What Fractional | Dubai does
Fractional | Dubai, co-founded by Rhys Holding and Sam Loyd, runs fractional executive search for UAE SMEs across CFO, COO, CTO, CMO, CHRO and CRO seats, and non-executive directors. Its site says it works with 400 or more vetted executives. It does not publish prices, and says its engagements cost 30 to 60 per cent less than a full-time hire. The process is brief led: you describe the role, and it searches. There are no public profiles to browse.
It states two to three weeks from brief to deployment, engagements of 6 to 24 months, and scaling on one month's notice. It has been covered by Khaleej Times, Gulf Business and Zawya.
Fractional | Dubai and the alternatives, side by side
| Fractional | Dubai | getoperators | CFO Centre UAE | Toptal Dubai pages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you find someone | Submit a brief, the firm searches | Browse named profiles, or brief a search | Book a discovery call | Matched by Toptal |
| Named executives visible first | No public profiles | Yes, without an account | Yes, named CFOs | Yes, named Verified Experts |
| Rates visible first | Not published | Most profiles show the executive's own day rate | Not published | Not published |
| Availability visible first | No | Yes, executives mark themselves available | No | No |
| Seats | CFO, COO, CTO, CMO, CHRO, CRO, NEDs | Eleven senior seats including CFO, COO, CMO, CTO and people | CFO only | Finance, plus COO and CMO pages |
| Stated timing | Two to three weeks, brief to deployment | Meet in days, in the seat within one to three weeks | Immediate start | Average match under 24 hours |
What a part time executive costs in the UAE
These are this site's 2026 UAE bands, stated as market observation. Many executives serving the Gulf quote in dollars or pounds, so fix the currency in writing.
| Seat | Day rate | In US dollars | Two days a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Financial Officer | AED 3,500 to AED 7,500 a day | $950 to $2,050 | AED 26,800 to AED 57,500 a month |
| Chief Operating Officer | AED 3,000 to AED 6,000 a day | $800 to $1,650 | AED 23,000 to AED 46,000 a month |
| Chief Technology Officer | AED 3,500 to AED 7,000 a day | $950 to $1,900 | AED 26,800 to AED 53,700 a month |
| Chief Marketing Officer | AED 3,000 to AED 6,000 a day | $800 to $1,650 | AED 23,000 to AED 46,000 a month |
| Chief People Officer | AED 2,600 to AED 5,000 a day | $700 to $1,350 | AED 19,900 to AED 38,300 a month |
| Sales Director or CRO | AED 3,000 to AED 6,000 a day | $800 to $1,650 | AED 23,000 to AED 46,000 a month |
Who Fractional | Dubai suits better
Fractional | Dubai suits a UAE SME that wants a locally based firm to take the brief and do the searching, rather than reading profiles itself. It also suits a company that wants a non-executive director as well as an operating executive, which is outside the eleven seats getoperators covers, and one that likes a defined engagement length of 6 to 24 months agreed up front.
getoperators suits a company that wants to see who is available, and at what rate, before talking to anyone. As of November 2026, Fractional | Dubai shows no public profiles, so names, rates and availability arrive after the brief. On getoperators named profiles are open to browse, most show the executive's own day rate, and availability is shown. Every executive is checked by hand against LinkedIn and CV and has held the seat. You contact the executive directly. The rate they publish is the rate they receive, and the company pays getoperators a fee of its own, set out in the Terms of Business.
Four questions to ask any UAE provider, including us
- Can I see the actual executives, and what they charge, before I share a brief? If not, the shortlist and the price both arrive after the conversation, which is fine as long as you know that going in.
- Has each executive held the seat, or advised on it? A CFO who has run a finance function and stood in front of a board is a different hire from a consultant who has written reports for one.
- Under what licence will the executive work? In the UAE that usually means their own licensed company, a freelance permit or a sponsored visa, and it decides whether the arrangement can start at all.
- Which currency is the rate in, and what are the payment terms? Many executives here quote in dirhams, dollars or pounds, and thirty day terms are common. Put both in the engagement letter.
Other routes worth knowing
- The CFO Centre UAE: a part time CFO provider showing named CFOs, without rates, with an immediate start stated. Finance seat only.
- Toptal's Dubai pages: fractional CFO, fractional COO and interim CFO pages, with an average match time under 24 hours stated.
- CFO Ventures: a fractional CFO firm for startups and SMEs across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider region, founded in 2018 according to Clutch.
- A retained search, if the role should be permanent. getoperators runs one as Operator Search, with a researched shortlist in five business days.
Common questions
Does Fractional | Dubai publish its prices?
No. As of November 2026 its site does not publish prices, and says its engagements cost 30 to 60 per cent less than a full-time hire. For a market reference, this site publishes UAE day-rate bands for eleven seats, and most profiles on the bench show the executive's own rate.
Can I see executives before briefing Fractional | Dubai?
Its process is brief led, and it shows no public profiles. If you would rather see named executives, their rates and their availability first, getoperators profiles are open to browse without an account.
How fast is Fractional | Dubai compared with getoperators?
Fractional | Dubai states two to three weeks from brief to deployment. On getoperators you contact the executive directly, typically meet within days and can have them in the seat within one to three weeks.
More of them, on hiring, contracts and what a fractional engagement costs, on the fractional executive FAQ.