operator who can come in, sharpen the system, build momentum and leave the company stronger than they found it.

That is not diluted accountability.

It is clearer accountability.

Because fractional leadership forces the board to define the outcome, not just fill the seat.

And that is where the real value sits.

Not in hierarchy.

Not in visibility.

Not in another expensive title around the table.

But in the specific capability required to move the business forward.

Read the full article in The Edge, Summer 2026 edition:

Stuck in your ways: Does the modern C-suite have to be permanent?