Interim Management: Why Leaders Are Overlooking It – New OpinionWay X Grant Alexander Study

Paris, March 4, 2025 – As the Bank of France anticipates economic growth to resume between this year and 2026, companies have been navigating months of political, economic, and social uncertainty. With hiring frozen in many sectors, executives are challenged in their pursuit of growth levers and business continuity. In this context, Grant Alexander, a partner in organizational and leadership performance, shares the results of an exclusive study examining executives’ perception and use of interim management.

Key Findings

40% of executives have never heard of interim management
Only one-third know exactly what it entails
1 in 5 executives has already engaged an interim manager
90% of those who used interim management are satisfied
Interim managers are engaged not only for crisis situations but equally to improve profitability (45% vs. 47%)
1 in 10 sees interim management as a tool to deploy regularly when needed
85% consider the cost a potential barrier
The most appreciated asset: external perspective (89%)
Executives tend to picture the interim manager as a man (77%) over 50 years old (58%)

Growing Awareness, Yet Persistent Misunderstanding

The survey highlights executives’ limited understanding of interim management. Often perceived as a “firefighter” for crises or a “cost-cutter,” the role actually covers temporary missions involving transformation and change management, addressing a wide range of strategic challenges.
While 60% of executives have heard of interim management, only 32% claim to understand it fully. Meanwhile, 40% have never even heard of it, showing there’s still significant work in evangelizing the profession.

Among executives surveyed, 78% have never used an interim manager, and 66% say they probably never will, while 12% plan to engage one in the future.

Perceived Barriers

Barriers largely stem from lack of knowledge:
Cost concerns: 85%
Potential lack of understanding of company culture: 84% (especially in industrial sectors: 96%)
Unfamiliarity with the role: 68%
Perceived negative reception by employees: 60% (more pronounced among men: 73% vs. 54% for women)
Short-term commitment: 53%, rising in smaller companies (50–99 employees: 55%; 250+ employees: 45%)

Typical Use Cases

Executives cite the following as common scenarios for interim management:
Replacement of a manager or executive (64%)
Support for organizational transformations (58%)
Improvement of performance/profitability (47%)
Crisis management (45%)
Interim managers are also entrusted with strategic initiatives such as innovation or digital transformation (44%). For those planning future engagements, transformation support (71%) and executive replacement (68%) top the list, with crisis management (62%) also rising in importance.

The Interim Manager Profile

Executives overwhelmingly envision interim managers as:
Male: 77% (higher with age; 73% under 40, 84% over 50)
Senior (over 50): 58%; younger profiles under 50: 41%
Women executives are more open to younger interim managers (43% vs. 36% of men)
Small companies are also more open (44% of 50–99 employees vs. 26% of 250+)
Most executives see interim management as a temporary, exceptional solution (92%), with only 8% viewing it as a tool to mobilize regularly.

High Satisfaction

Despite limited use, satisfaction among users is very high (90%), including 63% fully satisfied. Key benefits include:

External perspective: 89%
Diverse experience and past missions: 82%
Expertise on complex subjects: 81%
Ability to energize teams: 78%
Flexibility and availability: 74%
Use of proven methodologies: 73%
Short-term mission viewed positively: 54%

“Executives who have used interim managers are the profession’s best ambassadors. This role is a true Swiss army knife for transformation and performance. With better understanding, interim management could shift from being a last-resort solution to a strategic tool: ‘the right competence at the right time.’ In today’s uncertain context, its agility is more relevant than ever,” says Alban Azzopardi, CEO of Grant Alexander – Executive Interim.

Study Methodology
Conducted by OpinionWay among 201 senior executives (CEOs, GMs, HRDs, CFOs, Communications Directors, COOs) from private companies of 50+ employees, between November 26 and December 15, 2024.

Press Contact – Agence Øconnection
Emeline Réthoré – erethore@oconnection.fr – +33 6 30 61 51 67
About Grant Alexander
For over 30 years, Grant Alexander has been a partner in organizational and leadership performance, offering tailored solutions across five specialties: Executive Search, Executive Interim, Leadership Development, Transformation Advisory, and Operating Leaders. Present in France (Paris, Aix-Marseille, Lille, Lyon, Nantes, Toulouse) and Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg), it is the exclusive InterSearch partner in these countries. Committed to CSR, Grant Alexander is recognized as an “Entreprise engagée” (EcoVadis).
https://www.grantalexander.com/