Speaking to Executive Grapevine, Nick Diprose, CEO and Founder of Holdsway Interim Leadership, emphasised the value of this trait: “Interim managers by definition are mobile management resource, happy to be deployed at short notice pretty much anywhere (within reason!). The interim managers who find themselves most in demand are those with fewest geographical restrictions and more than one main European language if they really want to widen their nets.
“Experiences have shown over the years that the UK has a strong balance of trade surplus in exporting its interim managers to work in overseas markets. We have one of the world’s most developed markets for interim managers here in the UK. We are also lucky that we speak fluent English, one of the world’s main ‘hub’ languages. One of the key aims of an interim in an assignment is to bring networks of people together so that that teams can deliver change together. If you happen to speak the language everyone else has to, you’ll be in demand. This makes it easier for UK nationals to work in foreign territories.
“Businesses and divisions in some countries will expect roles to be filled by nationals of those countries, even when the organisation may be British or American. We’ve found it helps to work in partnership with European partners who know those markets to introduce native interim managers. We have a very good Paris-based business partner and with them we recently placed a French national into Marseilles as MD of a division of a UK-based multinational. It wasn’t essential but it is what the client wanted. It’s important to understand the nuances immediately when a brief is taken. It’s a tough call going into a new company each time and taking the leadership on an assignment let alone in another country.
“The key to success in any interim assignment, whether you are placing a UK national into France or a Frenchman into Italy is to make sure you are introducing an interim who has the sensitivities and pragmatism to understand and turn cultural differences into business advantage.”
The full article can be found on Executive Grapevine’s Board & Leadership web pages: http://www.executive-grapevine.com/board-leadership/article/2016-03-09-a-successful-interim-is-a-mobile-interim
