Kept awake at night wondering how to hire the right interim to lead technology and digital transformation? Business leaders and private equity partners face an increasingly compressed timeline for technology and digital transformation
The luxury of three-year technology roadmaps has disappeared. Value creation plans now demand operational change, commercial redesign and technology modernisation — simultaneously.
In that environment, the traditional full-time hire is often too slow. The answer increasingly lies in the right interim.
But not all interims are equal.
The most effective technology and digital transformation interims operate at the intersection of technology, operations, commercial strategy and customer impact. When hired correctly, they don’t just stabilise — they create equity value.
I’ve been selecting and introducing interim executives for 20 years which has served as a continuous period of due diligence on the thousands of executives I’ve interviewed who suit interim roles. This depth of knowledge of the interim market has enabled me to constantly and quickly benchmark interims we meet against the best we’ve met. Such insight offers significant for companies hiring fast for maximum impact during change.
From years of experience, here’s how to hire the right interim to lead technology and digital transformation.
Hire for Complexity, Not Just Capability
The best transformation interims thrive in complexity and change is often exactly that.
That complexity may come from:
In private equity-backed environments, complexity often comes from speed: new ownership, aggressive growth targets, fragmented systems and a mandate to professionalise quickly. Look for someone who has already navigated this terrain.
Look for Operators, Not Theorists
Digital transformation is no longer about just IT strategy.
It’s about execution across four fronts:
The strongest interims sit at that intersection.
They understand that new systems demand new commercial models. That process modernisation changes margin structure. That customer data reshapes pricing. That automation alters working capital dynamics.
For example:
In both cases, success demands someone who understands operations, not just platforms.
When hiring, test for commercial fluency. If they cannot explain how technology decisions influence EBITDA, pricing power or scalability, they are not the right interim.
Prioritise Pace and Mindset
Change demands urgency, experience and accuracy.
The right interim should:
Those who enjoy the pace of technology & digital transformation tend to:
Match Role to Context — Not Title
One of the biggest mistakes when hiring interims is over-focusing on title.
The same transformation leader may be ideal as:
Focus on mandate clarity:
Define the outcome first. Then fit the role around it.
Value International Fluency
Technology transformation is rarely just domestic.
Leaders who operate comfortably across cultures — for example, fluent in multiple European languages — bring strategic advantages in:
Cultural fluency reduces friction and accelerates execution.
In PE environments, that time saving directly converts to value.
The ROI of the Right Interim
A high-calibre transformation interim delivers value in four measurable ways:
The cost of the wrong hire is visible in bloated tech stacks, under-utilised data, operational bottlenecks and missed exit multiples.
The right technology and digital transformation interim does not simply “run IT.” They reshape the operating model, modernise the cost base, redesign commercial engines and if required, they prepare the business for sale.
Don’t Forget: A high-impact interim executive delivers:
They do not just implement systems. They reshape how the business competes.
A Final Thought
Technology transformation is no longer optional infrastructure work. It is central to value creation.
Hiring the right interim is less about filling a gap and more about injecting momentum, operational clarity and discipline at speed. In fast-moving markets, transformation cannot always wait for the “perfect permanent hire.”
For businesses navigating growth, acquisition, AI integration or international expansion, that injection of leadership can be the difference between incremental change and step-change performance.
In a market where timing defines return on investment and business results, that distinction matters.
If your business is at an inflection point, the question is not whether to transform.
It’s whether you have the right leadership to do deliver it now.
If you’re considering bringing in interim leadership for a transformation mandate, I’d be interested to hear: What has worked — and what hasn’t — in your experience?
This article was written based on the profiles of actual technology & digital transformation interims from our network. Could they work for you?
#TechnologyTransformation #InterimManagement #ChangeManagement #Hiring
