Founded by Nick Diprose, an expert in interim management, Holdsway was awarded ‘Best Interim Recruiter in the South of England’* in 2020. Based in Woking in Surrey, Holdsway has also risen rapidly through the nationwide rankings and is consistently one of the UK’s top five recruiters of interim executives**.
Our experience and insight set us apart. Over time we’ve met, assessed, and placed some of the most talented interim executives working today. Our leadership team of Nick and Mary are globally published authors on the subject of interim management. They know what a great interim looks like, but also how to structure a successful interim assignment.
We’re driven by values such as service, relationships, and responsiveness because to us, interim management is nothing at all if not focused on helping others with the benefit of experience.
Although many of our competitors are larger than us, we decided that size is less important than the quality of the relationships you build. Our size also makes us agile, able to tailor our service, and be highly responsive to clients when they need to hire an interim. Our personalised service is deliberate. When you’re are managing change, turnaround, uncertainty or crisis you need to know reliable and experienced help is at hand – fast.
*SME News Southern Enterprise Awards 2020
**Institute of Interim Management (IIM) Survey 2021 and 2022.
Our company time line:
2008
Mentored by interim management pioneers Martin Wood, Julia Candlish and Stuart Cain, Nick Diprose succeeded Martin to run BIE, the UK’s market leader at the time.
2013
Nick founded Holdsway, offering clients a network of known and proven interim executives, experienced in helping clients manage all kinds of change and transition situations. The combination of candid, straightforward service, and industry-leading insight has seen the firm’s rapid rise to be one of the UK’s interim firms to watch.
2016
Holdsway ranked one of the UK’s fastest-rising interim management firms in the Institute of Interim Management (IIM) national survey.
2018
Holdsway ranked as the UK’s leading ‘Gold Service’ (UK top 30) interim management firm by the IIM.
2019
Holdsway ranked as a ‘Platinum’ (UK top 15) interim management firm by the IIM, confirming the company’s fast rise to the top-tier of the UK interim management industry.
2020
Holdsway ranked as one of the UK’s top ten interim management firms by the IIM.
2021
Holdsway ranked as one of the UK’s top five interim management firms by the IIM.
2022
Holdsway cements its position for the second-year running as one of the UK’s top five interim management firms by the IIM.
CREST Sustainable Business Awards: Celebrating Excellence in Sustainability
Holdsway are founding sponsors of CREST, Surrey’s only business awards uniquely aimed at recognising and celebrating business sustainability. We believe the work of interim executives enables organisations to become more efficient, more innovative and more sustainable.
The CREST Awards have captured the spirit of our time. They aim to inspire and motivate innovation to protect the environment and promote more sustainable working and lifestyle habits.
Launched by the Woking News & Mail in association with the University of Surrey’s Centre for the Environment and Sustainability, an internationally acclaimed centre of excellence on sustainable development, they recognise, celebrate and encourage business sustainability.
Following the hugely successful CREST21, the awards have become established in the business calendar. Preparation for CREST23 Awards is already underway and are due to take place at the WWF’s Living Planet Centre, in Woking, in October 2023.
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We connect companies to interims who accelerate change. We call them ‘expert game-changers’.
Available interim executives from our comprehensive network.
Contact Nick Diprose: Tel. 0203 053 4438, Email nick.diprose@holdsway.co.uk.
This is a selection of interim executives we can introduce to you.
Strategic Communications and Reputation Management expert. Held in-house leadership positions and in top communications agencies in permanent and interim roles.
CEO or Managing Director, an expert at turning around, growing and if necessary selling businesses globally. Strong leadership and functional expertise in strategy, finance, operations, sales, marketing and people management.
M&A Integration/Separation Director with ‘Big 4’ M&A experience. He has managed programmes of work in more than 40 M&A integration and separation/carve-out transactions.
Programme Director who specialises in leading complex change and transformation programmes. Delivers business-critical and complex, multi-work stream change programmes from inception to delivery including Cloud technology-enabled change.
A Transformation professional who designs and delivers change. A former ‘Big4’ consulting partner, with experience as a trusted advisor to CXO suites/Boards and delivering change on the front line. Expertise includes ERP, operating models and motivating disparate teams to deliver change.
Multi-lingual Human Resources Director with expertise in leading organizations through transformation, M&A, restructuring, integration and divestments. A specialist in employee relations, remuneration, talent acquisition & development, and employee engagement. Bilingual certified Coach.
Group Treasurer & Corporate Finance Consultant with extensive international experience and a track record of delivering successful funding outcomes with consistent quality and expert support.
General Counsel with extensive transactional experience, including international M&A and corporate finance, governance, compliance and risk expertise. Transforms and provides GC-level support to in-house teams.
CFO or Finance Director with experience in managing M&A, new launches, change and special projects. He leads all aspects of sourcing deals, negotiation, capital raising, integration and separation—a hands-on interim, strong on execution and building relationships and teams.
A Sales & Marketing Director who has developed and launched over 100 products across multiple markets. A marketeer, brand builder and innovation expert covering consumer and customer insights, idea generation, brand equity, creative brief writing, and brand architecture.
An industrial Operations Director or General Manager who delivers top and bottom-line growth through operational, strategic and commercial effectiveness. A proven performer and an inspirational people leader, capable of developing company and business unit strategy.
A Procurement & Supply Chain Director who leads transformation and program delivery mandates including the digital and technology change needed to modernise and drive exponential growth and cost advantage and used to managing the interface with third-party consulting firms.
A high-performing CIO who harnesses technology to deliver step-change business performance. A results-orientated team player with excellent communication and influencing skills and a track record of developing and delivering customer-first global technology.
Interims will also meet to help diagnose for a week or two before you commit to a longer assignment. Interims will also consider part-time, which can give you a shot of heavyweight experience whilst helping you manage your costs.
INNOVATION TO IMPLEMENTATION
We partner with Shape New Ideas who are experts in helping organisations innovate products, services and processes.
We’re offering clients an integrated innovation and implementation service to help innovate and deliver excellence in products, services and processes without the need for costly, inflexible contracts with consulting firms.
For more information contact Nick Diprose on 0203 053 4438 or email: nick.diprose@holdsway.co.uk.
PERMANENT RECRUITMENT
Clients increasingly ask us to provide shortlists for permanent roles. They say they would rather work with us because we know them well. They also like our levels of personalised service, responsiveness and integrity. Now we can also offer you shortlists for permanent roles, the result of 30 years of networking with people as they progress through their careers. Once we’ve understood the brief and agreed to search our network you won’t be charged a fee until your chosen candidate has signed your offer of permanent employment.
That’s right: no retainer fees, just great market insight and service. The benefit is a shortlist of experienced, known candidates delivered to you quickly.
If you’d prefer a retained executive search – a longer process which provides a search of specific areas of the candidate market – we can introduce you to trusted partner firms.
For more information on hiring for permanent roles contact Nick Diprose on 0203 053 4438.
SECURE CANDIDATE REGISTRATION
Holdsway manages GDPR-compliant relationships with its interim and client communities through the innovative cloud platform Not Actively Looking (NAL).
Whilst connecting executives with leading firms such as Holdsway, NAL also helps senior executives manage their career, offering exclusive content, webinars, peer-to-peer networking events and coaching.
Register as an interim: interims@holdsway.co.uk
