Daily News
View All NewsUK — Interim managers thrive on the recession
04 September 2009
As marketing departments shrink due to pressures on budgets, interim marketers who specialise in short-term project management have enjoyed an average 12% increase in pay over the last year. Rather than seeing interim marketers as people who fill gaps when no permanent role is available or affordable, it is now being argued that interims should be treated as strategy specialists to be parachuted in when times get tough, Marketing Week reports.
Paul Botting, Chairman of the Interim Management Association (IMA), says that he is "seeing a demand from brands for interim managers that have specialist rather than general marketing skills."
According to Ipsos MORI the interim industry is worth an estimated 1 billion Pounds. For the marketing sector interims are proving particularly popular for those companies needing a turnaround or wholesale changes to strategy.
Charles Russam, Chairman of interim agency Russam GMS, says "the recession has caused many companies to reassess their businesses after years of complacency. Those that were previously reluctant to bring in an outsider are now seeing the benefits."
Rupert Dobson, practice director at recruitment agency Hoggett Bowers, adds that "since many businesses have lost or cut knowledgeable and experienced staff, interims can plug the skills gap. The team in place may not possess the knowledge and skills for a particular project or initiative."
"However, there are only going to be very few (interim managers) of the calibre required who have the right knowledge, are available now and are willing to travel to Moscow for work. Finding the right person for the right role is quite a challenge," Dobson adds.