Recently the new Interim Management market study was presented by INIMA (The International Network of Interim Manager Associations). INIMA is a European Network to support the advancement of the IM profession. The partner associations „maintain professional standards by applying robust admission procedures and facilitating continuous learning of their members.“
➡️ For the German-speaking markets following associations are INIMA-members and supported the study: Germany = DDIM e.V. – Dachgesellschaft Deutsches Interim Management, Switzerland = Dachverband Schweizer Interim Manager DSIM, Austria = DÖIM – Dachorganisation öst. Interim Management.
The study is worth a look, especially due to the European comparison. The report drew exclusively on responses from interim managers who were members of national interim management associations affiliated with INIMA, which is good, to assure qualified data. Unfortunately, the data set remains limited. For the 2026 study, not more than approximately 850 responses from interim managers across Europe were evaluated. In total, the study is among the most important practitioner-based datasets in the field.
➡️ In summary:
„In 2025, European interim managers operated in a complex and uncertain market environment. The economy across much of Europe remained sluggish, while geopolitical tensions and the introduction of new trade tariffs created additional uncertainty for companies. These factors combined to produce a cautious business climate, in which organizations were more selective in committing to new leadership assignments.
The interim management market responded accordingly. Overall, the
survey results did not indicate a significant positive upturn during the year. Instead, the data suggested a gradual weakening across several key performance indicators for the profession.“
➡️ Quite stable remain:
– „The distribution of functional expertise varies across interim management associations, with each nation exhibiting a distinct profile. The top five primary functional specializations of European interim managers were general management at 27.2%, finance at 11.1%, operations at 12.5%, human resources at 9.1%, and IT at 6.8%.“
– „The top 5 sectors for European interim managers were
equipment/mechanical manufacturing, industry, automotive, IT and food.“
➡️ The final conclusion of the study is interesting:
„A recurring theme is the limited understanding and recognition of interim management among companies and owners. Many respondents report
that clients still struggle to distinguish interim managers from consultants or managers between jobs. Increasing market awareness, credibility, and clear positioning of the profession remains a priority across markets.“
New opportunities and challenges for clients, interim providers, and interim managers. Exciting times.
What are your thoughts?
Immer für Sie da.
INTERIM-SHERPAS. We bring you there
▶ Kommentare gerne über den Post auf LinkedIn
▶ Link zur website der INIMA und zum Download-Bereich der Studie
▶ Link zum Autor Erdwig Holste
