Interim CEO

When to bring in an interim CEO

A sudden departure at the top

Resignation, dismissal, illness. The company cannot run leaderless for the length of a succession process, and an improvised interim by a member of the executive committee often unbalances the team. The interim chief executive holds the helm, without being a candidate for the role, which takes the heat out of the succession.

A subsidiary or business in difficulty

A subsidiary losing ground, a business unit without a leader, an activity to turn around or prepare for disposal. The group hands a clear mandate to an experienced executive, with measurable objectives and a deadline.

A portfolio company between two leaders

In an LBO-backed company, replacing the chief executive is a moment of truth for the fund and for the teams alike. The interim CEO keeps the value creation plan on track while the shareholder runs the search for a successor calmly.

A turnaround

Cash under strain, a consensual or court-supervised process on the horizon. These situations demand reflexes forged by repetition: the order of priorities, negotiation with creditors, holding the teams steady through the storm. It is a profession in itself, that of the turnaround executive.

Typical interim CEO assignments

Four mandates come up most often:

• Hold the chief executive seat: continuity of decision-making, the shareholder relationship, management of the executive committee
• Turn a business around: rapid diagnosis, action plan, execution and tight reporting
• Lead a transformation the incumbent cannot carry alone: reorganisation, repositioning, integration of a major acquisition
• Prepare an ownership transition: putting the company in order, a disposal or a family handover

The legal framework, an extended delegation of authority or a corporate mandate depending on the situation, is settled at the framing stage with your advisers. The handover to the permanent chief executive is part of the mandate, not an afterthought.

The Bloomco approach

A chief executive mandate is not entrusted on the strength of a CV. We present executives who have already carried the responsibility you are entrusting, in a situation comparable to yours, and whose previous principals we have called. The process is handled with absolute discretion, towards the market and the teams alike, until you decide to communicate.

Framing happens at the right level: shareholder, board or chair. Two to three executives presented within days, an engagement letter setting objectives, governance and milestones, and a Bloomco lead keeping watch through to the succession. Our full interim management offering covers every executive function.

Frequently asked questions

Under what legal framework does an interim CEO operate?

Depending on the situation: an extended delegation of authority, or a corporate mandate where governance requires it. The point is settled at the framing stage, with your legal advisers, and formalised before the start.

Can an interim chief executive apply for the permanent role?

No, as a matter of principle, and that is a protection: their neutrality in the succession is what gives them legitimacy with the executive committee. Across the market, fewer than 10% of assignments end in a permanent hire according to France Transition; at chief executive level, the neutrality rule is written into the engagement letter from the outset.

How much does an interim CEO cost?

At Bloomco, executive functions range from €1,500 to €1,800 per day, against a market average billed rate of €1,333 per day excluding VAT in the first half of 2025 according to France Transition. Set that against the real cost of a leadership vacancy: frozen decisions, negative signals to banks, clients and talent.

How long should you plan for?

Six to nine months in most cases, with the market average around seven months according to France Transition. A turnaround or succession mandate can run longer; beyond twelve months, the question of the permanent chief executive has to be asked.