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Review of the Year, 2004
 2004 has been a year of surprises for Interregna,
matching an economy which has navigated the year in fits and
starts. Director
Malcolm Alexander says “We had a great start, a quiet patch
over Easter, and then a tremendous finish to the year. It’s
fair to say we’ve had new enquiries every day this past
week, including some from entirely unexpected sources.”
A new confidence in many companies is only
part of the reason. Interregna is expanding fast beyond its
core sectors, finance
and HR, into a relatively new pasture: marketing. “When
companies are optimistic, they expand their marketing function.
After all, their targets will be based on marketing strategies.
Brands also move fast- we recently placed an interim marketing
manager for a specific brand, rolling out a consumer product
rebrand throughout the UK. When a product is being launched or
rebranded, there’s often no time for a six-month recruitment
process- we were able to offer a heavyweight manager with the
right experience in days”.
Similarly, Interregna has placed another
marketing candidate whose job is entirely uncharted territory:
to seek entirely new
routes to market for a well-known consumer product. “We’ve
been very lucky to have managers on our roster who are ready
to look at creative ways to market products. Being inventive
and ingenious, and showing some agility in marketing, is very
much where today’s companies have to be”.
HR remains a constantly changing sector,
and a good source of business for Interregna’s stable.
Associate Director Spencer Wilcox says “The issue of
rewards (what used to be “compensation
and benefits”!) remains a thorn for many boards. The question
is always how to recruit and retain the best- within the context
of what is offered by your competitors- whilst remaining competitive,
satisfying shareholders, and riding out waves of economic or
corporate change”. Interregna has placed several seasoned
experts (like Greg Hope) to cover
restructuring, retention and reward projects.
Malcolm has also been busy with the Interim
Management Association (he serves as Treasurer), aiming to
increase the profile of interim
management with business and government. He feels that new doors
are rapidly opening for interim managers: “Lots of managers
are feeling stretched, particularly those covering maternity
leave or a sudden change of staff. They don’t want two
jobs. We’re finding it’s often the most professional
managers who seek an interim- they’re conscious of their
own abilities and know that it’s a good manager who offloads
assignments to an interim. This flexibility stands us- and the
industry as a whole- in good stead for growth in 2005”
The other trend of 2004 has been an emphasis
on facing Europe. “Languages
and a willingness to travel are becoming ever more important.
Back in the Spring, for example, we found a General Manager for
the French subsidiary of a UK Group. We interviewed as many British
citizens with French as we did French nationals.” To support
a broader range of territories, Interregna has built up a range
of alliances. You may already be aware of a long-standing partnership
with Sleigh Select (permanent financial recruitment, more at
http://www.sleighselect.co.uk/) and new partners include outplacement
and career counselling specialists Eurocareer (http://www.eurocareer.co.uk/)
. More partnerships are on the cards for 2005, and Interregna
is well placed to offer service as efficiently in Bonn as Birmingham.
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