News - Interim Management

Successful rebuilding of a People & Culture team in Switzerland: An experience report

25.02.2025

First, there was a carve-out, followed by a takeover by a foreign group—two processes that significantly reduced and weakened the People & Culture (P&C) team in Switzerland. In this report, I’ll share how I, as an Interim Manager, was able to rebuild the team and processes alongside the new P&C Manager for Switzerland, and the approach I took to do so.

Interim Management as a Strategic Task of the Management Board

30.01.2025

Interim management should not be viewed solely as a short-term solution for staffing shortages, but rather as a strategic tool. This strengthens the management team’s ability to act flexibly, efficiently, and innovatively. Here, you will learn why it is worthwhile to build a trusted relationship with an interim management provider even in times of stability.

Is there a leadership vacancy in the foreign branch?

16.01.2025 Blog

If a quick on-site presence is required, good connections to suitable managers through an international network are crucial. Top Fifty can ensure this with its partners and currently conducts about 15% of its assignments abroad.

Micromanagement endangers business success

30.10.2024 Blog

A significant proportion of employees feel that they suffer from micromanagement. This is also shown by international studies and surveys. Only about 1/5 of employees worldwide feel highly engaged. Leadership issues such as micromanagement play a major role among the 75% who are less motivated.

Produktionsprobleme nach Standortwechsel

03.09.2024 Blog

Der Bezug des neuen Standortes mit neu erstelltem Fabrikationsgebäude verlief nicht wie erwartet. Kaum eingezogen, häuften sich Qualitäts- und Lieferprobleme. Das führte zu einem grossen Aufruhr und Diskussionen bei den Kunden. Wie unser Interim Manager Prozesse rasch in Ordnung brachte und die Liefersituation sukzessive verbesserte.

Interim Managerin oder externe Beraterin?

05.06.2024

Wenn es um die Entwicklung einer neuen Kommunikationsstrategie geht, ziehen Firmen gerne externe Berater:innen bei. Doch vielleicht wären Sie besser beraten mit einer Interim Management-Lösung. Unser Fallbeispiel zeigt, warum.

Scandal in a community: How an Interim Manager restored trust and motivation

23.05.2024

The tasks of our Swiss municipalities are becoming more complex. They face economic, social and planning challenges. Municipalities therefore need strong leadership with a clear vision and municipal employees who are motivated to tackle tasks and projects. But what happens when employees are disheartened, frustrated and insecure due to weak leadership? There are resignations at all levels of the hierarchy, projects come to a standstill and a scandal looms. Interim management comes to the rescue. A case study.

From a bottleneck to efficiency

04.04.2024

The metalworking and grinding department, which was struggling with outdated machinery and an outdated operational organization, found itself in a bottleneck situation due to the rapid influx of orders. Instead of being overwhelmed by the challenges, the company decided to take proactive measures and hired an interim manager.

Suddenly the CEO is missing - avoid a leadership vacuum expired: 28.01.2022

28.01.2022

The sudden absence of a top management person can lead to many uncertainties and delayed decisions. The use of an interim manager prevented this leadership vacuum after the departure of a country group CEO.

HR management transformation process

30.11.2023

After years of stability, the energy sector is currently undergoing a major transformation, which means that a lot has to change within energy service companies in a short space of time. This transformation process requires strong and effective human resources management.

Dank Visualisierung zu erfolgreichem Projektmanagement

26.09.2023 Blog

Projektverzögerungen sind nicht nur ärgerlich, sondern bergen oft auch grosse Risiken für das gesamte Unternehmen. Mit erprobten Visualisierungsmethoden bringen Interim Manager*innen Projekte wieder auf Kurs und schaffen eine positive, konstruktive Arbeitsumgebung.

lean management & clear decisions

29.08.2023 Blog

The innovative products of a commercial enterprise led to a surprisingly high demand. This, together with a change of ownership, unsettled and overwhelmed the loyal workforce. Our interim manager and lean management specialist brought back calm and confidence with the introduction of lean basics.

From disorientation back to the ability to act

19.07.2023 Blog

Ideally, companies are well-balanced organisms whose individual departments and employees work hand in hand to achieve a common goal. If one department gets out of balance, the entire company is quickly affected. Read here how an interim manager prevented this worst-case scenario in a global company.

Building Trust

28.06.2023

Building trust - it is particularly important in interim management to gain the trust of employees quickly. Employees want to be convinced that the new manager is a reliable and dependable person who will guide them through a challenging phase in the company if necessary. They want to trust. But how do you create trust?

In Swiss companies interim management is in demand

06.06.2023 TopNews

The Swiss interim management market will grow to over CHF 380 million in 2023 / Around 2,000 interim managers are active in Switzerland / The fastest growing sectors are consumer goods, chemicals/pharmaceuticals and construction / 2/3 of assignments are for management vacancies and change management / 1/3 of interim managers are assigned to executive boards.

Navigating without a CTO - Interim Manager takes over

04.04.2023

Successfully bridging a CTO change: How an interim manager took the helm, completed stalled projects and improved departmental organization.

Profitable again thanks to product range streamlining

01.03.2023

Stagnating markets, high material prices and shrinking margins pose major challenges for companies. Carefully executed product range streamlining can restore their profitability.

Challenges and Solutions in the Integration of Purchasing

06.12.2022

Locations abroad should give a company competitive advantages. For example, through proximity to the customer or through lower labor costs. In practice, however, different workflows and processes as well as a lack of transparency often lead to a high level of communication and administration work within the supply chain. We will use a concrete example to show you how our interim managers can lend a hand in such cases.

The efficiency of supply chains

21.06.2022 "interim management konkret"

Every franc, euro, dollar from increases in productivity ends up unfiltered in the company's EBIT. This financial "cushion" in EBIT allows any additional costs caused by higher stocks of materials or multiple sourcing strategies to be viewed as an "insurance premium". In Part IIII of our Supply Chain Series, Top Fifty Interim Manager and supply chain expert Beat Buser answers questions about supply chain efficiency.

Extensive transformation of corporate IT

21.09.2022 Blog

A global medical research company has comprehensively reorganized its corporate IT with the support of a transformation specialist. This was extremely successful thanks to the integrative management style: Anyone who has a say and helps to develop is also behind the implementation of the selected processes and systems.

The Importance of Digitization

06.09.2022 Blog

The digital dinosaurs’ progress is increasing only slowly. Just 25% of Swiss SMEs have a digital strategy for the entire company. Admittedly, digitization is highly complex. Based on three factors, we will explain how your digital transformation will be successful.

Start-up becomes a successful corporate division

31.05.2022

At some point, every start-up company has to prove that it can hold its own in the market. Working closely together, the founders, the management team and an experienced interim CEO, with a great deal of sensitivity and the gift of listening, managed the transition to an established company.

Suddenly without leadership!

13.05.2022 Blog

Energie Wasser Bern ewb supplies the city of Bern with electricity, gas, district heating, public lighting, fiber optic internet and water. In a large ongoing change process, the head of the decisive organizational unit unexpectedly dropped out. Management member Hans-Peter Wyss explains how the project was kept on course with the help of an interim manager.

How resilient is your supply chain?

27.04.2022 "interim management konkret"

Part II of the Supply Chain Series revolves around the fact that the purchasing department should already be on board during product development for resilient supply chains. The product development and procurement strategy should be coordinated.

Take risks consciously and purposefully!

05.04.2022 Blog

Professional risk management is becoming increasingly important due to the tightening framework conditions at various levels. Good planning and a high awareness of the topic’s sensitivity prepare a company for events that may occur.

At an advantage with stable supply chains

17.03.2022 "interim management konkret"

If you take a close look and deal intensively with your supply chains, you will have an advantage with stable solutions in the future. Interim manager and supply chain expert Beat Buser advises dealing with questions such as "Do I know my supply chains, the processes and dependencies of my suppliers (and their suppliers)?" and «Do I have framework agreements with defined material availability from stock?».

How do I review growth strategy?

11.02.2022 Blog

The environmental conditions of a company are constantly changing. What is the market doing, what do customers want, what influence do new technologies have? How do I keep track of everything and update my growth strategy?
The CEO of a leading global specialist provider of software and hardware solutions asked himself these questions and commissioned a multi-day workshop with all top managers.

Company successfully sold after turnaround

14.01.2022 Blog

In order to be able to sell the company, which was successful on the market but over-indebted, an owner and sole shareholder has enlisted the support of an interim manager.

Planning reliability through professionalised project planning

07.12.2021 Blog

Change management often takes a lot of time. However, accelerating process changes is sometimes important, especially when it comes to keeping a company profitable. This is exactly what the company (specializing in designing customer-specific software and hardware solutions) needed in order to achieve greater planning security.

DIGITAL ROADMAPPING, the way to concrete projects

10.11.2021 Blog

Which digital technologies are suitable for us and how do we approach company-wide digitization? How do I get from the variety of possibilities to concrete projects with „Digital Roadmapping“? These questions are of great importance for many companies.

Caution: Avoid a management vacuum

27.10.2021 Blog

A well-running industrial company had to part with their CTO at short notice and was looking for an interim manager to bridge the vacant management position. Our interim manager took over day-to-day operations, successfully completed stalled projects and improved the organization of the department.

M&A case: Migros sells Saviva AG

15.09.2021 "interim management konkret"

Does the business model of Saviva AG, the gastronomy supplier of Migros Genossenschafts-Bund, have any chance of survival? Should it be restructured and/or sold?
These were the questions posed by the management, including Mr Beat Arbenz, Head of Corporate Finance.

What is the reason when the sales department working past the new ERP system?

02.09.2021 Blog

The new ERP system may have been introduced but was not used by the sales department. That is why a company from the medical supply industry entrusted us with process optimization in this department.

A challenging integration after purchase

10.08.2021 Blog

When two companies merge or one company is bought by another, it is essential to coordinate their reporting standards with uniform key figures and the corporate and management culture as soon as possible. This is extremely demanding and, for various reasons, does not always work right away. An interim manager can provide accelerating support and provide good placement services, as a current mandate shows.

What must be taken into account when relocating or merging locations?

04.08.2021 "interim management konkret"

Relocations and mergers are complex projects that require sufficient attention and planning if they are to succeed. Due to the changed conditions caused by the pandemic, many companies will be forced to deal with such projects this year.

How are liquidations implemented operationally?

02.06.2021 "interim management konkret"

If the liquidation of a department, a location or an entire company is inevitable, it is not only important to consider many legal details, but also to organize the sale of movables, real estate and, if need be, know-how in the best possible way.

Organizational development and process optimization in electrical engineering

13.07.2021 Blog

Our customer, a company from the electrical engineering sector, has grown very quickly internationally in the past. When physical proximity to customers in Eastern Europe and China became increasingly important, the company was faced with the challenge of moving the organization to these locations.

How to manage employees working from home?

20.11.2020 "interim management konkret"

The digital, decentralized work opportunities and the pandemic have resulted in an immediate shift from office work to working from home. The resulting challenges are significant, both for the concerned employees and their surroundings as well as for the employer with its management principles.

Planen und Führen ins Ungewisse

20.08.2020 TopNews

Die Unsicherheit über die künftige Entwicklung ist gross. Jetzt Schwerpunkte zu setzen und Aktivitäten zu planen und budgetieren ist anspruchsvoll. Ein Krisenmanager bringt sein Vorgehen auf den Punkt.

Interim Management gewinnt weiter an Bedeutung

22.07.2019 TopNews

Interim Management ist gefragt und wächst mit rund 8% jährlich auch in der Schweiz. Die gute Auslastung zeigt, dass Interim Manager/innen immer häufiger und breiter eingesetzt werden. Die Unternehmen haben gelernt die flexiblen, sofort verfügbaren Führungskräfte bei Reorganisationen, grossen Veränderungsprozessen und Überbrückung von Führungsengpässen regelmässig einzusetzen.

Reorganisation und Effizienzsteigerung

29.05.2019 TopNews

Die Division Power Magnetics befand sich schon seit Längerem in einem Restrukturierungsprozess doch die Ertragsziele wurden nicht erreicht. In dieser Phase war es wichtig, dass ein erfahrener Restrukturierer und Interim Manager die Führung übernahm.

Turnaround geschafft - Nachfolge gelöst

24.02.2019 TopNews

Das Unternehmen läuft mit wenig Dynamik, erzielt ungenügende Ergebnisse und sucht eine neue Zukunftsvision. Eine neue Führungs- und Inhabergeneration fehlt. Ein Interim Manager schafft Lösungen.

Senior Project Manager Automotive Austria

22.02.2019 Case Study

Case Study of a large automotive supplier, needed help with their Austrian subsidiary. Time frame was 6 months.

Chief Executive Officer of an Italian operation

08.02.2019 Case Study

Case Study of an International group that manufactures equipment for gas treatment and production in Italy. Time frame was 6 months

News / Medien / Publikationen / Events

Successful rebuilding of a People & Culture team in Switzerland: An experience report

Interim Management as a Strategic Task of the Management Board

Is there a leadership vacancy in the foreign branch?

Micromanagement endangers business success

Produktionsprobleme nach Standortwechsel

Interim Managerin oder externe Beraterin?

Scandal in a community: How an Interim Manager restored trust and motivation

From a bottleneck to efficiency

Suddenly the CEO is missing - avoid a leadership vacuum expired: 28.01.2022

HR management transformation process

Dank Visualisierung zu erfolgreichem Projektmanagement

lean management & clear decisions

From disorientation back to the ability to act

Building Trust

In Swiss companies interim management is in demand

Navigating without a CTO - Interim Manager takes over

Profitable again thanks to product range streamlining

Challenges and Solutions in the Integration of Purchasing

The efficiency of supply chains

Extensive transformation of corporate IT

The Importance of Digitization

Start-up becomes a successful corporate division

Suddenly without leadership!

How resilient is your supply chain?

Take risks consciously and purposefully!

At an advantage with stable supply chains

How do I review growth strategy?

Company successfully sold after turnaround

Planning reliability through professionalised project planning

DIGITAL ROADMAPPING, the way to concrete projects

Caution: Avoid a management vacuum

M&A case: Migros sells Saviva AG

What is the reason when the sales department working past the new ERP system?

A challenging integration after purchase

What must be taken into account when relocating or merging locations?

How are liquidations implemented operationally?

Organizational development and process optimization in electrical engineering

How to manage employees working from home?

Planen und Führen ins Ungewisse

Interim Management gewinnt weiter an Bedeutung

Reorganisation und Effizienzsteigerung

Turnaround geschafft - Nachfolge gelöst

Senior Project Manager Automotive Austria

Chief Executive Officer of an Italian operation

Marktstudien zum Interim Management

Further information from media / publications 2008 - 2017