Transformation

Interim Management: supporting company transformation

Appointing an Interim Manager is a viable solution for all businesses undergoing transformation, whether operational or functional. An interim executive is a good managerial alternative for an organisation in turmoil and mitigates the risks inherent in such unstable situations.

They are entrusted with making decisions in accordance with their brief and aim to achieve their objectives within a given timeframe.

Forging a tangible link between the past and the new future, Interim Managers offer realistic solutions, anticipate the actions required after their departure, and sometimes participate in the choice of their successor. They ensure that skills are passed on, and teams receive appropriate training.

What does Interim Management involve in a transformation context?

Companies change over time and undergo transformation, from turnaround to restructuring to accelerated growth, for example.

Growth may necessitate these changes, for instance, an organisation’s national and international expansion, a variation in the scope of its activities following a merger or acquisition, or the opening of an overseas subsidiary. Sometimes product or offer launches require new functions to be introduced or new tools to be created. Again, support from an expert Interim Manager can be the key to success.

Transformation may also be linked to a decline in growth: the consequences of an industrial accident, a change in regulations or the loss of clients, customers or partners may require a partial cessation of business activities or the implementation of a plan to safeguard jobs. The specific knowledge an immediately operational Interim Manager brings helps the company to cope.

Some of our Interim Management assignments in a transformation context

Assignment #1: Growth

Position: Management Control
Sector of activity: Medical industry
Duration: 12 months

The client was an internationally renowned manufacturer of medical devices.

The client’s requirement

In a situation of sudden strong growth, our client decided to reinforce its financial teams to maintain the quality of its commitments.

The Manager’s assignment

For transitions, a management assignment occasionally involves the deployment of several Interim Managers with complementary expertise.

Support from Transition Management Controllers, specialists in international standards (US Gaap, Sox) ensured they could meet the demand.

The credibility of large-scale investment in a new production site was enhanced by the contribution of a Transition Management Controller. This led to the project being modelled and its financial viability being verified in compliance with the group’s rules.

With the support of the Interim Managers, the group’s finance department was able to validate the reliability of the data and the transparency of the company’s results.

Assignment #2: Business development

Position: Sales Director
Sector of activity: Premium agri-food
Duration: 7 months

The client was an internationally renowned premium artisan food company.

The client’s requirement

In an increasingly competitive environment, the CEO wanted support and coaching from a specialist in food sector business development to increase her turnover significantly.

The Manager’s assignment

The Interim Manager worked closely with the brand’s shareholders to redesign the B2B and B2C commercial strategies, from implementing a new development policy to structuring and managing the sales teams and reviewing the distribution system.

The results of the changes made and the impact of the newly implemented good practices were quickly visible, with a significant increase in turnover in the months following the Interim Manager’s intervention.

Assignment #3: Merger Acquisition

Position: Director of Accounting
Sector of activity: Health
Duration: 10 months

The client was a recognised provider of technical solutions for the health sector.

The client’s requirement

In view of the sale of the company, the client wished to support and strengthen the accounting teams through coaching.

The Manager’s assignment

This Interim Management assignment had a dual objective: to consolidate the accounting function before the sale and support and coach the new management through the financial transfer while continuing to structure the accounting department following the takeover.

Assignment #4: Change Management

Position: Sales Administration Manager
Sector of activity: Distribution of non-food consumer goods
Duration: 8 months

The client was a leading company in France and Europe in the non-food consumer goods sector.

The client’s requirement

The company, aiming for optimisation and modernisation, had embarked on an in-depth restructuring, with a significant reduction in the number of its sites.

The Manager’s assignment

An Interim Manager was called in to limit the disruption by supporting the sales and marketing department in managing the change.

The Interim Manager’s role was mainly to assist in the deployment and use of a new ERP, optimise the sales processes and support and coach all the teams based at the sites concerned.

Assignment #5: Crisis Management

Position: Factory Manager – Distribution, logistics, production
Sector of activity: Agri-food
Duration: 6 months

The client was a specialist fresh produce wholesale group in France.

The client’s requirement

The Factory manager initially appointed withdrew during the start-up of a new production site.

The Manager’s assignment

The group’s senior management team had to make up for this absence as a matter of urgency: an Interim Manager was identified immediately, took over temporarily and ensured the industrial site was launched as planned.

Under what circumstances should Interim Management be implemented in a transformation context?

An Interim Management assignment in a transformation context lasts, on average, six months to two years. This provides enough time for the company and the Interim Manager to achieve the desired results.

Please note that it is rare for an management assignment to last longer than two years.

If the client company still needs support, it usually either initiates recruitment or, by mutual agreement, transforms the assignment into a direct recruitment.