When I engage with private equity companies, I’m always startled by how little they know about how to use interim resources efficiently and effectively. Identifying skilled interim help can be critical for a variety of reasons that are frequently ignored at private equity (P/E) portfolio companies. Interim professionals can be strategically recruited to a company’s team to help with a range of tasks, including navigating a merger or acquisition, implementing new processes, and serving as a necessary stop gap between incoming and outgoing management.
Interim talent selection is also a critical decision, therefore it’s crucial to understand the specific conditions in which a temporary resource is hired and how it might assist the portfolio firm the most.
Interim support is brought in for a limited time, usually one to three months, to a P/E-backed company. When the temporary associate is introduced to the P/E-backed company, he or she must hit the ground running. Adaptability is important for more than just performing professional assignments. When it comes to dealing with organizational culture, an interim professional’s capacity to acclimatize to a new environment can be very valuable. A good interim resource should be able to deal with a variety of divisions inside the company and understand best practices for interacting with the private equity board.
When you bring in a resource with a positive attitude and the experience to understand why they’re there and what they need to accomplish, they’ll be able to integrate into an existing team much more quickly than someone who has the appropriate interpersonal and communication skills. Interpersonal skills of an interim executive aid private equity leadership because they allow the associate to analyze financial data in a clear, succinct manner, resulting in constructive, streamlined interactions while evaluating financials and identifying solutions.
When seeking for interim support for a portfolio company, many private equity firms make the mistake of looking for someone with the same skill set as a full-time CFO. Once the transaction is completed, the interim resource should be employed to complete crucial and short-term goals for the organization, and the skill set of this resource will be determined by the specific duties. When the short-term demands are centered on more sophisticated aspects of finance, such as debt restructuring, liquidity, cash management, and so on, bringing in an Interim CEO is often the ideal solution.
Because an interim solution is often only with a company for three months, it is simple for the resource to maintain objectivity and avoid office politics. A unbiased viewpoint on company processes and procedures is quite helpful. Without an affected posture or existing internal ties, an objective approach may easily determine which areas could use improvement, additional support, and/or where cuts are needed. To honestly examine and comment on the state of the portfolio firm, the suitable interim executive provides confidence and impartiality to the job.
Interim solutions may not have the same resume as the permanent executive you’re searching for, but they still have a lot of experience helping similar firms in the tasks you’re looking for them to fill. The associate should ideally have prior experience supporting a private-equity-owned company, as well as the technical and functional skill sets, as well as a category and/or industry expertise, to make an early impact. In a short period of time, the correct interim resource for your portfolio firm can help optimize operations and identify critical internal needs. As a result, hiring an interim resource is a wise decision and a worthwhile investment for your private equity-backed company.
International Executive Consulting LLC is a leading provider of interim solutions in the United States. We have a wealth of knowledge and an expert staff that will look after your growth and expansion strategy, advisory board, and management, and will offer your firm an immediate boost. Visit us today for more information!