Interim managers are in short supply. That has to change!

The appointment of Christiane Benner as the second chairwoman of IG Metall in October 2023 was a major media event - and yet it should be completely normal. A woman holds a relevant leadership position. No more and no less. The careers of politicians Angela Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen, as well as that of Belén Garijo, the first and only woman to head a DAX company, namely Merck KGaA, as sole chairwoman, show that women can make it to the top. The question arises: why are female interim managers still in short supply?

Christiane Benner starts her responsible position at a time of change. At a time that is characterized by fears of deindustrialization and major challenges. As Chairwoman of IG Metall, she not only represents the interests of 2.1 million members, but also leads an organization with an annual contribution income of more than half a billion euros. Such a position requires leadership skills from a manager - as well as the ability to continuously adapt in a constantly changing environment. The know-how that interim managers need is therefore very similar to the skills of Christiane Benner.

Too few female managers in key positions

The decision by IG Metall to appoint Christiane Benner sends a clear message to the economy as a whole: female managers are willing and able to take on important key positions in companies and organizations. Despite the current success story, the fact is that female managers in leadership positions are still a minority. According to current statistics, the proportion of women with relevant management responsibility was around 24% in Germany in March 2023. And only 17.6 percent of companies with a turnover of between one and five million euros have female managers in key positions. This shows that there is still a lot to be done on the road to true equality.

Interim female managers, where are you?

A similar situation can be seen in interim management. Female interim managers are also underrepresented here. This makes personalities like Christiane Benner's all the more important, as they send an important signal: Women in general and interim managers in particular are becoming increasingly important in the business world. And more and more female managers are being given the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills. Here, interim management providers such as Deutsche Interim AG play an important role. As intermediaries, we are also called upon to do our part to ensure that more highly qualified women work as interim managers. By creating more visibility for women in interim management and providing platforms for exchange, we not only promote dialog between and with female interim managers, but also support the establishment and strengthening of corresponding networks.

Interim managers interviewed

We have already addressed the topic of "women in interim management" in a LinkedIn post. Some interim managers then agreed to share their experiences with us in interviews. This commitment alone underlines the relevance and urgency of the topic in our industry - and that it is obviously important for female interim managers to talk about their situation. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be publishing some of these interviews here in the blog and on LinkedIn. In these interviews, the interim managers with very different professional and personal backgrounds provide exciting insights into the challenges they face. They also report on their successes as managers and reveal new perspectives. By providing another platform for female interim managers, we hope to raise awareness of gender diversity - especially in companies.

It is important to Tilo Ferrari to promote female interim managers. (© Deutsche Interim AG)

"The path to true gender equality in the business world is an ongoing and important process. Everyone involved - managers, interim managers, providers and companies - has a responsibility. Let's work together to bring about positive change in the business world."
Tilo Ferrari, CEO Deutsche Interim AG