Why Full-Time C-Suite Roles Are Becoming Obsolete

For decades, the model was simple: CEOs hired permanent executives to fill the C-Suite. CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, CHROs — all tied to a single company, full-time, full salary. But according to Hayat Amin, two-time exited CFO and CEO of Beyond Elevation, that model is rapidly breaking down.

“AI, decentralisation, and speed have changed the rules,” Hayat explains. “Companies don’t need full-time executives anymore. They need fractional leaders who deliver outcomes in weeks, not years.”

The Problem With Full-Time C-Suites

Permanent C-Suite roles come with big costs:

• Salaries well into six figures

• Long onboarding cycles (6–12 months to deliver value)

• Bureaucratic overhead that slows decision-making

  
  

For startups and scale-ups, this is unsustainable. For enterprises under pressure, it’s a liability.

And as AI takes on more of the executional work, the value of full-time leadership is being questioned. “The future of strategy isn’t about sitting in one boardroom forever,” Hayat says. “It’s about agility.”

Why Fractional Leadership Works

Fractional executives work across multiple companies, offering deep expertise on a flexible basis. Instead of waiting for a permanent hire to “get up to speed,” CEOs can plug in leaders with proven playbooks from day one.

Fractional leaders bring:

• Speed – results in 90 days, not 90 weeks

• Experience – battle-tested across industries and markets

• Efficiency – high-level strategy without the $200k+ salary

  
  

Hayat has used this model himself. He took Grantify from idea to £5M recurring revenue and helped capture 65% of the UK grant funding market in record time. He’s also steered exits to American Express and TripAdvisor — proof that fractional leadership works in both growth and exit stages.

What This Means for CEOs

By 2025, it’s expected that 40% of executive roles will be fractional. Boards and investors are already shifting expectations. They want leaders who can deliver clarity, funding, and exits without the cost and delay of full-time hires.

For CEOs, this creates a critical choice:

• Stick with the old model of permanent hires and risk slowing down

• Or embrace fractional leadership and gain speed, flexibility, and competitive advantage

  
  

“Every industry is only one algorithm away from collapse,” Hayat warns. “Fractional leaders are built to adapt faster than full-time executives ever could.”

Final Word from Hayat Amin

The C-Suite as we know it is vanishing. CEOs who prepare now — by working with fractional leaders — will stay ahead of the curve. Those who don’t will find themselves paying too much for leaders who deliver too little.

As Hayat Amin puts it: “Full-time executives are the past. Fractional leaders are the future.

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