This report draws together findings from comprehensive market research carried out in 2009, 2011 and 2013/14 - to create a complete and up-to-the-minute picture of the European interim sector. Executives Online in The Interim Report explores trends in interim management including reasons for an interim manager being required, day rates and utilisation of interim managers themselves, demographics of interim managers (age, gender, length of experience, geographic location, primary area of functional expertise) and the diverse benefits clients derive from leveraging interims.

1. THE EUROPEAN
INTERIM REPORT
EUROPE
SURVEY REPORT 2014

2. Contents
Page
Introduction
1
Research Objectives and Methodology
2
Defining Interim Management
2
Current Trends
3
Interim Manager Profile
6
Interim Management Billing Rates
9
Sourcing Interim Management Assignments
11
Type of Agency
12
Drivers of Interim Management Engagement
13
Most Important Qualities in an Interim Manager
16
Client Data
17
Interim Managers Look Ahead
18
Conclusion
19

3. Introduction
Executives Online has operated as a European interim management provider since 2000, beginning
in the UK and since 2005 through a growing network of European operations. Years ago, little
accurate data existed about the shape and features of the interim management sector, nor interim
managers themselves. And so, we gathered our own, publishing the Sambrook Report on UK Interim
Management in 2000. We followed that with bi-annual surveys and reports describing the
demographics, pricing, motivations and methods of interim management engagement, and reporting
trends in these and other key figures. The 2014 European Interim Report is the latest edition of this
key publication. In the course of our research, we heard from more than 1,600 interim managers, to
whom we are grateful for sharing their thoughts and perspectives via a detailed online survey.
In the intervening years, the landscape and context for interim management have changed remarkably.
The earliest interim management providers and their placements revolved around the “little black book”
of contacts built on the connections of one (usually) grey-haired founder. The new millennium, by
contrast, has seen the rise of social media as an important channel connecting talent and employers,
and the commoditisation of traditional media like newspaper appointments adverts and even job
boards. Clients’ procurement departments and large volume recruiters have tried to influence the
choice and use of interim managers and interim providers. The global financial and economic crisis
has rattled and challenged companies, causing them to defer investments and trim costs. Skills gaps
emerge as a barrier to organisations capitalising on these trends.
We are pleased to share this report with you and hope that it will address questions you might have,
regardless of your perspective: as an interim manager yourself, or as a business leader in a company
considering engaging an interim manager. Contact us to discuss how an interim manager can bring
skills, capacity, perspective – and most importantly, results – to your organisation.
1

4. Research Objectives and Methodology
Objectives
Defining Interim Management
Our research aimed to answer a variety of questions about
interim management:
For the purposes of this report we define interim management
as being: the provision of a mature, professional manager, well
qualified by relevant skills, practical experience and attitude,
either to deliver a specific business result within a limited time
period, or to fill a gap in permanent staffing.
• What is the typical profile of an interim manager in terms
of gender, age, background, experience, and how they
source assignments?
• Did the global recession have any effects on interim
management, and if so, what?
• What qualities are most important in an interim manager?
• What needs drive companies to seek interim
management solutions?
• What types of companies engage interim managers?
• How often do interim managers work as part of a team,
and what type of work necessitates a team of
interim managers?
• How important are interim management providers and
other recruitment agencies in connecting clients and
interim practitioners?
• What variations are evident among these measures
from one European country to another?
Survey Methodology and Timings
Our survey was conducted beginning in November 2013 and
continuing through January 2014 via an online questionnaire
completed by 1,687 Europe-based interim managers. Interim
managers from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The
Netherlands and Turkey participated in the survey. In some
European countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy
and The Netherlands – sufficient response was received by
country to allow reporting of many figures at the country level.
We include data from our UK survey for comparison in these
breakout figures.
In this report, percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
2

5. Current Trends
Employment Status
At the time of this survey, nearly a third of European interim
managers were working in full-time assignments. Another 12% were
working full-time via a combination of part-time assignments. Another
fifth was engaged part-time. Almost 40% were not on assignment.
These figures are virtually unchanged from 2011, remaining
considerably stronger than in 2009 when overall utilisation was lower
with 48% of interim managers – almost half – not on assignment.
Part-time assignments continue to play a role in interim executives’
portfolios of work, with almost one-third of the interim managers
surveyed engaged in one or more part-time engagements.
Current Status
Current Status
Current Status
2009
2011
2014
6%
12%
13%
19%
48%
19%
20%
39%
27%
29%
29%
Not on assignment – 39%
Full-time assignment – 29%
Part-time assignment – 19%
Full-time, on combination
of part-time assignments – 13%
Not on assignment – 48%
Full-time assignment – 27%
Part-time assignment – 19%
Full-time, on combination
of part-time assignments – 6%
By country, overall utilisation is similar with circa 60% of interim
managers surveyed engaged in work. Interim managers in
France are less utilised than their European colleagues; interim
managers in Belgium and The Netherlands are slightly better
utilised. Compared to 2011, virtually every country has seen an
39%
Not on assignment – 39%
Full-time assignment – 29%
Part-time assignment – 20%
Full-time, on combination
of part-time assignments – 12%
improvement in the percentage of its interim managers who are
engaged in full-time assignments. The exception is Italy, in
which full-time interim roles have lost ground to part-time and
portfolio assignments, and downtime.
Interim Manager Current Work Status by Country
Belgium
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
The
Netherlands
United
Kingdom
Working in full-time assignment
44%
24%
34%
31%
22%
28%
37%
Working in part-time assignment
13%
19%
22%
25%
21%
26%
15%
Working full-time, but as combination of
multiple part-time assignments (portfolio)
11%
9%
7%
10%
15%
16%
9%
Not on assignment
31%
48%
37%
34%
42%
30%
39%
3

6. We asked our interim managers to describe how busy they feel
now compared to a year ago. Their answers echo the findings
about utilisation: a stronger arc of recovery was observed
between 2009 and 2011, whereas at the end of 2013 the
improvement is maintained rather than continuing to accelerate.
In terms of demand for your
services, are you finding yourself:
In terms of demand for your
services, are you finding yourself:
In terms of demand for your
services, are you finding yourself:
2009
2011
2014
21%
23%
29%
37%
42%
49%
30%
34%
35%
Less busy than
a year ago – 49%
Less busy than
a year ago – 42%
About as busy as
a year ago – 30%
About as busy as
a year ago – 34%
About as busy as
a year ago – 35%
More busy than
a year ago – 21%
4
Less busy than
a year ago – 37%
More busy than
a year ago – 29%
More busy than
a year ago – 23%

7. Length of Assignment
Interim management assignments can run the gamut from
short-term projects of a few months to longer-term initiatives
spanning years. What we see in our most recent research is
that length of assignment is remarkably stable versus 2011.
The average assignment has lengthened only slightly, to 9.5
months at the end of 2013 versus 9.3 in 2011. The distribution
of assignments is also very similar.
Length of Last Assignment
30
Percentage
25
20
37%
15
19%
19%
19%
16%
14%
10
13%
5
0
0–3
months
3–6
months
9 – 12
months
6–9
months
In individual European countries the distribution of assignment
lengths is slightly different. Compared to the European average,
Belgian and Italian interim managers secure assignments which
are longer by a full month. In the UK and Ireland, assignments are
shorter than the European average by almost two months. These
country averages are composed of a range of assignments that,
in different countries, show different patterns. In the UK,
Netherlands and Italy, the distribution is quite even, whereas
Germany and Belgium have fewer very short assignments.
12 – 18
months
18
months+
Very short-term assignments are prevalent in Ireland, with 29% of
all assignments running less than 3 months. Anecdotal reports
from Executives Online recruiters are that assignments for
business transformational reasons tend to be longer than
assignments for gap-filling reasons. The survey data bear this out:
Assignments where the main reason was change management,
crisis management, project team strengthening or similar reasons
were on average longer than interim assignments to fill a sudden
gap due to illness, maternity or other reasons by more than 18%.
Length of Last Assignment by Country
Belgium
France
Germany
0 – 3 months
10%
23%
3 – 6 months
13%
6 – 9 months
The
Netherlands
United
Kingdom
Ireland
Italy
8%
29%
15%
18%
19%
21%
27%
25%
16%
21%
24%
16%
15%
18%
15%
11%
18%
21%
9 – 12 months
20%
16%
21%
12%
21%
16%
15%
12 – 18 months
20%
9%
11%
11%
14%
14%
18+ months
22%
16%
15%
8%
23%
13%
Average (in months)
10.9
8.3
9.2
7.1
10.1
8.7
22%
7.6
5

8. Interim Manager Profile
Gender
Gender of Interim Managers –
Western European Average
The interim management field draws a disproportionate
number of men, with 90% of our Western European survey
respondents being male. Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy
show participation of women in interim management at levels
very near the European average. Elsewhere, the proportion of
women among interim managers varies: in France it is 16%; in
Germany, 7%; in Ireland, 13%.
Female
10%
Male 90%
Age
Interim managers tend to be seasoned executives, with more
than 60% respondents aged 50 or more, and an average age of
52. Of the survey respondents, 46% of respondents fell into the
40-49 range, and just 7% were under the age of 40. These
figures show an ageing of the interim management talent pool
towards older and more deeply experienced interim managers,
a trend that continues from 2009. The figures on utilisation show
that the recovery observed in 2011 has held: companies are
Age
Age
20–29 1%
70+ 0.4%
60-69 5%
Age
20–29 1%
30–39
13%
40–49
41%
2009
6
using interims in similar levels to two years ago. The profile of the
average interim manager, however, is affected by new joiners,
and the decision to become an interim manager – a risky but
rewarding career move – appears to be lagging the recovery.
Continued perceptions about the uncertain economic climate
may be deterring younger managers and executives from
leaving the security of employment to commence a career in
interim management.
30–39
10%
50–59
40%
40–49
39%
2011
70+ 0.2%
20–29 0.5%
70+ 0.5%
60-69 5%
30–
39
6%
60–69
10%
50–59
39%
40–49
31%
2014
50–59
46%

9. Years of Experience
The typical interim manager’s career path
involves a successful career in industry –
showing progression, accomplishment and
measurable results – and at some point,
the decision to turn independent as an
interim manager. Successful trading as an
interim manager draws on the skills,
experience and perspective gained in
corporate life but also adds new
challenges: for example, the ability to come
up to speed very quickly in a new situation,
an increased focus on early tangible
results, the ability to influence others in the
organisation but often without a traditional
reporting or team structure. Perhaps most
importantly, an interim manager must be
able to sell him/herself into new
assignments over and over again,
identifying opportunities and persuading
the client to engage them in a months-long
assignment at an appropriate daily rate.
There is debate within the industry about
the importance of tenure as an interim vs.
relevant skills for the role at hand in
predicting success in an assignment.
Years Experience
2009
2 4%
4%
%
Years
Experience
10%
37%
23%
31
27
69
166
142
261
12
20%
Years Experience
2011
7%
4%
Years
Experience
5%
13%
31%
21%
The average respondent in our survey of
interim managers had 6.4 years of
experience as an interim manager, in
addition to their prior corporate career.
Tenure has lengthened since 2009 when
the average European interim manager
had been practicing for 5.6 years.
Continuing a trend from 2009, we see that
fewer interim managers are new to the
career. In this research, 32% of
respondents had less than 2 years’
experience, compared to 38% in 2011 and
39% in 2009. We believe the lower share of
less experienced interim managers is due
to the recent and ongoing economic
uncertainty, which may make it less
attractive to risk starting an independent
career, and in which the more experienced
interim managers are the ones remaining
successful at finding and executing
engagements.
20+
15–19
10-14
5-9
3-4
1-2
Less than 1
No. of
Respondents
20+
15–19
10-14
5-9
3-4
1-2
Less than 1
No. of
Respondents
38
49
124
195
166
288
66
18%
Years Experience
2014
5%
6%
Years
Experience
5%
27%
15%
24%
20+
15–19
10-14
5-9
3-4
1-2
Less than 1
No. of
Respondents
84
81
220
369
285
402
70
19%
7

10. Interest in Permanent Employment
Permanent Job?
Just 20% of interim managers say they are utterly committed to
the field of interim management and will choose to continue in
that realm. The remaining 80% could be interested in permanent
employment if the right opportunity presented itself.
Commitment to interim management has risen slightly since
2009 when 84% of those surveyed were open to permanent
employment, for the right opportunity.
20%
Interim managers are motivated in their career choice by many
different factors, and these no doubt affect their viewpoint on an
employed role. Some see interim management as a way to gain
experience and visibility which can lead to a permanent role;
others deliver interim assignments out of financial necessity
while searching for a permanent role. Many of these
practitioners do rejoin corporate life, but this path can produce
a committed interim too. Many interim managers who begin in
interim management like this discover to their delight that they
enjoy and excel in it more than corporate life. At the other end of
the spectrum are interim managers who already have amassed
significant experience in delivering complex business
transformation projects. Their having acquired the functional
competence, project management skills, and “soft skills”
required to be successful means they are likelier to remain an
interim than their colleagues just starting out.
80%
Yes, I could be interested if it was the right
opportunity – 80%
No, I am 100% committed to interim
management – 20%
Attitude Towards Permanent Employment by Country
Belgium
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
The
Netherlands
United
Kingdom
Yes, I could be interested if it
was the right opportunity
68%
82%
79%
84%
83%
83%
62%
No, I am 100% committed to
interim management
32%
18%
21%
16%
17%
17%
38%
Commitment to interim management is generally higher in
countries with a longer history of interim management as a way
of engaging in executive work, such as Belgium and the United
8
Kingdom. Commitment to interim management is also stronger
in countries with the strongest domestic economies, such as
Germany, Belgium and the UK.

11. Interim Management Billing Rates
Changes in Billing Rate
Distribution of Day Rates
Daily rates continue to be quite stable across Europe. In 2014 and in 2011, more than 60% of
respondents indicated they were billing about the same in the current year as the year before.
Some were able to raise their rates: 12% in 2014 and 14% in 2011. About one quarter are billing
less, but this compares favourably to 2009 when more than 40% of respondent had had to lower
their rates in order to secure assignments during the worst of the recession. The average European
interim manager in our study earns €749 per day, which is virtually unchanged from 2011’s €756.
%
Under €400
15%
€400-€499
9%
€600-699
11%
10%
€800-899
11%
€900-999
2009
12%
€700-799
Change in Daily Rate?
€500-599
8%
€1,000-1,099
€1,100-1,199
4%
€1.200-1,299
4%
€1,300+
15%
10%
6%
42%
43%
More – 15%
About the same – 43%
Less – 42%
Change in Daily Rate?
Change in Daily Rate?
2011
2014
14%
24%
12%
26%
62%
61%
More – 14%
About the same – 62%
Less – 24%
More – 12%
About the same – 61%
Less – 26%
9

12. Billing Rate Differential by Country
and Functional Area
Country
Average Billing Rate
Belgium
Day rates vary by country, with the more mature
markets for interim management (Belgium, The
Netherlands, the UK) showing stronger daily rates,
as well as Germany whose economic strength has
endured the recession better than elsewhere. An
exception to this is France, a relatively newer market
for interim management, and which nevertheless
shows a very strong daily rate, but this may be
inflated by the very high social insurance rates
which must be applied to French interim
management contracts.
Some variation in daily rate is evident by role or
functional area, with European interim Managing
Directors earning the highest daily rates, followed by
Commercial Directors and General Managers.
(Many more roles and functions are represented in
our study, however insufficient responses were
received in each to provide a significant enough
data set.)
€806
France
€859
Germany
€927
Ireland
€710
Italy
€600
The Netherlands
€891
United Kingdom
€760 *
* The average UK interim manager earns £637 per day, converted to Euros
at November 2013 exchange rates equals €760
Functional Area
Average Billing Rate
€870
Finance
€696
Human Resources (HR)
€736
Information Technology
(IT, including IT Project Management)
€762
Marketing
€761
Operations
(Manufacturing but also Services)
€674
Project Management (non-IT)
€713
Sales / Business Development
€644
Supply Chain / Retail Management
10
Top Board/Executive Management
(i.e. CEO, Managing Director,
Managing Partner, General Manager
€693

13. Sourcing Interim Management Assignments
Over seventy percent of the interim
managers surveyed had sourced their
most recent project on their own, with just
over a quarter having made use of interim
or recruitment agencies. Compared to
2009, when agencies delivered 23% of
assignments, the agency share of the
market has grown. This may be reflective
of the increasing maturity of interim
management as a recruitment specialty
and way of working in numerous
European markets.
Source of Last Assignment
Via an interim or recruitment
agency – 29%
29%
Generated the opportunity
myself – 71%
71%
Northern European countries generally appear to have a more
active interim management provider industry, with agencies
supplying larger shares of assignments than elsewhere. This is
no doubt due to the longer timeframe over which interim
management has been developing as a way of working and a
viable career choice. Compared to 2011, France’s provider
industry appears to have matured, delivering 39% of
assignments, compared to only 28% in 2011. Italy and Ireland
remain as markets in which interim managers are largely reliant
on their own networking and selling to deliver assignments,
with agencies providing only 16% of Italian assignments and
21% of Irish assignments.
Source of Last Assignment
100%
Agency
Agency
Agency
Percentage of Respondents
90%
Agency
80%
Agency
Agency
Self
Self
70%
60%
Agency
Self
Self
Self
50%
Self
Self
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Belgium
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
The
Netherlands
United
Kingdom
11

14. Type of Agency
Within the agency sector, interim
management specialist providers have
the dominant share. Among interim
managers who in the past two years
sourced interim work through an agency
or recruitment business of some type,
recruitment practices specifically focused
on interim management have a 66%
market share. Large management
recruiters have a nearly 21% share, with
volume recruitment businesses and
professional services firms dividing up
the remaining 14% of the market.
Social media is playing an increasing role
in connecting interim managers with
work. Fully 46% of interim managers we
surveyed had sourced an assignment via
a client who reached out to them over
LinkedIn, Xing or another social or
business networking site, up strongly
from 28% in 2011.
Type of Agency
2%
12%
24%
11%
21%
31%
Interim management practice,
part of firm with other executive
recruitment services – 11%
Interim management agency generalist (able to place all
types of interim roles) – 31%
Professional services firm
(example Big 4, other
accountancy firms, etc.) – 12%
Large management
recruiter – 21%
12
Interim management agency specialist on the type of role
needed – 24%
Large Recruitment Process
Outsourcing firm (examples
Alexander Mann, Capita) – 2%

15. Drivers of Interim Management Engagement
A range of organisational gaps or imperatives can drive the
need for an interim manager within a company. When
interim managers were asked to specify the “primary
driver” for their client’s hiring them for their most recent
assignment, the two most common reasons were change
management (32%) and crisis management (15%). Other
factors driving more than 10% of assignments were skills
gaps (15%) and the need to implement a major initiative
(13%). The most traditional or “obvious” reason for
engaging interim managers – a temporary absence, or
slow permanent recruitment – were not so important as the
main reason for the engagement.
Main Reason for Engagement
1%
Change management: to lead a major
improvement/transformation project – 32%
4%
5%
8%
32%
Crisis management: to address urgent and
major issues/turnaround – 15%
Implementing a major initiative (product launch, relocation) – 13%
8%
Temporary "skill/competence" shortage – 15%
Temporary management "capacity" shortage – 8%
Strengthening a project team – 8%
15%
15%
13%
Bridging time needed to hire someone permanently – 5%
Bridging time needed to fill a temporary absence
(illness, secondment) – 4%
Client was required by its Bank or Tax/Government authority
to engage an interim executive or board – 1%
Primary drivers of clients’ engagement of interim managers
are quite similar by country. Change management is the
leading reason clients engage interim managers in every
country, accounting for between 24% and 44% of
assignments. In Belgium, Germany and Italy, crisis
management is the second most important driver of interim
assignments. Skills shortages drive strong shares of
assignments in France, Germany and the UK.
Reasons for Engagement by Country
Belgium
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
The
Netherlands
United
Kingdom
Change management: to lead a major
improvement/transformation project
32%
31%
24%
29%
33%
44%
16%
Crisis management: to address urgent and major
issues/turnaround
18%
14%
19%
10%
14%
10%
8%
Implementing a major initiative (product launch,
relocation)
13%
13%
9%
16%
13%
13%
11%
Temporary "skill/competence" shortage
13%
16%
17%
9%
14%
14%
35%
Temporary management "capacity" shortage
5%
9%
7%
13%
10%
6%
8%
Strengthening a project team
4%
6%
7%
10%
11%
4%
2%
Bridging time needed to hire someone
permanently
7%
6%
10%
9%
3%
5%
9%
Bridging time needed to fill a temporary absence
(illness, secondment)
7%
5%
7%
3%
1%
3%
10%
13

16. Asked about “all factors involved” in driving their last interim
management engagement, responses were consistent with the
“primary driver” answers, with change management,
implementing a major initiative, crisis management and skills and
capacity gaps being the most important instigators for engaging
an interim manager. These responses show a similar pattern to
our prior research two years ago. Again, sudden temporary
absences were factors in only a small portion of assignments.
All Reasons for Engagement
800
700
748
22%
Number of Mentions
600
500
524
15%
400
440
13%
527
16%
429
13%
409
12%
300
200
192
6%
100
90 3%
0
Change
management:
to lead a major
improvement/
transformation
project
Implementing
a major
initiative
(product
launch,
relocation)
Crisis
management:
to address
urgent and
major issues/
turnaround
Temporary
"skill/
competence"
shortage
Looking at what types of roles European interim managers take
on, whether general management, functional management,
programme or project management, or subject matter expert,
the share of each in the market is almost equal, with executive
management roles (general or functional) leading project roles.
Aligning with the reasons clients engage interim managers,
where skill/competence shortages were somewhat important
reasons, we see interim managers engaged to assume roles
where they impart a specialist area of knowledge or skill
comprising 27% of assignments.
Temporary
management
"capacity"
shortage
Strengthening
a project
team
Bridging time
needed to hire
someone
permanently
Client was
required by its
Bank or
Tax/Government
authority to
engage an
interim executive
or board
Type of Role
100%
90%
20%
80%
70%
27%
60%
50%
10%
0%
Expert / Consultant (you
were engaged to bring
specific specialist
competencies) – 27%
Functional Management
role (CFO, Marketing
Director, HR Director) –
26%
27%
General Management role
(for example CEO, MD,
Country Manager, Division
Manager) – 27%
30%
20%
Programme or Project
Management role – 20%
26%
40%
14
Bridging time
needed to fill
a temporary
absence
(illness,
secondment)
36 1%

17. Interim managers tend to perform most assignments solo, with
only 16% reporting that in the past two years they had worked
as part of a team of interim managers at the same client.
Among interim managers who had completed team
assignments, the reasons are wide-ranging, and tended to be
concerned with wholesale business transformation:
• Two interim managers to deal with a crisis situation in a
group of 4 companies based in two cities 600km one from
the other.
• Project leadership for a large insurance company to design
a new high compliant system for the solvency II project.
This included rapid product design, implementation,
compliancy approvals and user feedback integration. Team
existed out of people from PwC, Avanade and Deloitte.
• Leading a business change team (mostly interim), as well
as leading a functional team (mostly permanent).
• The project used 4 analysts working on a compliance
project at a bank, all of whom were interim managers.
• The company was split between permanent and interim
managers. Part of the old permanent management was
criticized by the CEO for being stuck and inefficient, so the
CEO took on board me, the technical director and the sales
manager to deliver a turnaround.
• The team included 5 interim managers to save a company,
myself and another as MD, the other 3 as IT manager,
administration and 1 for operations.
• Project team to work on relaunch of a large outlet mall. The
team is composed by a temporary GM, a temporary leasing
director and temporary marketing director.
• Turnaround team with competences in: IT and change
management (myself), financial/bank issues, operational
management, sales management
• It was a 10 person team working on assembly lines
relocation and re-industrialisation.
Work as part of a team of interim managers?
Yes 16%
No 84%
I normally bring in experts such as CFO,
CSO or COO if needed, however the best
turnarounds are carried out by making
incumbent management part of the
interim team.
15

18. Most Important Qualities in an Interim Manager
Interestingly, when asked to rank the most important qualities in
an interim manager, survey respondents favoured aspects of
“effectiveness” and people skills more highly than specific skills
or experience in the job or function. The most important
qualities highlighted were:
• Ability to work strategically but also implement (23%)
• Results-focused (21%)
• Wide range of experience (14%)
• Specific skills/experience for specific job (10%)
• Ability to quickly get people on side (11%)
Other respondents enhanced the list of “people skills” by
adding: “able to manage stressful situations and
psychological attitudes, able to manage different companies at
the same time, able to build teams”, “change management
and quick adaptation to company culture”, “implementing and
getting buy-in for change, and “speed of comprehension,
adaptability to new situation, team and tools”. One observed
that it was “a pity that we can only tick 3 qualities. The qualities
necessary to help the customer depend on the customer's
situation, [whether they are] struggling to survive, [or in]
expansion ...” This adaptability and flexibility were echoed by
many respondents, including one who commented: “An interim
manager is like a puzzle piece. He perfectly fits the difficulty of
the enterprise: a real orchestra conductor, composing with all
the personalities and all environments.”
Interim Manager Perspective
23%
Ability to work strategically but also to implement
21%
Results-focused
Wide range of experience
14%
Specific skills/experience for specific job
10%
Ability to quickly get people on side
11%
8%
Independence
Ability to mentor
7%
Not side-tracked by company politics
5%
Willingness to speak mind when required
4%
Resilience
3%
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Number of Mentions
16
800
900
1000
1100

19. Client Data
Ninety percent of interim management assignments from the
candidates we surveyed were with clients in the private sector,
with larger corporations (over 250 employees) comprising 43%
of assignments and SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises
having under 250 employees) commanding a 46% share. The
public and not-for-profit sectors use interim management less
in Continental Europe, with merely 11% of assignments,
compared to the UK, where their share of assignments in our
survey is 24%.
Type of Client
8%
3
%
46%
43%
Small to medium-sized enterprises (< 250
employees) – 46%
Larger corporations (> 250 employees) – 43%
Public sector organisations – 8%
Charitable organisations – 3%
Industry in Which Interim Managers Surveyed Completed Last Assignment
Industrial / Manufacturing
501
IT / Telecoms / Technology
204
Financial Services / Banking
110
Business Services
86
Health / Medical / Research
84
Retail / Distribution
81
Building / Construction
69
Transport / Logistics
65
51
Media / Marketing / Entertainment
50
Professional Services
Government / Public Sector
44
Natural Resources / Utilities
38
Leisure
26
Charity / Not-for-profit / NGO
11
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Number of Respondents
17

20. Interim Managers Look Ahead
Interim management can act as a bellwether, signalling
changes in the economic climate. We have already seen earlier
in this report that primary reasons companies engage interim
managers include change management (leading a major
improvement/transformation project); crisis management, to
address urgent and major issues/turnaround; and
implementing a major initiative such as a product launch or
relocation. Many of these changes are driven by shifts in the
broader economic environment, as companies equip
themselves to weather a recession or capitalise on an
emergent trend. As the front-line practitioners leading these
special projects, interim managers have a unique vantage point
from which to assess the direction of the economy and
business cycle.
We asked the interim managers in our survey when they
thought Europe would return to normal economic
growth/stability: this year, by the end of 2015, 2016 or later, or
whether the economy is already in a sustainable recovery. Their
answers show that from their perspective, there is still some
ways to go before something resembling normality is achieved.
More than three-quarters (76%) felt the economy wouldn’t be in
a normal/steady growth state until the end of 2015 or later.
Only 7% felt the economy is already back to normal.
Opportunity for interim managers
20%
13%
67%
Companies will use interim managers more, to
drive growth, or for other reasons – 67% (1062)
Companies will use interim managers less,
because they can hire permanently,
or for other reasons – 13% (211)
No change in companies' use of
interim managers – 20% (328)
18
Return to economic growth/recovery
7%
17%
37%
39%
The economy is already in a
sustainable recovery – 7% (104)
In 2014 – 17% (258)
By the end of 2015 – 39% (594)
Not until 2016 or later – 37% (561)
Does an improving economy mean more or less
opportunity for interim managers? In individual cases, this
surely depends upon a particular practitioner’s skills and
experience: a Finance Director with experience in
turnaround situations may find more opportunity in a down
market than a Marketing Director whose forte is new
product launches. Executives Online recruiters observe
that interim management moves at the initial stages of a
change in the business cycle. At the beginning of a
downturn, companies “throw out all the contractors” to
deliver a one-off improvement to their bottom line,
resulting in a drop in interim management usage. Then, at
the beginning of a recovery, they once again use interim
managers, to begin expansionary projects to which they
are still wary of committing permanent staff. Earlier data in
this report show the decline in utilisation and day rates in
the recession’s earlier period, and improvement in 2011
carrying on into 2014, corresponding with the gradually
improving European and global economy. When we asked
the interim managers how a European economic recovery
would affect the interim management sector, most (67%)
felt companies would use interim managers more. Only
13% believed there would be less use of interim
management as the economy improved, and 20% thought
there would be no change.

21. Conclusion
Multiple key findings of this edition of Executives Online’s
be open to the possibility of a permanent, employed role runs
European Interim Report point to a steady, gradually improving
counter to much of the prevailing “wisdom” about interim
business climate. Compared to prior years, interim managers
managers never returning to employment. The proportion of
are more likely to be on assignment than between
interim managers who intend never to return to employment is
assignments, and perceive themselves to be more busy;
stronger in countries where the interim management profession
however the bulk of this improvement in utilisation was already
is better-established.
seen in 2011, with 2013’s figures representing only a minor
shift. That 2013 did not continue the strength observed in 2011
mirrors the “double-dip” of economic difficulties experienced in
many European countries. 2008 marked the onset of the global
financial crisis, then 2010-11 showed some recovery, only to
see large cuts in public spending create further challenges in
2012-13. Assignments have lengthened slightly, with the
Clients continue to engage interim managers for two broad
sets of reasons: to bridge a gap, or to deliver a specific
business result in a project or initiative of fixed duration. In
Europe, change management – the leading of a major
improvement or transformation project – is the primary reason
companies bring on an interim manager. Gaps take on many
average assignment lasting a robust 9.3 months. Day rates,
meanings, with our research pointing to skills gaps being the
too, are stable at a Europe-wide average of €749 per day.
second most important reason for interim management
Interim managers report that the economy is improving, but a
assignments. Interim managers are valued for their strategic yet
strong majority believe that Europe will not return to normal
hands-on abilities, their focus on results, and their wide range
economic growth/stability until the end of 2015 or later.
of experience as chosen specifically to match the task at hand.
A quite diverse and vibrant group of people, and assignments,
Despite the revolution in online business and professional
exist within this positive context. The Interim Report shows that
networking, the proportion of interim management assignments
some attributes of the interim management talent pool have
transacted via a third-party provider such as Executives Online
remained remarkably constant: age and years of experience
is growing and now delivers 29% of all assignments. Within the
continue to portray interim management as drawing upon the
sphere of assignments transacted through a recruitment
skills and experiences of professionals with many years of track
company of any type, it is the interim management specialists
record. The proportion of female interim managers stands at
which are most preferred by interim managers, compared to
only 10%, but the participation of women in interim
more generalist agencies and search firms.
management continues to exceed that of women in the broader
arena of board-level roles.
We hope you have enjoyed Executives Online’s European
Interim Report. If your company or organisation is considering
Interim managers have always been pragmatic about the type
engaging an interim manager, contact your nearest Executives
of role and way of working which will hold their interest
Online office and one of our directors will be happy to
longterm. That 80% of the interim managers we surveyed would
assist you.
About Executives Online
Executives Online Group is an international professional
and skills, in virtually every functional and professional
services company that employs a unique blend of online
discipline. At the heart of Executives Online’s service is our
methods and personal, proficient service to deliver targeted
Global Talent Bank, a growing and constantly refreshed
and cost-effective executive recruitment, for interim
network of over 150,000 candidates. These individuals
management and permanent roles. Our service delivers senior
represent a diverse and highly experienced resource for
directors and managers selected for their specific experience
companies facing an urgent need for talent.
19

22. "A consultant might draw up a great
strategic plan, but companies today want
more than this, they need someone who
can cope with the strategy but even more
importantly deliver it too. For that mix of
abilities you need interim managers. They
are prepared to roll up their sleeves and
get stuck in with your management team
– not sit on the sidelines giving advice.
You can get a senior interim manager,
who perfectly matches your business, on
board incredibly fast. With interims – from
that first call to an interim supply agency,
you can have someone through the door,
and delivering in a week."
Duncan Sedgwick
CEO, Energy Retail Association
(former Business Transformation Director, Powergen)
"I can strongly recommend Executives
Online as a valuable partner for a small
international business such as ours. They
are truly international, down to earth and
prepared to go the extra mile to satisfy a
client, even a small company. Executives
Online have helped our business in the
recruitment of a manufacturing manager
for our plant in Belgium. We were very
impressed with their efficiency, focus and
ability to deliver. The overall experience
was very good, the consultants readily
available and responsive at all times, the
candidates presented to us were a close
match to our requests. Their ability to
work internationally and in teams was
refreshing. We would use their services
with confidence on any future occasion. "
Cristina Scapparino
General Manager, Neoceram
20
"We chose the interim management route
early on to help us keep pace with our
expansion plans. New challenges were on
the horizon and we needed additional
executive management support, fast. I
was pleasantly surprised when a number
of highly suitable candidates were
proposed [by Executives Online], all
within a matter of days. The appointment
immediately brought us new momentum
and greater focus. We were delighted with
Peter's contribution."
David Cole
Managing Director, Buyenergyonline
"Greg brought to The Carphone
Warehouse his obvious experience and
knowledge which he gladly shared with
others. He hit the ground running, quickly
putting all the necessary protocols and
support systems in place. But more
fundamental than this, he gave our team a
lot of confidence. At a time when they
could have felt under enormous pressure,
he made them believe in themselves, and
not be intimidated by the challenge.
He
wasn't cheap but I didn't want cheap, I
wanted good – and that's certainly what I
got. Companies like ours can't afford to
have plans put on hold while we recruit.
That's why we went to Executives Online –
and once again, in days that had found
me just the person I needed."
Attiq Qureshi
Hosting and Support Director, The Carphone Warehouse

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