Daily rates of €1,200 to €1,800 - at first glance, this sounds like a very expensive solution. But who Interim Management superficially with a fixed salary is not enough. In discussions with managing directors and CFOs I regularly find that the question is less about the absolute daily rate and more about the underlying profitability. That's exactly what this is all about.
An interim manager is an entrepreneur - and bears all the risks himself
While a permanent manager is socially insured by the company, an interim manager bears all costs and default risks themselves. In concrete terms, this means
- Social insurance is borne privately
- There are no paid vacation or sick days
- You must build up reserves for old-age provision, downtime or further training yourself
- Acquisition, travel time and preparation are not paid - but necessary
A fee must cover all of this. So anyone who looks at the daily rate in isolation, without including the entrepreneurial component, is comparing apples with oranges.
Why interim management still pays off economically
In practice, it's less about daily rates - and more about impact. Interim managers come into the company when something is on the move: a vacancy in the finance department, a restructuring, an M&A process that generates operational pressure. This is exactly where the added value lies:
- An experienced manager is ready for use in a few days
- There are No training - time works for the company from day 1
- Projects that are "stuck" internally are implemented quickly
This makes interim management not only fast, but above all efficient - especially when no suitable solution is available internally.
Short-term use - clear cost structure
Another aspect that is often overlooked in the discussion: Interim managers only stay as long as necessary. No overhead, no long-term commitment, no additional costs.
An experienced CFO in a permanent position quickly gets the company up to speed. 200,000 € to 250,000 € per yearincluding social security contributions, bonuses, company car and other benefits. An interim CFO who is brought in for 4-6 months for a defined project incurs similar costs. with clear objectives and full flexibility. As soon as the mandate is fulfilled, the collaboration ends. Simple, plannable, impact-oriented.
What remains at the end?
Whether interim management makes economic sense depends not only on the price - but also on the benefits. If clarity is created, a team is stabilized or a transformation project is implemented within a few months, the daily rate is quickly put into perspective.
Looking back, many of my clients say: "It was just the right thing at the right time." And that is often more important than any Excel calculation.
