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Technology executive search in London

The Clario team runs executive search in London for senior AI and technology roles, including Chief AI Officer, CTO, CIO, Chief Data Officer and Head of AI positions. We work with London scale-ups and mid-market companies as part of our UK-wide practice, and meet clients at their offices or by video call.

The Shard rising through cloud over the City of London

Hiring senior technology leaders in London

London has more senior AI and technology leaders than anywhere else in the UK, and more companies competing for them. That brings its own challenges. Many candidates interview well and have only run one part of the technology in a much larger organisation. Others are already in several hiring processes, so a slow or unclear process can lose them.

Chief AI Officer roles are a good example. Many roles advertised in London under that title are closer to a Head of AI job, and some are CTO roles in all but name. We help you settle which role you need before the search starts, using the guidance on our Chief AI Officer, CTO, and CDO, Head of Data and CIO pages.

Be clear about office attendance

Some London employers ask for three fixed days a week in the office, while others leave it to the team. Candidates compare these carefully, and introducing a firm requirement at offer stage is a common reason senior hires fall through. Put it in the brief from the start.

It is also worth asking whether the role needs to be in London at all. If most of the team works elsewhere, a leader based in London may rarely be with them.

The London technology market

Senior technology hiring in London is spread across a few well known places. The City and Canary Wharf still employ large teams in banking, insurance and payments. King's Cross and Shoreditch are home to product and software companies, including scale-ups that have outgrown a founder-led technology team. Many firms now hire for more than one senior seat: a CTO, a chief data officer, and someone to own AI.

The pool is deep, and it is also busy. A leader who has only run one product line inside a much larger organisation may not be ready to own the whole function. We say so when we agree the brief, before anyone is approached.

Senior roles we recruit in London

Most London searches we take are for one of these roles:

The title on the requisition is often the wrong one. A London brief labelled Chief AI Officer is sometimes a Head of AI role, and sometimes a CTO role. We agree which you need before the search starts.

Pay in London

Published London figures sit above many UK-wide averages, and they still move with company size. Hays publishes London CTO ranges for FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and SME employers in its 2026 technology leadership tables. The FTSE 100 row is on the CTO salary page. Hays also publishes a London Chief Data Officer and Head of Data row, on the Chief Data Officer salary page. Robert Half publishes a separate London Chief Data Officer band on that page.

Those ranges are a check, not a quote for your role. Read whether the source is describing base pay or a typical package. The note under each figure keeps the source's wording and the date we read it. If the salary in the brief is far from every published London row for that title, we will say so before anyone is approached.

Hybrid and office expectations

Hybrid patterns in London are not uniform. Some employers name three days in a named office. Others leave attendance to the team. Candidates compare the pattern with the salary and the reporting line. A requirement that appears for the first time at offer stage is a common reason a senior hire falls through.

If the team the new hire will lead is not in London, say so in the brief. A London-based leader who is rarely with the team is a different job from one who is in the office with them.

How a London search works

The process is the same as for any of our searches: an agreed brief, direct approaches to people in senior roles, a short list with our assessment of each candidate, and support through the offer. In London it pays to move quickly and be specific, because strong candidates have other options.

Salaries for these roles usually start at £100,000 and are often higher for executive roles in London. Including the salary range in the brief saves everyone time.

Questions we are often asked

Is 124 City Road your London office?

It is the registered office of Clario Digital Ltd, used for post and company filings. We do not hold meetings there. We meet clients at their offices or by video call.

Do you only recruit in London?

No. London is one part of our UK-wide work. If the role could be done from Birmingham, Manchester or elsewhere, it is worth considering, because it widens the field.

Why do London searches stall?

Usually because of slow interview processes, a title that promises more than the role offers, or a salary set for a smaller job. A clear brief, a short process and a salary that matches the role keep strong candidates interested.

Which senior technology roles do you recruit in London?

CTO and VP Engineering, CIO, Chief Data Officer and Head of Data, Chief AI Officer and Head of AI. We agree which title matches the reporting line before the search starts.

Where are the published London salary figures?

London CTO rows from Hays are on the CTO salary page. London Chief Data Officer rows from Hays and Robert Half are on the Chief Data Officer salary page. Each figure names its source and the date we read it.