Fractional Leadership in 2025: From Early Experiment to Strategic Imperative in Asia

When we first explored fractional leadership in Asia back in 2023, it was still a fringe concept in many boardrooms — a scrappy workaround rather than a strategic model. But fast forward to today, and the change is striking. Fractional work has matured into a high-impact, high-trust model embraced not just by startups, but increasingly by SMEs and more traditional businesses looking for agility without compromising on talent quality.

In this follow-up, we revisit the evolution of the space through voices from the ground: seasoned fractional practitioners, talent platform leaders, and those shaping community ecosystems. We also draw insights from Singapore’s first comprehensive study* of the independent workforce — co-sponsored by ConnectOne, which paints a picture of a sector growing in both sophistication and impact.

1. Fractional Roles Have Climbed the Corporate Ladder — and Grown in Scope

In 2023, fractional roles were often still viewed as part-time consulting or short-term stopgaps. Today, the narrative has shifted. Companies are now bringing in fractional CFOs, CMOs, and CHROs not only to advise, but to drive transformation — sometimes over multi-year engagements.

Melody, a former HR leader at BCG and Aspire and now a committed fractional HR lead, has seen this shift firsthand:

"There’s a real acceptance now that a strategic leader can be fractional — it’s no longer seen as just 'gap-filling.'"​

A key insight from the research* supports this: businesses are tapping fractionals for bigger and longer roles, trusting them with ownership of major outcomes like fundraising, regional expansion, and re-orgs. This move away from transactional projects to strategic, embedded leadership is significant.

Bass, former CMO of Zenyum and now a fractional CMO for several startups, puts it clearly:

"Fractional roles aren’t about doing “a bit of everything” they’re about being a sharp tool tackling a specific set of problems. Be clear about your USP. Build your offering around your superpowers, not just your experience."

2. AI Has Elevated — Not Replaced Strategic Talent

The rise of AI has profoundly reshaped what companies need from their leadership — and how fractional professionals deliver.

Joanna, a fractional commercial leader specializing in Asia expansion for global startups, sees AI as a force multiplier:

"AI has allowed experienced individuals to act as their own 'team.' You don’t need a junior stack to get things done anymore — just sharp leadership and the right tools."​

This isn’t just about productivity. It’s about relevance. Delbert Ty, former CMO of CoffeemeetsBagel who transitioned into fractional CMO work this year, emphasized how AI is increasing the demand for strategic oversight:

"You need someone with the wisdom to know if what AI gives you is valuable. Tools can build reports — but it takes experience to decide what actions to take."​

In other words, as AI eliminates repetitive tasks, it simultaneously amplifies the value of experienced, judgment-driven talent. Companies are realizing that hiring seasoned professionals fractionally, rather than building large junior teams, often yields better, faster outcomes.

3. Fractional Pricing and Positioning Have Matured — But Not Everywhere

One of the most important shifts since 2023 has been the evolution of how fractional work is priced, scoped, and valued.

Joanna was candid about early missteps:

"When you price per hour, you trap yourself into being seen as a contractor. You stop being a partner."​

She’s since moved entirely to deliverables-based contracts, with clear outcomes and boundaries — a best practice echoed across the ecosystem. But not all fractionals have made this shift, and not all clients understand the difference between “days of work” and value of outcomes.

Bass emphasized the need for precision:

""Don’t try to fit into a company’s gaps just to get the gig. You’re not there to replace an extra pair of hands, you’re there to elevate thinking, unlock capability, and leave the team stronger than you found it."

Until more providers and clients adopt this thinking, poor scoping and scope creep will continue to plague engagements and create misalignment.

4. Onboarding Fractionals: The Overlooked Step That Changes Everything

Hiring a fractional leader is just step one. Without a proper onboarding process, even the best talent can fall flat.

Puay Lim, ex-Commercial Director at Glints and now a fractional practitioner himself, shared:

"It’s not that fractionals aren’t committed. It’s that companies don’t always know how to integrate them."​

He points out that fractionals must be given access to the same business-as-usual (BAU) tools and communication — emails, dashboards, documents, internal Slack channels — to truly contribute. Unfortunately, many are kept at arm’s length, treated like external vendors rather than embedded leaders.

Elena Chow, founder of ConnectOne, illustrated this in a recent conversation:

"A founder recently said to me, ‘I need a fractional CFO — but how do I make the arrangement work?’ That’s still the gap. There’s interest, but not always readiness."

As fractional work moves from experimentation to standard practice, onboarding frameworks and internal readiness will become the differentiators between failed engagements and transformative partnerships.

5. Not Just A Thriving Community but an Ecosystem is Taking Shape

No movement becomes mainstream without community. In just 18 months, Moritz Kaffsack, founder of Portfolio Careers in Asia (PCA), has witnessed an explosion of interest.

"In November 2023, we had around 100 members. Today, we count 1,300 — all without active recruitment. It’s entirely word of mouth," he shared.

This kind of organic growth is a strong signal of demand — not just for fractional work itself, but for peer connection and shared learning. PCA’s “Toolkit” curriculum and “Fractional Masterclass” have helped hundreds sharpen their approach and avoid common pitfalls.

But it’s the second development Moritz sees that might shape the future most:

"In Singapore, I see a growing ecosystem of collectives, ventures, directories, platforms and government initiatives that is getting more closely connected and increasingly pulling in the same direction. It’s very organic, fueled by entrepreneurial drive and the desire to shape the future of work."

From client pitches to research collaborations, this emergent infrastructure is building the connective tissue needed to support and legitimize new work models. If partnerships deepen and more stakeholders coordinate efforts, Asia could become a global leader in the future-of-work movement.

Final Thoughts: Fractional Is No Longer an Experiment — It's an Edge

What started as a workaround during the funding winter has grown into a cornerstone of modern leadership strategy. Companies now realize that hiring a fractional leader isn’t about cutting costs — it’s about gaining strategic leverage.

The road ahead isn’t without challenges: onboarding gaps, education mismatches, and uneven professionalism in the market still exist. But the momentum is undeniable. The ecosystem is growing, communities are thriving, and the quality bar is rising fast.

As Moritz put it, we are no longer just testing new models — we’re building them.

“This isn’t just a trend. It’s a movement to normalize new models like fractional leadership for professionals in the second half of their careers.”

And if the pace of the past year is any indication — the best is yet to come.

Note:
*Download the full report here: https://fractionalresearch.com/ 

Join the Portfolio Careers of Asia community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14287306