Functions
Interim Board & CEO
Having the right people in board and leadership roles is critical to driving your business forward. Without high-calibre leadership, your organisation can stagnate. But, with the right team, it will flourish. For many reasons it’s not always possible to find the perfect permanent appointment to lead your business. So, that’s where an interim CEO or board member can help.
In the ever-changing commercial landscape, Interim Partners provide leaders who thrive when that short-term or temporary solution is required. At pivotal moments, an interim CEO or board member can drive transformation and take a business in new directions. This approach benefits even the biggest corporations – Steve Jobs served as Apple’s interim CEO in 1997 before turning the business around.
If the unexpected happens, interim executive board members restore much-needed confidence. After a sudden departure, they can smoothly assume control. At Interim Partners, we’ve placed senior leaders into interim CEO positions at the world’s leading organisations – harnessing their experience and cross-functional expertise in roles up to and including the C-suite and board.
Why consider an interim board and CEO: The key benefits
With proper long-term succession planning in place, a business can prepare for the departure of senior figures – whether expected or out of the blue. But a report by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) revealed that a quarter of US public companies and an even greater share of private counterparts haven’t identified an interim CEO in case of emergency.
This situation isn’t unique to US businesses; UK organisations have the same considerations too – and interim arrangements should be at the heart of any long-term planning. An interim board member or CEO means there is a senior leadership figure in place at a key point in time. It’s an invaluable role to drive businesses forward or prevent disruption if the circumstances require:
- Major strategic change, mergers or acquisitions
- A sudden resignation, retirement or death
- Cover for long-term leave, illness or maternity
- A fresh approach or new direction is needed
Interim Partners will work closely with you to identify the requirements for any interim CEO or board member positions you may have – before matching the culture of your organisation and the challenge at hand to the most suitable individual available.
Finding the right fit
Interim CEO
An interim CEO can be an effective way to manage large scale change from the top down of an organisation. They’ll have broad organisational knowledge, but also exhibit solid expertise within a specific functional area – such as acquisitions or restructuring.
Interim Partners can help you find the right individual who is best placed for interim CEO work with your business. These figures will be able to help you navigate through a stressful or challenging time, a crisis situation or the sudden departure of a previous CEO.
Non-Executive Director
Good governance requires an effective board. But sometimes gaps can emerge for multiple reasons and that can leave an organisation lacking crucial strategic expertise and insight. But appointing an interim board member can ensure a seamless transition in such times.
Interim Partners will work with you to identify the requirements for any prospective interim board member role. Our discussions with you let us then match the right non-executive director (NED) to your organisation and make sure there are no disruptions in leadership.
Interim CEOs: Experts when you need them
The main role of an interim CEO or board member is to ensure your organisation is equipped to continue operating without disruption. This can form part of a long-term succession strategy – providing that ongoing leadership and strategic thinking until a new permanent appointment is found. But there are also times when interim CEO roles arise in times of turmoil and crisis.
In such cases, the interim CEO and/or board member(s) can come in and steer an organisation through challenging circumstances. The day-to-day operations are typically left to internal staff, however, so that an experienced interim executive board has the freedom to manage any crisis.
For some organisations, times of crisis require an interim CEO to maintain the status quo. But this isn’t always the case. At Interim Partners, some of our clients come to us looking to recruit interim CEO positions at times of change. From restructuring and mergers to simply moving in a new direction, the experience these senior figures can bring in the short-term can be vital.
Our interim board members are outcome-oriented individuals who work at pace. They’ll quickly add value and take full responsibility for business-critical issues at the very top of organisations, irrespective of size or sector. We work closely with our clients to source the right interim, time and again. If you have an interim CEO or board member role to fill, find out how we can help.
Building an effective board
For a board to be the most effective it can be, it’s important to have diversity of thought around the table. We believe that effective leadership comes from a board representing a wide range of experiences and knowledge – both from within and outside the sector the business operates in.
It’s not just a matter of ticking boxes, however. While a board might look good on paper, it isn’t guaranteed to provide good governance. But this is where an interim CEO or board member can prove a wise appointment.
As someone with experience across several businesses and sectors, an interim CEO can provide in-depth advice on how best to structure your organisation’s top-level board. This individual can also recommend permanent appointment(s) who are best-suited to the roles and your culture.
For some clients, however, the right short-term appointment can be an interim NED. With these individuals, your business can benefit from expertise and knowledge in several situations – from addressing specific shortfalls to effectively delivering new strategies or implementing processes.
Executive search & selection
Our extensive candidate network means we're well placed to find high-calibre candidates when you're looking to recruit a permanent c-suite or senior leadership professional. Wickland Westcott, our executive search business, delivers retained executive-level assignments both internationally and domestically, centring on the recruitment of CEOs, MDs and general managers along with other senior leadership professionals.
Across assignments, we provide up-to-date marketplace insight, making clear recommendations on when to recruit within niche sectors and when to bring in fresh skills and perspective from outside.
Our high-quality, holistic service combines the capability of our highly experienced executive recruitment consultants with in-depth psychometric/personality assessments delivered by qualified occupational psychologists. Our search and selection methodology will ensure a cultural fit and alignment to values and organisational purpose, which is particularly important at a senior level.
Why Wickland Westcott?
- Over 40 years' experience in executive search and leadership consultancy
- Placed over 2,000 senior leaders across industry sectors
- 99% customer satisfaction
- 98% candidate satisfaction over the last 5 years
- Assignment completion rate of 96%
- 95% of candidates placed are still in their role after a year
Who can Interim Partners help?
With a proven track record in placing senior executives when needed most, Interim Partners is well-positioned to benefit your organisation – no matter its industry sector or culture.
Learn more about our work in your sector.
FTSE250 and medium-sized enterprises:
Continuity of leadership isn’t the only pressure point for businesses, disruptive technology, changing loyalty and demands of customers, regulatory compliance and the urgency to transform, requires organisations to employ strong, capable leadership, an agile workforce, and specialist skills to keep up with the pace of change within their sector, but still aligning with a unique business identity.
Start-ups:
While many start-up organisations aspire to major success in the long run, not all are equipped to deal with it. By bringing in an interim CEO or board member, fledgling organisations can feel the benefit of a hugely skilled individual who can facilitate growth. Interim board members may also enhance the external credibility of a start-up to open up new partnerships.
Global corporations:
For established corporations with a global reach, an interim CEO is well-placed to come in with a fresh pair of eyes – especially in times of crisis. Equifax, Twitter and Intel are some examples of major brands turning to interim CEOs and NEDs in recent years. From potential M&As to sudden departures of top-level team members, interim c-suite appointments can offer major benefits.
The Interim Partners difference
We work closely with our clients to help solve their most complex business challenges. Our award-winning consulting services leverage an extensive network of trusted interim managers and executives with the expertise to deliver measurable results across multiple business functions and sectors at a fraction of the cost of management consultants.
We offer a unique approach to interim recruitment and will take the time to truly understand your business. We look at what your challenges are and what you are aiming to achieve. Together, we define your assignment goals and deliverables – giving absolute clarity on the potential value add or return on investment from your interim.
Our interims are contracted through our 4-stage Return on Interim (ROI) methodology to ensure they deliver the results our clients expect, every time.
Insights and Events
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