The experiences and expertise of an interim manager: Koen van de Walle speaks

Is your company facing major changes? Is a restructuring on the table? A smooth transition is anything but a given. An interim manager provides the right expertise to guide your company through turbulent business waters. Managing partner Koen Van De Walle has been engaged as an interim manager several times. He discusses the benefits and shares his own experiences.

Interesting! How exactly does iCredit work?

“The client’s needs are always paramount. We listen to their needs and delve into our extensive database of interim managers. This database includes several professionals we’ve been monitoring for years. We check in regularly, inquire about their projects, and know their skills inside and out. This allows us to quickly determine who meets all the requirements. Have we got someone in mind? We contact the interim manager, explain the project, and discuss their availability. Often, we can present a suitable candidate to the client within just one day.”

Are you considering becoming an interim finance manager yourself? We’re happy to guide you from employee to freelancer. From legal obligations to market positioning: count on our practical advice.

What benefits does an interim manager offer a company?

“First of all, interim managers are quickly deployable, provide support as long as needed, and bring a wealth of independent expertise to a company. Thanks to their experience, they combine theoretical knowledge with enriching practical insights. Moreover, as outsiders, they often bring a fresh and creative perspective to an organization’s professional challenges. They are very hands-on and make a difference with a solutions-oriented mindset.”

“For interim management to be successful, the connection with the client and the team is crucial. During the interview, we usually quickly determine whether it’s the right fit.”

You, Koen, know perfectly well what it’s like to work as an interim manager. Could you tell us a bit more about your experiences?

“That’s right. I’ve already completed several projects as an interim manager. For example, I led the reorganization of two departments at a company in the leasing sector. My job was to transition to the standard operating model. On another project, I helped relocate a shared service center from Belgium to Eastern Europe. This involved overseeing the closure in Belgium, selecting the right employees in Poland, and setting up a shadow working system. The new Polish team spent a few weeks here with the Belgian experts. This way, they mastered the right skills and guaranteed continuity.”

So, as you mentioned earlier, the projects can be very different.

“Indeed. I was also deployed as an interim manager during the financial crisis to set up a short-term alternative to a company’s credit insurance. Their insurer significantly reduced the risks and credit limits. The result? The organization’s risk management was compromised and business continuity was jeopardized. After all, without customers, you can’t generate revenue. Finally, I guided a company through the transition to a different supplier. This affects many processes: from invoices to satisfaction surveys. Moreover, the new supplier still needed thorough training. I took full responsibility for project management.”

“I take great pleasure in successfully completing projects and satisfying the customer. Throughout the project, I also enjoy the smooth collaboration with the team. After all, you’re part of the team for a while.”

Finally, how do you think iCredit differentiates itself from the competition?

“The close monitoring of our interim managers, which I mentioned earlier, is definitely one of our greatest strengths. We also listen to both the interim manager and the client. Is the collaboration struggling? Is the project lacking a challenge? Are they encountering resistance during a change process? Then we take on the role of defuser and actively seek a solution that everyone involved can agree on.”

Does your finance department need temporary reinforcement? At iCredit, you can turn to both project sourcing and interim management. With project sourcing, you engage a finance consultant, who is usually placed on our payroll, for an operational role. Interim managers, on the other hand, are primarily freelancers who take on a more supportive role. They already have some experience and demonstrate specific knowledge.

Could you use an experienced interim finance manager to expertly untangle the professional knots within your organization? We’d be happy to connect you with the right profile. Contact iCredit!