Corteco, a fast-growing group specializing in the renovation of building exteriors, faced a critical period when their CFO left the company. While waiting for a newly recruited permanent CFO to join, they needed an experienced leader who could ensure stability and keep the business moving forward. The solution was to engage Patrik Viksten as interim CFO for the group. We spoke with Anders Johansson, Group CEO at Corteco, about the interim assignment and the collaboration with Nordic Interim.

You have a solid background in the construction industry. Tell us about your journey leading up to Corteco

“I have a long background in traditional construction, with nearly 20 years at Skanska, followed by NCC and then 5 years at Serneke. That adds up to almost 30 years in major Swedish contracting companies, so you could say I’m a real ‘Bob the Builder’! After my time at Serneke, I felt it was time to try something new, and that’s when the opportunity with Corteco came – It felt absolutely right.”

Corteco is a relatively young company with high ambitions. Can you tell us more?

“That’s correct. Corteco was founded in 2022 and is a private equity-backed company with a clear ambition to grow through acquisitions. We have grown steadily and today consist of 17 specialist companies in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The common thread is that all companies work with the renovation and maintenance of a building’s exterior – everything from roofs and façades to windows. Our goal is to reach a revenue of SEK 4 billion by 2028, which means nearly doubling the business over the next three years. It’s an ambitious target given the prolonged economic downturn and global uncertainty, but we see enormous potential.”

In the middle of this growth journey, you needed an interim CFO. What was the situation?

“There was a need for change within the leadership team, which led to our then CFO leaving. We acted quickly and recruited a new permanent CFO, but there was a six-month gap before the person could start. To bridge that period and ensure continuity, it was clear that we needed an interim solution, and we chose to engage Patrik Viksten.”

What was the main focus of Patrik’s assignment?

“The primary objective was to manage and ensure the day-to-day operations of the CFO function. This included everything from handling processes and developing our KPIs to managing risks in acquisitions and ensuring the onboarding of new companies into the group. At the same time, we made full use of Patrik’s knowledge and experience. During his time, several new ideas emerged, and we were able to implement several smaller improvements and new routines that have enhanced the way we work.”

How did it work to bring in an Interim Manager into the organization?

“It worked incredibly well. Patrik integrated into the organization without any issues and quickly became part of the team. He handled the handover to our new permanent CFO excellently, and they worked in parallel for a month to ensure a smooth transition. We are extremely satisfied with his contribution. A clear testament to how successful it was is that Patrik has now moved on to a permanent role as CFO at Aterion, another company within our ownership sphere, Celero Capital. He did a fantastic job with us.”

How did you experience the collaboration with Nordic Interim?

“The collaboration has been excellent. The dialogue with Therese Liljedahl von Segebaden was both fast and professional, and Nordic Interim is truly quick to respond. Therese also supported us with a placement in Finland. Together with Nordic Interim, we found in Patrik someone who had exactly the experience we were looking for, albeit from a different niche. That made the process simple, and it was easy to decide which candidate to move forward with. You got it exactly right.”

Based on your experience, when is it a good time to engage an Interim Manager?

“It’s an excellent solution in the case of a temporary vacancy, just like in our situation. But it’s also very suitable when a company is growing rapidly and may not have the ability to hire all the necessary staff immediately. Another scenario is when you need to drive specific projects over a limited period, such as a major IT project, where you require a certain type of specialized expertise that you don’t need on a full-time permanent basis.”

Finally, what do you do when you’re not driving Corteco’s growth journey forward?

“Then I focus on a different kind of building project – I’m building a new house in the countryside!”