Sarah Lovell

Strategic board-level support

Independent thinking, commercial outcomes.

Whether it’s a capability gap, a capacity squeeze or a crisis that needs steady hands, we place an experienced interim leader in your boardroom to protect value, unlock growth and give you a clear, independent voice at the top table.

Capability

Specialist board-level expertise, finance, operations, growth or transformation, dropped in precisely where your team has a gap.

Capacity

Senior bandwidth for a funding round, an acquisition or a stretched leadership team, so your executives keep the business running.

Crisis

Calm, credible intervention through underperformance, a stakeholder shock or a leadership exit, stabilising the business fast.

Independent thinking

An objective voice free of internal politics, focused only on commercial outcomes and long-term value.

What we deliver

Flexible board-level expertise.

One experienced operator, plugged into your board, delivering across the moments that matter most to value.

Strategic growth

Clarify the direction of travel and accelerate growth with a clear, commercial plan.

01

Leadership

Strengthen and steady the executive team through change, scale or succession.

02

Board effectiveness

Sharper meetings, better information and a board that actually drives the business.

03

Governance

Improve decision-making and accountability with proportionate, practical governance.

04

M&A readiness

Get the business investable and prepared to withstand diligence and negotiation.

05

Exit planning

Build and protect value in the run-up to a sale, transition or investor exit.

06

Coaching & mentoring

Support founders and senior leaders to grow into the next stage of the business.

07

The market opportunity

Board-level challenges, without a full-time NED.

Many owner-managed and growth businesses can’t justify a permanent non-executive director, yet still need experienced strategic guidance. That gap is exactly where an interim CxO earns their keep.

Economic uncertainty

Volatile markets and tighter margins demand experienced navigation and cool-headed decisions.

Growth & transformation

Scaling, restructuring or entering new markets needs a leader who has done it before.

Funding & investor readiness

Investors and lenders back businesses with credible leadership and a clean, investable story.

Governance expectations

Boards, backers and regulators expect stronger accountability and better decision-making.

Leadership gaps

A sudden departure or a missing skill at the top can stall momentum overnight.

Owner fatigue

Founders carrying every decision alone need experienced support, without a full-time commitment.

“

An interim CxO gives you the experience of a seasoned board without the cost, the commitment or the wait. Precisely the support these businesses need, for exactly as long as they need it.

VNXD Interim Solutions

Where we’re different

More than a boardroom hire.

An interim CxO from us doesn’t arrive alone. Behind every placement sits a full-service professional network, so the moment a wider need surfaces the right expertise is already within reach.

A full advisory network behind every engagement

One trusted relationship, a whole network of expertise.

You bring in an interim leader, and gain access to the specialists who can move quickly on funding, a transaction or a complex situation, without starting a new search each time.

Capital

Corporate finance, funding & investor / lender access

Recovery

Restructuring & insolvency expertise on hand

Advisory

Property, legal & professional and tax specialists

Track record & outcomes

The funds our members advise, and the outcomes we deliver.

Our interim leaders and board advisors work alongside the investors, funds and lenders shaping UK business. The result for the companies they lead: better decisions and greater value.

Governance

Cleaner decision-making and stronger accountability at board level.

Faster

More confident strategic decisions, made at the pace the business needs.

Value

Sustainable growth and increased business value ahead of investment or exit.

Leadership

Stronger leadership and a more effective, better-run board.

Just some of the funds our members have advised

Logos are the property of their respective owners and shown for reference only.

About Sarah

Two decades placing the leaders businesses turn to.

Head of Interim · VNXD Interim Solutions

20+ yearsin executive search & interim leadership

Odgersmore than a decade in senior search roles

C-suiteboard-level interim & permanent appointments

Sarah is a board-level talent specialist with over 20 years in management consultancy and executive search, focused on placing high-impact interim leaders at C-suite level. As Head of Interim at VirtualNonExecs she leads the interim talent strategy, identifying and securing top-tier professionals to solve capacity issues, avert crises and strengthen organisational capability.

Her career spans senior roles at some of the UK’s most respected search firms, including more than a decade at Odgers, followed by a Business Director role at a boutique search firm driving transformation and accelerating results for PE-backed businesses, SMEs and corporates.

Today she partners with founders, boards and investors to place the right leader, for exactly as long as the business needs one.

Recommendations

Trusted by the people she has worked with.

Clients and candidates on what it is like to work with Sarah.

“

I have known and worked with Sarah for over a decade and have always been impressed by her professionalism, integrity and sound judgement. She has a remarkable ability to understand both clients and candidates, consistently delivering exceptional leadership appointments. Her insight, discretion and genuine commitment set her apart. I recommend her wholeheartedly to any organisation looking for an executive search partner they can trust.

Rachael HeenanSenior Partner, Capsticks LLP

“

Sarah is a true professional. If you care about the way a recruiter promotes you to a client, be assured she has that edge and is willing to use it on your behalf. A personable individual who understands the needs of both the client and the interim, she works hard to achieve the much-wanted “win-win”. If you want someone out there working hard on your behalf, then Sarah delivers that and more.

Ellen RyabovBoard Level Leader, NHS

“

Working with Sarah over the past year has been an outstanding experience. She has been professional, approachable and genuinely invested in helping me find the right opportunities. What impressed me most is her exceptional communication — regular contact, timely updates, and always making me feel supported and informed. She took time to understand my experience, strengths and goals, ensuring opportunities were relevant and well matched. I would highly recommend Sarah to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, reliable and genuinely committed search consultant with integrity.

Samantha MortonInterim CFO, Speeds Healthcare

Sarah Lovell Head of Interim, VirtualNonExecs

Tell me a little about your business and the challenge, and I’ll come back to you with the right interim CxO and a time to talk.

Prefer email? [email protected]

Step /

Goes straight to the VNXD interim team. No newsletters, no sharing your details.

Thank you, enquiry received

We’ll be in touch within one working day to discuss the right interim leader for your business.