The INIMA European Survey 2024, (International Network of Interim Manager Association) has collected data from 850 in Interim Managers in eleven countries. The survey shows a strong growth for Interim Management, especially in the functions of general management, sales, operations, IT, HR, and finance.
Key insights:
- The demand for Interim Managers is high, but shortages of qualified interim leaders are reported in several countries, notably in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.
- The interim markets vary in maturity, with Germany, Switzerland, and the UK at the top.
- Interim Managers are mostly male, about 56.8 years old and have over 8.5 years of experience in Interim Management.
- The number of female Interim Managers is increasing but remains modest, averaging at 14% across Europe. Poland, France, and the UK show the highest number.
- The most common roles are general management, sales, operations, IT, HR, and finance.
- The top sectors are mechanical manufacturing, industry, automotive, IT, and healthcare.
- Change management and process optimizations were the most common tasks followed by business development, project management, and general management.
- Interim management is used by organizations of all sizes, with companies between 100-1000 employees being the most common. The majority of clients are corporations, SMEs, and family-owned businesses.
- The main ways to find assignments are personal networks (47%) and interim providers (32%).
The top five challenges that Interim Managers encounter are:
- Project Acquisition and Marketing: Acquiring mandates and improving marketing efforts to increase visibility and generate mandates.
- Digitalization and AI Application: Building knowledge and experience in digital tools, AI, big data, and leveraging technologies like ChatGPT for optimizing processes.
- Work-Life Balance: Balancing workload, health, and managing stress to ensure a healthy work-life balance for IM professionals.
- Crisis & Risk Management: Handling economic volatility, managing risks, and addressing supply chain challenges while providing effective crisis management solutions.
- Professional Development and Networking: Continuous learning, building knowledge management systems, expanding networks, and staying updated with industry trends such as AI and digitalization.
Read and download the survey here