The evolution of the Executive Interim market has meant that steady state type scenarios now account for less than a fifth of the mandates that we talk to clients about. This doesn’t mean to say that the market is shrinking, but that the agenda that brings the assignment to the table has changed.
For the Savannah Group team we see an increase in the usage of Interims for change and transformation as well as the market that historically sat between Interim and Consultancy, where the candidate is being used for the deep dive, writing the strategy and delivering the implementation that follows. Our other area for growth is in the rise of the Fractional Interim, where clients look to utilise the skills of very senior individuals who may only be required for eight to twelve days a months. We see this as a growing trend that will continue as clients look to get better value for money and candidate availability increases as individuals look to build portfolio careers.
The changes we’ve seen in the market have certainly helped us categorise the capabilities of our network. Some people are fantastic trouble shooters, others are a ‘safe pair of hands’ that can be utilised when there is a sudden departure and the client isn’t in a position to talk about the objectives that need to be addressed in the short and medium term. The strategic change agent is a vital part of our network now and they know how to mesh neatly with PE houses, consultancies and large agile change programmes. The days of just knowing a ‘good interim’ who fits the bill are behind us. The market is maturing and Interims will likely continue to become more specialist in the future.