Interim manager took charge of DFDS’ marketing team after big merge

The well-renowned Danish ferry and logistics company DFDS was established in 1866 and has more than 8000 employees in 20 different countries. Today, 80 percent of their business is in logistics and shipping, and the company is midway through a digital transformation. In this process, the marketing team was merged with part of the digital team, and a need for a new head of marketing emerged. But finding the right candidate was easier said than done.

The starting point

At the beginning of October, the hiring manager — a Vice President at DFDS — contacted Nextt & Mason. For the past three months, they had been searching for qualified candidates for the position of Head of Marketing, but the recruitment process had not resulted in a successful hire.

As a result, the hiring manager was performing three roles simultaneously, a situation that was unsustainable in the long run. DFDS needed someone to step in and take charge, a candidate with the stamina and experience to manage and develop the new marketing team. Normally, DFDS prefers permanent hires, but as a quick solution was required, they decided to go the interim manager route to buy time while continuing the search for the right long-term candidate.

The Challenge

For more than 150 years, DFDS has transported passengers and goods across Europe and beyond, and like many companies of its age and size, it is undergoing both a digital and cultural transformation.

The challenge for the new Head of Marketing was to anchor the new function within the company and establish strong cooperation between marketing and sales.

First, the interim Head of Marketing needed to form and stabilize the team, ensuring that all employees were taken care of and clear about their (new) job descriptions.

Second, the task was to establish the new function with the company’s executive committee and deliver on the new marketing strategy.

Therefore, the interim manager had to be someone with the courage to take charge and execute — fast.

Within three weeks, Christian Hvashøj, CEO of Nextt & Mason, presented three qualified interim candidates for DFDS. DFDS conducted a round of interviews, and just over four weeks after the process began, the new interim Head of Marketing started at DFDS.

The chosen candidate had an impressive CV, including several global CMO positions, and her experience far exceeded that of the candidates who had applied during the initial recruitment process.

The Solution

From the very beginning, the interim Head of Marketing took charge while ensuring alignment with DFDS’ overall strategy and work methods.

Since the marketing team had been without a direct leader for four months, she prioritized team management and formation, which the team responded to very positively.

Her primary focus now lies in addressing strategic issues together with the executive committee.

Would You Hire an Interim Manager Again?

The Result (Three Months In)

• The interim Head of Marketing has focused strongly on the well-being and structure of the team. Following a merger, there was a clear need for reorganization, which she successfully carried out, resulting in greater clarity and structure.
• She has also been actively involved in the budgeting process, driving the marketing roadmap and the evolution of DFDS’ visual identity.
• Additionally, she has designed marketing workshops for the sales teams, combining marketing tools with sales execution to improve lead generation across the organization.