Interim CEO takes your company to the next level

An interim CEO is an experienced executive who takes on full responsibility for running the company for a limited period. They step in when the business can’t afford to wait months for a standard hire.

When to use an interim CEO

Situations where an interim CEO solves the problem faster than a traditional hire.

CEO DEPARTURE
Sudden departure of the CEO — the company needs someone in the role right away, not an empty chair for six months while a search runs.
CRISIS
A crisis situation at the company — declining performance, loss of a key client, the need for rapid restructuring.
TRANSITION PERIOD
The owner is selling the company or preparing succession and needs professional leadership until a permanent successor takes over.
GROWTH & EXPANSION
Rapid growth or expansion where current leadership can’t keep up and the company doesn’t have months to spend searching for a permanent CEO.
Boardroom meeting

The mandate is always defined at the start of the engagement — a clearly scoped remit is the basic condition for success.

Everything an interim CEO handles

Click to see exactly how an interim CEO can help in your situation.

RUNNING THE COMPANY +
Takes on full executive responsibility, leads the team, and makes decisions within the agreed mandate.
REPORTING +
Reports results directly to the owner or board, regularly and transparently.
STRATEGY +
Handles day-to-day operations and strategic decisions at once, depending on what the company’s current stage needs.
HANDOVER TO A SUCCESSOR +
At the end of the mandate, hands the company over to either a permanent successor or a trained internal manager.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT +
Stabilizes the company during a crisis and puts measures in place that keep working after they leave.
SUCCESSION PLANNING +
Prepares and trains an internal successor, when that’s the goal of the mandate.

How fast they can start

With a traditional CEO search, expect 9–12 months from the initial brief to start date. An interim CEO, by contrast, is available within days.

250+
vetted managers
2 weeks
typical onboarding
3 days
fastest onboarding on record

Need an interim CEO?

Tell us about your situation — you’ll have a specific candidate available within 2 weeks.

Contact Big Interim