Achievements

Following the departure of its Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, our client called on IMT Partners to send in a Change Manager to handle the management of teams already in place whilst carrying out the financial communication during this key period for the company.

A leader in its sector of activity, in B2B and B2C, our client is a global player, and does business either through its own name or by taking out stakeholdings.

In addition to heading up the Financial, Legal, IT and General Services, the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer also handles financial communication and partnerships at a time when the company was applying for listing on the stock market. However, he found himself having to leave the company quickly in order to seize a new opportunity. And, given the importance of the moment for the company, it decided to bring in the services of a Change Manager.

Storyboard:

The initial goal of relay missions is inextricably linked with the ability of the Change Manager to continue an existing position until a replacement takes over. Once the key tenets of the mission had been defined, the intervention of our Change Manager clearly testified the approach embraced by IMT Partners, which drew on the Discovery Report submitted by the Change Manager to enable a better transition and an optimization of the teams in place.

The mission started, as planned, with a short insertion period. Our Change Manager was introduced to the teams and other contact persons. He lost no time setting up meetings with key contacts to "break the ice" and quickly familiarized himself with the eventful company context in order to rapidly turn his focus on strategic projects: a global roadshow with the communication of reliable information to investors.

Three weeks after his arrival, the Discovery Report handed into IMT Partners by the Change Manager concluded that even though new partnerships were being forged, no major developments would take place until the new manager had been recruited. Thus, in the mission statement as updated by the Change Manager, the focus shifted to elements pertaining to operations and financial communication.

The following 2 months were also very efficient, according to client feedback: above and beyond bridging the transition between outgoing and an incoming Chief Administrative and Financial Officers, the intervention of our Change Manager led to an auditing of team operation and the closure of the first exercise following a stockmarket listing, doing so in a very international context.

Duration : 4 Months

Following the departure of its Chief Financial Officer, our client asked IMT Partners for the intervention of an interim manager who would manage the teams in place while carrying out the financial communication during this key period for the company.

A major French player in its sector of activity, in BtoB and BtoC, our client operates worldwide, in its own name or through participations.

In addition to managing the financial, legal, IT and general services teams, the CFO is in charge of financial communication and partnerships in the context of an IPO. He will have to leave his position quickly to seize another opportunity. Nevertheless, given the strategic period in which it is situated, the company wishes to call upon an interim manager.

Storyboard:

The initial objective of the bridging assignments is to ensure that the manager is able to secure and maintain the position before the arrival of the incumbent manager. With this basis defined, the intervention of our manager clearly illustrated the approach of IMT Partners, which relied on the delivery of the interim manager's astonishment report to allow for a better transition and optimization of the teams in place.

The mission started as planned with a short introductory period, with our manager being introduced to his teams and his various contacts. He quickly set up meetings with key contacts to "break the ice" and get a feel for the company's fast-moving context in order to quickly take charge of strategic projects: road show around the world and communication of reliable information to investors.

Three weeks before his arrival, he gave IMT Partners the astonishment report he had requested, in which he emphasized that, although the context for building partnerships was present, the important deadlines would not occur before the arrival of the new recruit. It is therefore the very operational and financial communication elements that take on the most importance in the interim manager's revised mission statement.

The following two months were effective according to the client's own words: beyond the bridge between the former Administrative and Financial Director and his successor, the intervention of our manager allowed an audit of the team's functioning and the closing of the first fiscal year following the IPO and in a very international context.

Duration : 4 months

"In order to mitigate the effects of the departure of the managers of a number of establishments, our end client called upon IMT Partners to provide management continuity for the profit centers and Implementation in situ of strategic projects specified by the group..."

As a French distribution group, specialising in ethnic products and active in the European market, our client is present on the BtoB, BtoC and BtoBtoC sectors. The company, which is positioned in a niche market, has approximately 1000 employees located across approximately thirty points of sale.

Confronted with a shortage of managers in two establishments, the group wishes to call upon the services of IMT Partners for the intervention of a transition manager capable of taking over the perimeters and managing the transformation of the shops.

In fact, as the group is in the midst of recasting its commercial strategy, the transition manager must simultaneously combine a role as manager on the ground and a role as transformation project manager.

An assignment letter, specified upstream, is then refined following the first few weeks in situ. This enables formalization of the expected axes and objectives:

• Operational audit of the situation via mapping of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization
• Specification of a plan for the transformation of the points of sale based on the reworking of the client experience in a shop and the re-launch of communications/marketing
• Re-mobilisation of teams needing a reinjection of dynamism
• Establishment of very regular reporting on initiatives implemented

Storyboard:

From their first day on assignment, the transition manager intervening under the aegis of IMT Partners is presented to the teams. There will inevitably be a mixed reception: some of them will be delighted that a new establishment manager will be taking up the baton and showing the way, and others will take a dim view of the newcomer who will be making changes and imposing rigour. They will quickly ascertain what these divisions are and confirm that a hard core is the source of a number of corporate and organizational problems.

During the month that follows their arrival, and in parallel with re-establishing control over establishments, the transition manager transition audits the middle managers and their teams, accounts, and the organization of the shops. They then set out a transformation plan, which must be integrated into the group commercial strategy and also respond to local issues.

By applying the methodologies acquired during their career, involving the teams in the transformation project and recruiting new, motivated staff, they will direct the change process, transform mentalities and enhance the image of the establishments.

Supported by general management, which ascertains that the indicators return to the positive and exceed targets, the transition manager seeks to make the teams autonomous and prepares for the arrival of his/her successor, who is recruited in parallel with their 4 last months of intervention.

With this initial transition management experience to call upon, the client, through the voice of its management board, appoints the transition manager, in the framework of a second mandate, to support the transformation of the network from the head office.

This assignment is currently underway.

Duration : 6 Months

"In order to compensate for the departure of the directors of several establishments, our client called upon IMT Partners to ensure the continuity of the management of the profit centers and to implement the strategic projects defined by the group on the ground..."

French distribution group specialized in ethnic products and radiating on the European market, our client is present on the btob, btoc and btobtoc segments. The company, which is positioned on a niche market, has about 1000 employees spread over thirty sales outlets.

Faced with a shortage of managers in two establishments, the group wanted to call on the services of IMT Partners for the intervention of an interim manager capable of taking over the perimeters and ensuring the transformation of the stores.

Indeed, as the group is in the process of overhauling its commercial strategy, the interim manager will have to simultaneously play the role of field manager and transformation project manager.

An assignment letter, defined beforehand, is then refined at the end of the first weeks in the field. It allows to formalize the expected axes and objectives:

• Operational audit of the situation through a mapping of the organization's strengths and weaknesses
• Definition of a transformation plan for points of sale based on a redesign of the customer journey in stores and a relaunch of communication/marketing
• Remobilization of teams that have run out of steam
• Establishment of a very regular reporting on the actions implemented

Storyboard:

On the first day of his assignment, the interim manager working for IMT Partners is introduced to the teams. They gave him a mixed reception: some of them were delighted that a new director was taking over the helm and setting the course, while others took a dim view of the arrival of a profile that was going to transform and bring rigor. He was quick to note these divisions and confirmed that a hard core was the source of many social and organizational problems.

During the month following his arrival and in parallel with the takeover of the establishments, the interim manager audits the middle managers and their teams, the accounts and the organization of the stores. He or she proposes a transformation plan that must be integrated into the group's business strategy and respond to local issues.

By applying the methodologies he has acquired during his career, by involving the teams in the transformation project and by recruiting motivated new employees, he has succeeded in leading the change, transforming mentalities and improving the image of the establishments.

Supported by the general management, which notes that the indicators are becoming positive again and exceeding the objectives, the interim manager seeks to make the teams autonomous and prepares the arrival of his successor, who is recruited at the same time as his last 4 months of intervention.

On the strength of this first interim management experience, the client, through its management committee, assigned the interim manager to a second mandate to support the transformation of the network from the head office.

This mission is still ongoing.

Duration : 6 months

In this context of strong growth, the role of the accounts manager was to support and drive change, alongside the day to day management of the accounting activities of the hotel. After an early departure, and in a context of a very lively end of year, the services of IMT Partners were called upon to ensure the successful completion of these projects.

The engagement letter set out the following key points:

• Auditing projects currently underway, schedules, and dashboards, with a view to bringing them back under control and seeing them through to completion
• Guiding teams on day to day issues (supplier accounts, auditing the clients balance, management of arrears and deposits)
• Management of reporting to the head office in Germany, and bringing operations into line with the group's standards Storyboard

The transition manager intervening for IMT Partners found a delicate situation, with the various harmonisation projects at a standstill following the departure of her predecessor. The teams welcomed her favourably and her past experience in the hotel sector enabled her to assume control quickly over the operational perimeter of the mission.

The issue for the first month of intervention was to restore the dynamic of the projects and teams, which had been lost after the sudden departure of the previous manager. Subsequent weeks enabled her to re-launch the projects in order to catch up with the schedule that had been specified upstream with the German management and to meet the milestones on deliverables.

The mission, which finished at the end of January, enabled a certain confidence on the part of the head office in the establishment's capabilities to be restored. Monthly reporting now takes place in a format that is identical to that of the other hotels in the group following a fluid transformation, despite the initial delay. Dynamism was restored to the teams through the intervention of an experienced transition manager with an operational background. She is now involved in the recruitment of her successor for a permanent position.

Duration : 7 Months

Our client, a European hotel group, moved to the Paris region in 2013. The integration of a new hotel by external growth in the matrix of the group was done in two steps, first with a strong communication and important means implemented to modernize the hotel and ensure a strong impact on the market, then today with a harmonization of procedures, tools and an alignment of the finance to the standards of the group

In this context of strong development, the role of the accounting manager was to accompany and pilot the change, while managing the hotel's current accounting activities. After a hasty departure and in the context of a very agitated end of year, IMT Partners was called upon to carry out these projects.

The mission letter defined the following axes:

• Audit of current projects, schedules and dashboards in order to take them in hand and bring them to completion
• Supervision of teams on day-to-day issues (accounts payable, audit of customer balances, management of arrears and deposits)
• Management of the reporting to the head office in Germany, and setting of the standards of the Storyboard group

The interim manager working for IMT Partners was in a delicate situation, as the various harmonization projects had stalled since the departure of her predecessor. The teams welcomed her favourably and her experience in the hotel sector enabled her to quickly take charge of the operational scope of the mission.

The challenge of the first month of the intervention was to revitalize the projects and the teams, which had lost their bearings after the sudden departure of the previous manager. The following weeks allowed him to relaunch the projects in order to get closer to the schedule defined upstream in conjunction with the German management and to respect the milestones.

The mission, which will be completed at the end of January, has helped to restore some confidence in the hotel's capabilities at headquarters. Monthly reporting is now done in the same format as for the group's other hotels after a smooth transformation, despite the delay in starting up. The teams have been revitalized by the intervention of an experienced and operational interim manager. She is now involved in the recruitment of her successor on a permanent contract.

Duration : 7 months

"In a carve out context, our client called upon the services of IMT Partners in order to have the benefit of a site manager, in preparation for a take-over by an investment fund... "

As a French company with a number of production sites, this manufacturing company decided ultimately to re-focus on its original market, and to seek a buyer for one of its production sites. This site, which had been run by the same manager for a long time, therefore needed to see its value enhanced and required a strong intervention on the quality and optimization of production. It is this context that this structure called upon IMT Partners in order to benefit from its services, to work on both the optimization factor and also on reassuring the future owners.

In fact, as well as enhancing the value of the sale to the maximum extent through optimisation of the manufacturing processes, an improvement in quality was also necessary for the site, whose staff had experienced a very low turn-over during the past ten years. An external perspective very quickly enabled a review of a number of practices, and thus for the profitability of the site to be improved.

The assignment letter from the manager focused both on production and on quality, at the same time adapting management to a transformation context.

Storyboard:

From his first day on the mission, the transition manager provided by IMT Partners was presented to the teams. It was a mixed welcome, with some being delighted that a new manager was taking over and instilling best practices, and others apprehensive about the arrival of someone who would be transforming this manufacturing structure. He rapidly registered these divisions, and thus sought to stress the aspect of support for change so that everyone would be behind the imminent changes.

During the first months of the mission, the manager, through his natural leadership qualities, emphasised the dimension of giving the lead and direction, to avoid staff having concerns about any negative developments for the business. He worked in parallel on project management, giving responsibility to certain executives who had not hitherto been given sufficient prominence.

The rapid and effective change enabled the company to confer the maximum additional value upon their site and at the same time to find an ambitious purchaser and to optimise their transfer of assets.

Furthermore, through their presence and familiarity with the need to evolve within environments undergoing transformation, the transition manager enabled a continuity of management during the change of shareholders.

The mission was a success and business activity for the site has now developed strongly, having increased competitiveness while renewing the motivation of the teams.

For this mission IMT-Partners indexed its contract for the provision of services with the client against the performance of the manager through the establishment of a contract with an obligation to achieve a fixed result.

This meant that the daily rate for the manager was significantly lower during the contract than one would expect for the market. At the end of the mission the manager benefitted from bonuses linked to its significant success enabling him to do better than would have been the case in a "standard" contact.

These bonuses were possible because of the targets set by all the parties for the culmination of the four weeks of audit and intervention by the manager at the site being met and even exceeded.

Duration : 12 Months

"In the context of a Carve Out, our client called on IMT Partners to help a site manager prepare for a takeover by an investment fund..."
A French company with several sites, this industrialist decided to look for a buyer for one of its production sites in order to refocus on its original market. This site, managed for a long time by the same director, must be valorized and requires a strong intervention on the quality and on the optimization of the production. It is in this context that this structure called upon IMT Partners to benefit from its services in order to both work on optimization and reassure future buyers.

Indeed, in addition to optimizing sales through the optimization of industrial processes, an improvement in quality is also necessary for this site, whose workforce has had a very low turnover over the past ten years. An external viewpoint allows to quickly question certain practices, and thus to improve the profitability of the site.

The manager's mission statement is based on both production and quality, while taking over management in a context of transformation.

Storyboard:

On the first day of his assignment, the interim manager proposed by IMT Partners was introduced to the teams. Their reception was divided, some people being delighted that a new site manager was taking over and thus bringing in Best Practices, others fearing the arrival of a profile that would transform this industrial structure. He was quick to note these divisions and wanted to emphasize the need to support the change so that everyone would adhere to the upcoming transformations.

During the first months of the mission, the manager, thanks to his natural leadership, sets a course, allowing the staff not to fear a negative evolution of the activity. At the same time, he works on project management by giving responsibility to certain executives who were not sufficiently emphasized until then.

The change, quick and efficient, allows the company to enhance the value of its site and to find an ambitious buyer and optimize its transfer.

The interim manager's presence and experience of evolving in environments undergoing transformation allows for management continuity during a change of shareholder.

The mission was a success and the site's activity has now grown considerably, having gained in competitiveness while renewing the motivation of the teams.

For this assignment, IMT-Partners indexed its service contract with the client on the performance of the manager via the implementation of a performance contract.

Thus, the manager's daily fee was significantly lower during the mission than market practices. At the end of the mission, he benefited from significant success bonuses, allowing him to win compared to a so-called "standard" contract.

These bonuses were triggered because the objectives set by all parties after four weeks of auditing and intervention by the manager on the site were reached and even exceeded.

Duration : 12 months

M&A

To run the Italian subsidiary it has just acquired, this key player calls in IMT Partners during the integration phase.

Duration : 9 Months

Change in scope of consolidation

To manage its newly acquired Italian subsidiary, this major player called on IMT Partners during the integration phase.

Duration : 9 months

Structuring

In connection with the introduction of human resources management tools, our client uses the services of an interim manager to head the project. The latter takes on the role of project owner and negotiates with the integrator as well as configuring the software.

Duration : 8 Months

Structuring

Within the framework of the implementation of human resources management tools, our client uses the services of an interim manager to lead the project. The latter ensures the project management and the negotiations with the integrator in addition to the parameterization of the software.

Duration : 8 months

Business development

A leader on its market, our client operates in the B2C automotive sector. To position itself in relation to its competitors, the group decides to open two stores in a new geographical area. To accelerate these projects, the group uses the services of an interim manager who is very familiar with the specific issues of distribution networks.

Duration : 8 Months

Business development

Our client is a leader in its market and operates in the B to C automotive sector. In order to position itself against its competitors, the group decided to set up two stores in a new geographical area. To carry out these projects at high speed, the group called on the services of an interim manager who was well versed in the specific problems of distribution networks.

Duration : 8 months

Business development / Great project

In connection with the launch of a large-scale industrial project, our client seeks the intervention of an interim manager specialized in maintenance to support its project manager. He provides the latter with advice on implementing best practices, planning tasks and introducing indicators.

Duration : 24 Months

Business development / Major project

Within the framework of the launch of a large-scale industrial project, our client requires the intervention of an interim manager specialized in maintenance to support its project director. He will advise him in the implementation of best practices, in the planning of tasks and in the setting up of indicators.

Duration : 24 months