Uniting Interim Managers
In June 2024, our talent met once again for the monthly BBTP Member Meeting. This time we were privileged to hear from Jonathan Selby of The International Network of Interim Manager Associations (INIMA).
Jonathan Selby has been an International Interim Manager since 2007 and has completed assignments in the UK, Italy, the USA, and China. He has often been the “cultural bridge” between Italian medium-sized companies and multinational corporations. He is a British national, a permanent Italian resident, and fluent in both Italian and English. Jonathan is also a board member of Leading Network and the founding chairman of INIMA.
For BBTP’s June Member Meeting, Jonathan presented the results of INIMA’s survey, which they have conducted annually since 2021. The INIMA Report 2024 is full of insightful findings about Interim Managers in Europe.
Did you miss the June Member Meeting? Don’t worry!
The BBTP Team has rounded up some key points from the presentation. Continue reading to get a summary of the presentation and make sure to check out the full INIMA Report 2024 for all its valuable insights.
The International Network of Interim Manager Associations
INIMA is a network comprised of eleven European Interim Manager Associations. The eleven associations represent eleven different countries that work together to support the advancement of the IM profession and share common principles, values and a code of conduct.
The eleven INIMA partners represent eleven different countries and over 3000 practising Interim Managers, many who work internationally. What sets INIMA apart is that it is an international network created by and for Interim Managers.
Along with various events and services, INIMA performs annual surveys for the benefit of Interim Managers, private equities, companies and providers. These include their annual INIMA Report.
Inside the INIMA Report 2024
The INIMA Report 2024 is a comprehensive 27-page document packed with valuable insights about Interim Managers in INIMA’s partner countries. During the BBTP Member meeting, Jonathan highlighted three significant findings from the report.
The average Interim Manager is (still) male
The survey results reveal that the typical European Interim Manager in 2024 remains predominantly male, continuing a trend seen in previous reports. However, France and Poland stood out, with over 20% of Interim Managers being female. This shift is attributed to local laws promoting gender inclusion in the workforce.
At INIMA’s roundtable discussion, this gender disparity was a key topic. Marei Strack, CEO of DDIM (the German Interim Manager Association), shared her thoughts on the gender gap in Germany, suggesting a mix of structural and personal factors at play. This issue was also raised at the BBTP Member Meeting. Findings from BBTP’s Interim Manager Pulse survey indicate that the percentage of female Interim Managers in Finland is comparable to, if not higher than, France and Poland.
The best sellers of Interim Management are (still) Interim Managers
The INIMA Report 2024 revealed that Interim Managers' primary sales channels are still their personal networks (47%) and Interim Providers (32%). National Interim Manager Associations accounted for 3% of assignments. The survey results showed that AI-based matchmakers or other similar tools have brought Interim Managers very few assignments to date. Personal relationships and professional, human-centered services are still highly valued by talent and customers alike.
5 priorities rise to the top of Interim Managers' list
In response to an open question about their their priorities, the following 5 areas were found to be Interim Managers’ main areas of focus:
- Project Acquisition and Marketing: Enhancing efforts to secure mandates and improve visibility.
- Digitalization and AI Application: Expanding expertise in digital tools, AI, big data, and technologies like ChatGPT to optimize processes.
- Work-Life Balance: Managing workloads and stress to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life.
- Crisis & Risk Management: Navigating economic volatility, mitigating risks, and addressing supply chain disruptions while delivering crisis management solutions.
- Professional Development and Networking: Committing to continuous learning, expanding professional networks, and staying updated on industry trends, including AI and digitalization.
Interim Manager Associations in the Nordics
At the end of Jonathan’s presentation, BBTP Members were curious to know the status of Interim Manager Associations in the Nordics and the process of joining INIMA as a partner.
Jonathan noted that he would be interested to hear from any registered Interim Manager Associations in the Nordics. A few major criteria are that the association is non-profit and can commit to the core principles and values of INIMA. Jonathan was not aware of any Nordic Interim Manager Associations but encouraged any organizations or groups curious about their eligibility for partnership to get in touch.
If you are part of an interested Interim Manager association or simply want to know more about INIMA, please reach out to Jonathan directly:
Jonathan Selby
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonselby/
https://www.tmdirect.it/english
Thank you Jonathan!
BBTP Members were lucky to hear about INIMA’s latest report from Jonathan Selby, one of INIMA’s founding board members and the preparer of the report itself. The BBTP Team extends a big thank you to Jonathan for his informative presentation, which covered only a small portion of the insights the full report contains.
Want to learn more about the INIMA Report 2024?
For more insights, make sure to head to INIMA’s website and download the INIMA Report 2024. In addition, on their website, you can previous surveys and find country-specific reports for Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, the UK, Portugal, & Spain.
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If you found something about this blog post interesting, feel free to give your thoughts in the comment section below. We hope to see you at an upcoming event!
