Non-executive and board search
Non-Executive Director Recruitment Specialists
We find independent non-executive directors, chairs, committee chairs and trustees for UK boards: private and PE-backed companies, FCA-regulated firms, charities and listed businesses.
Looking for a board role? Register as a NED candidate or see live roles
FCA
Founder Adrian Lawrence is a Fellow of the ICAEW with a practising certificate
Since 2018
Recruiting senior finance and board leaders since FD Capital launched
5 firms
One shared C-suite and board network across NED, FD, Exec, Accountancy and SMF Capital
2 offices
London, Great Portland Street, and the West Midlands, Cannock
Specialist board search
Non-executive director recruitment for UK boards
The right non-executive director changes how a board works. They bring independent challenge to the executive team, experience the board does not have, and the judgement to oversee risk, audit, remuneration and strategy. The wrong appointment is hard to undo and costly to the board’s credibility with investors, lenders and regulators.
NED Capital works only on board-level appointments. Through our non-executive director recruitment and wider board recruitment services we appoint non-executive directors, chairs, committee chairs, senior independent directors and trustees for private and family companies, private equity-backed businesses, FCA-regulated firms, listed companies, charities and public bodies across the UK.
Every search is retained and research-led. We map serving directors and senior executives who are not on the market, test each candidate’s independence and time commitment from the first conversation, and present a shortlist you can compare like for like. Searches are run by our senior search team under founder Adrian Lawrence FCA.
Who we work with
Private and family companies
A first independent director, or a chair to professionalise the board ahead of growth or sale. See do private businesses need a NED?
Private equity portfolios
Chairs and NEDs for private equity boards, from value creation plans and refinancing to exit.
FCA-regulated firms
SMF board roles and INEDs, with regulatory approval built into the timetable.
Listed and AIM companies
Independent directors and committee chairs who meet the UK Corporate Governance Code or the QCA Code.
Charities, housing and the public sector
Trustees, treasurers and board members for mission-led organisations, in line with the Charity Governance Code.
What we recruit
Board appointments, end to end
Retained search for every seat around the table, plus the board work that sits either side of an appointment.
How a search runs
From brief to appointment in four stages
Every search is run by our senior search team under founder Adrian Lawrence FCA. Our step-by-step guide for chairs explains each stage in more detail.
- 01BriefWe agree the skills gap on the board, independence needs, committee roles and time commitment, using a board skills matrix where it helps.
- 02Research and outreachWe map serving directors and senior executives, most of whom are not on the market, and approach them directly and in confidence.
- 03Assessment and shortlistStructured interviews, independence and conflict checks and board-level referencing, presented as a shortlist you can compare like for like.
- 04AppointmentOffer and terms, regulatory approval where needed, and induction support so the new director contributes from the first board meeting.
Sectors
Boards we recruit for
Sector knowledge matters on a board. We recruit directors who understand the regulation, funding and stakeholders of each sector, and who can still bring an outside view.
Financial services Private equity Technology Fintech Investment trusts Charities Housing associations NHS trusts Education Sport and recreation Arts and creative Transport and infrastructure Private companies Listed and AIM
Regulated boards
NEDs for FCA-regulated firms
Under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, a board appointment can need FCA approval before the director takes their seat. We build regulatory readiness into the search, from the statement of responsibilities to the fitness and propriety checks, so the approval does not become the bottleneck. Our guide to appointing a NED for an FCA-regulated firm sets out what boards need to prepare.
FD Capital Group
Part of a specialist recruitment network
NED Capital is one of five specialist practices, each focused on a different tier of senior appointment. Searches are run by our senior search team under founder Adrian Lawrence FCA, drawing on one shared network of board directors and senior executives.
Practice areaFD CapitalFractional, interim and permanent Finance Directors and CFOs, including SMF2 appointments.→ fdcapital.co.ukSMF2 CFO recruitment →
Practice areaExec CapitalC-suite and board-level executive search across the UK, including regulated firms.→ execcapital.co.ukFCA-regulated executive search →
Practice areaSMF CapitalSenior manager function recruitment for FCA-regulated firms: compliance, MLRO and SMF16/17 roles.→ smfcapital.co.ukSenior manager functions explained →
Practice areaAccountancy CapitalQualified finance professionals below director level, including CASS and regulatory reporting roles.→ accountancycapital.co.ukQualified finance recruitment →Why NED Capital
Why boards choose us
Jobs board
Latest board roles
New · 25 Oct 2026Independent Statutory Director (Part-Time) – UK and US Holding CompaniesView role →
New · 25 Oct 2026Industrial Non-Executive Director – Engineering and Instrumentation Holding CompanyView role →
26 Sep 2026Non-Executive Director – Publicly-Owned Services Group – West LondonView role →From the blog
Latest blog posts
The Three Lines of Defence: A Non-Executive Director’s GuideThe three lines of defence is the model most organisations use to explain how risk is managed and how the board gets…Read more →
How Non-Executive Directors Should Oversee Consumer DutyThe Consumer Duty puts the board of a regulated firm directly in the frame for customer outcomes. At least once a year…Read more →
What Non-Executive Directors Need to Know About Compliance MonitoringCompliance monitoring is how a regulated firm checks, continuously and systematically, that it actually does what its policies and the regulator's rules…Read more →About NED Capital
NED Capital is a specialist non-executive director recruitment firm and part of the FD Capital Group. We work only on board-level appointments: non-executive directors, chairs, committee chairs, senior independent directors and trustees. Searches are run by our senior search team under founder Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Fellow of the ICAEW and former listed-company finance director. You can meet the people behind each search on our team page.
We work across the UK from offices at 167–169 Great Portland Street in London and Watling Court, Orbital Plaza in Cannock, covering the West Midlands; see our locations for regional coverage. Most of our boards are in private ownership, private equity portfolios and financial services, but we also recruit for listed companies, investment trusts, charities, housing associations, NHS trusts and education bodies.
Candidates who want a first or further board role can register with us in confidence. We review every registration against live and upcoming mandates and keep in touch when a role fits. If you are starting out, our guide on how to become a non-executive director is a good place to begin.
Adrian Lawrence FCA — Founder, NED Capital
Fellow of the ICAEW | Chartered Accountant holding an ICAEW practising certificate | Part of FD Capital Group
Adrian holds a BSc from Queen Mary College, University of London and is a former listed-company Finance Director with over 25 years of experience working with boards, investors and business owners across the UK. He founded NED Capital to connect organisations with the independent non-executive directors they need, and oversees the senior search team that runs every board mandate we accept.
Accredited member of GBC.
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