When Avonova needed to strengthen cost control, improve IT operations and create better conditions for digital development, Per Brandt was engaged as interim CIO. For Jonas Arlebäck, CEO of Avonova, it was important to find an experienced leader who could quickly address the challenges while keeping the organisation moving forward. Here, he talks about the assignment, the results and why interim management can be the right solution when a business needs to change.

Can you briefly describe Avonova and the role IT plays in your business?

“Avonova is one of the largest occupational health providers in the Nordic region, operating primarily in Sweden and Norway, with a presence in Finland as well. We have around 1,500 employees and work with both private companies and public sector organisations, ranging from small employers to large government agencies and regional authorities.

Our services include doctors, psychologists, nurses and occupational health and safety specialists. Much of our work is preventive, helping employers create healthy working environments, identify problems at an early stage and reduce the risk of illness and workplace injuries.

Digitalisation has become increasingly important to how we deliver our services. We conduct many consultations via secure video and develop digital tools that simplify bookings, documentation and follow-up. We also use AI to support certain processes. This places high demands on IT reliability, information security and our ability to continue developing new solutions. IT is therefore not just a support function; it is an important part of our business development.”

Why did you bring in Per Brandt as interim CIO, and what did you need him to achieve?

“When Per joined us, we had an IT strategy and a roadmap, but they proved too ambitious in relation to what the organisation could realistically deliver. We were struggling to get costs under control. New expenses kept arising, we had too many licences and lacked sufficient visibility into what we were paying for and the value we were getting in return.

We needed someone who could bring order, set priorities and get the fundamentals of our IT operations under control. At the same time, we could not afford to lose momentum in our digital development. We depend on reliable systems and digital services to deliver for our customers, so stability and development had to go hand in hand.

I heard about Per through several different contacts, and several people recommended him. When we met, it felt like the right fit. We needed an experienced leader who could quickly understand the situation, take responsibility and start delivering results. That is why we chose an interim solution rather than immediately recruiting a permanent CIO.

At its core, the assignment was about establishing control and efficiency, but also about making the IT organisation work better and ensuring that the business had the right conditions for future development.”

How did Per balance the need for cost control with the demands of continued digital development?

“That was a key part of the assignment. We needed to make IT operations more efficient and review our costs, but this could not come at the expense of initiatives that were important to the development of the business.

Per reviewed licences, equipment, supplier agreements and ways of working. We had already outsourced parts of our IT operations, which had helped improve efficiency and establish a clearer structure. The task was to understand which services we genuinely needed, where we could work more efficiently and where our resources would have the greatest impact.

At the same time, Avonova was undergoing a broader transformation. We were changing our service delivery organisation, developing our own booking system and building a data warehouse to make better use of the large volumes of information held in our systems. Our medical records system contains data on around two million individuals, which places high demands on data structures, information management and security.

Therefore, Per had to manage day-to-day operations, leadership and future development simultaneously. Cutting costs is not enough if you also undermine the organisation’s ability to deliver or develop. We needed to strike a balance in which IT became more efficient while continuing to support our business objectives.”

The assignment also involved changes to the IT organisation. How did Per approach that part of the role?

“There were challenges relating to the people and organisational side as well. We needed to restructure the organisation, clarify responsibilities and improve how work was carried out. Per provided clear leadership and ensured that we could move forward.

Leading an IT organisation is not just about technology and systems. It is about getting people to work towards the same goals, creating clarity and ensuring that the organisation has the right conditions to deliver. During a period of change, you need to set priorities and make decisions, but you also need to bring people along and establish a structure that will work over time.

Per successfully managed both operational issues and broader organisational changes. He addressed the problems that needed immediate attention while also working to improve the organisation for the longer term. That is an important quality in an interim leader. The goal is not simply to solve the most urgent problems, but to leave behind an organisation that works better.”

Information security is particularly important in your business. What demands does this place on IT leadership?

“We handle sensitive personal and health data and must meet stringent information security requirements, including those set out in Sweden’s Patient Data Act and the GDPR. This means security must be an integral part of everything we do within IT, rather than something managed separately from the rest of the business.

Cyber threats are a reality, and we must continuously improve our safeguards and ways of working. At the same time, we want to keep digitalising our services and make them more accessible to customers and employees. The challenge is to develop new solutions without compromising the protection of information.

For a CIO, this means bringing together several perspectives: technology, business value, efficiency and risk. IT must work reliably in day-to-day operations while also being robust enough to meet the demands and threats facing the business.”

What tangible difference has Per’s work made to Avonova?

“Above all, Per has brought greater control and stability to our IT operations. We have reviewed costs and licences, improved the efficiency of parts of our operations and established a clearer structure for how IT should function. This has given us a better basis for managing the business and setting priorities going forward.

He has also taken responsibility for an organisation facing challenges on several levels. The work has involved technology, finances, ways of working and people. I think he has been very good at moving between the details and the bigger picture, understanding what needs to take priority in different situations.

We are very pleased with his contribution. He has not only addressed the problems that existed when he arrived, but has also helped create the conditions for the next stage of our development. We recently held a farewell dinner for him, and it was a little sad to bring the collaboration to an end. That says a lot about how we have experienced his contribution.”

You now have a new interim CIO in place while recruiting a permanent replacement. Why did you choose this approach?

“We are recruiting a permanent CIO together with Odgers and have an interim CIO in place in the meantime. There was also an ownership dimension to the decision. During the spring, a potential sale of the business in two separate parts was discussed. In that situation, a new owner might want to appoint its own CIO and shape the organisation according to its priorities.

It would have been less appropriate to recruit a permanent CIO before we knew what the future organisation would look like. An interim solution allowed us to maintain continuity, continue our development work and give ourselves time to make the right decision about the long-term arrangement.

This is a good example of when interim management can be valuable. You do not need to put development on hold or rush into a permanent recruitment simply because a key position is vacant. Instead, you can bring in experienced expertise to take responsibility immediately while the organisation prepares for its next step.”

Based on your experience as a CEO, when should companies choose an interim manager rather than recruit permanently?

“I have primarily used interim managers when there has been an urgent need or when the business has been in a situation where it was difficult to determine what the long-term organisation should look like. This could be because a key person has left, there are problems that need to be resolved quickly, or the company is facing a major transformation.

It can be particularly relevant in private equity environments as well. If a company is approaching a sale, you may not know who the future owner will be or how the business will be integrated. An industrial buyer, for example, may already have its own CIO and want to use its existing organisation. In that situation, an interim solution may be more appropriate than making a permanent appointment before the future direction is clear.

Another advantage is experience. An interim leader has often dealt with similar situations before and can quickly identify what needs to be prioritised. When time is limited, it is valuable to have someone who can assess what actually needs to be done, make decisions and move the organisation forward.

But this does not mean interim management is always better than permanent recruitment. It is about choosing the right solution for the situation. If you need to implement change, establish stability or bridge a period of uncertainty, an interim leader can make a significant difference. The key is to have a clear purpose for the assignment and give the person the mandate to deliver.”

What do you think distinguishes an excellent interim manager?

“For me, it comes down to a combination of experience, sound judgement and the ability to act. You need to understand the business quickly and distinguish between what is urgent and what matters in the longer term. At the same time, you must be able to work with the organisation and get people moving towards the same goals.

A good interim manager does not come in assuming that all existing ways of working are wrong. They listen, ask questions and try to understand the context. But once they have built a clear picture of the situation, they also need the courage to make decisions and drive change forward.

It is also important not to make yourself indispensable. The assignment should leave the organisation in a better position and able to continue developing after the interim manager has left. I think that is a good measure of a successful assignment.”

Read our interview with Per Brandt, Interim CIO

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