The Initial Process Is Absolutely Crucial
“When searching for an interim manager, it’s essential to find a partner who can challenge your thinking, sharpen your understanding of your own needs, and help you define success from the very beginning,” says Peter Klovgaard-Jørgensen, CFO at H+H."
In this case, the process had such a successful outcome that the interim has now been offered a permanent position.
The Importance of a Strong Start
The calendar showed November 19 when CFO Peter Klovgaard-Jørgensen from H+H first contacted Nextt & Mason. The interim’s first day at work was the company Christmas party — that’s how fast things moved.
Even though the initial end date for the assignment was April, it quickly became clear that the interim manager would be offered a permanent position.
“We got exactly the right candidate in an incredibly short time. From start to finish, it’s been a total success story,” says Peter Klovgaard-Jørgensen.
The key to success, he explains, was the quality of the selection process.
“Christian Hvashøj from Nextt & Mason very quickly understood who we were, what IT challenges we faced, and what tasks needed solving. Within just three days, he defined a sharp candidate profile and presented three fully qualified candidates. The final decision then came down to personality and cultural fit,” says the CFO.
He emphasizes how important that initial dialogue is when looking for an interim leader:
“I think that part is often overlooked. For me, it was crucial to sit down with a consultant — Christian — who helped me understand the preconditions for a successful outcome and guided me in defining the key success criteria for the interim assignment.”
No Room for Mistakes
H+H needed a CIO who could step in on very short notice and keep the IT department running smoothly. Peter himself didn’t have enough tenure in the company to assume that role, and a traditional recruitment process would take far too long.
Without prior experience using interim managers, Peter reached out to his network — and the name Nextt & Mason quickly surfaced.
“”I had never tried an interim solution before, but it was clear that a standard temp agency wouldn’t cut it. We couldn’t afford mistakes. To get the right quality of candidates, I went to the interim specialists — and I’d gladly do it again,”
Together with Christian, Peter defined clear success criteria for the assignment. They decided to narrow down the scope compared to what the permanent CIO role would normally entail. The criteria included ensuring day-to-day IT operations at a “light” level, providing strategic input to the IT vision, creating a clear plan for four key areas, and communicating the IT strategy to the team.
“I knew I was getting an experienced senior professional. That gave me the chance to get an outside-in perspective on our IT strategy from someone who had seen a lot,” adds Peter.
Some of the tasks that were removed from the interim’s scope related to ongoing IT projects that Peter could handle himself.
The Value of Alignment and Engagement
The success that H+H’s interim CIO quickly achieved was largely built on his strong level of engagement — a quality that, according to the CFO, is absolutely essential for any interim manager. In fact, he considers it the most important trait. As an interim, it’s easy to be seen as someone who’s only there temporarily, just looking out for yourself and delivering quick fixes. If that’s your approach, it won’t work,” says Peter Klovgaard-Jørgensen.
“At the same time, I understand that an interim manager can’t — and shouldn’t — be responsible for creating long-term solutions. That’s why setting expectations clearly from the start is such a critical part of the process.”
“In our case, I made it clear that I needed his expertise to provide solid, well-founded decision-making input — insights that we could use as the foundation for our long-term strategic decisions. In return, I wanted to take full responsibility for implementing those decisions,” he explains, adding that interim managers must always approach assignments with an open and curious mindset.
From Peter’s perspective, one of the greatest advantages of interim solutions is that the candidate pool consists of experienced professionals who are used to quickly understanding the company, the tasks at hand, and how to create immediate momentum and progress.
“I believe that as an interim manager, you need to have a mindset that drives you to take firm action from day one — to strive to make a real difference, leave things in excellent shape, and ensure a thorough handover. If you do that, you will undoubtedly be a success,”
About H+H
H+H Denmark is a subsidiary of the Danish-owned H+H Group, operating across Northern and Eastern Europe. The company has over 80 years of experience in producing aircrete and calcium silicate building materials primarily used for residential, industrial, and commercial construction.
H+H traces its origins back to 1909, when a master mason and a brickworks owner began extracting stone and gravel. In 1937, the company began producing aircrete in Ølsted.
Today, H+H is an international group with a turnover of DKK 2.8 billion, 29 production plants, and more than 1,600 employees.
