Interim Leadership Network

Where the role falls within the work Trevor takes personally, typically chief executive or chief restructuring officer assignments, he carries the engagement himself, with full executive accountability for as long as the situation requires.

Where the role is outside that scope, or where Trevor’s existing portfolio means he cannot take a further engagement, we draw upon the NorthCo Interim Leadership Network.

We maintain a live intelligence network of proven executive leaders and connect them with investors, boards and management teams when the timing is right.

This is not simply a database of available CVs. We maintain an active understanding of the executives we know, the situations they have handled, the environments in which they have worked, the results they have delivered and, where appropriate, their likely availability.

The matching remains judgement-led and the vetting personal. Every interim we put forward is assessed by Trevor against the specific circumstances of the assignment, rather than selected solely because their profile contains the right titles or keywords.

The roles covered include chief executive, finance director, chief operating officer, chief restructuring officer, chief people officer and chief technology officer.

Most engagements come through portfolio managers, chairs or boards facing one of a familiar set of situations: transition between permanent leaders, turnaround, restructuring, post-acquisition integration, fundraising preparation, divestment or a soft landing for a business that has run its course in its current form.

The common feature is that the role cannot be left empty and the wrong person in it would do more damage than the gap itself.

The network

The strongest interim appointments do not always begin with a formal search.

Sometimes an experienced executive has recently completed an assignment and is becoming available. Sometimes an investor or board is beginning to consider a leadership change before a formal brief has been written.

We remain in regular contact with experienced executives, investors, chairs and management teams so that we maintain a current understanding of leadership movements across the market.

This means that, when a requirement arises, we may already know an executive whose experience is particularly relevant to the situation.

Equally, where an exceptional interim becomes available, we may discreetly bring that person to the attention of an investor or board where there is a clear and credible connection.

We do not circulate executives indiscriminately. Introductions are made selectively, with regard to the individual, the organisation and the circumstances.

How an engagement works

The first conversation is a briefing.

We want to understand the business, the gap to be filled and what the role actually has to accomplish over the engagement period.

That conversation is not limited to the job title. We consider the ownership environment, the condition of the business, the strength of the existing management team, the expectations of the board and the outcome required.

We take engagements on only when we are confident that the right person is available, whether that is Trevor or an independent interim from the network.

The work begins quickly.

Interim engagements rarely have the luxury of a long lead-in, and the people we introduce are accustomed to becoming operational during the first week.

Reporting lines, decision rights and the relationship with the existing executive team are agreed upfront so that the role carries proper authority from day one.

The engagement ends cleanly.

Interim leadership is not a foothold for permanent appointment. The interim hands over to a permanent successor, an internal promotion or a board reset, with the structure positioned to carry the work forward.

Fees

Where Trevor carries the engagement himself, work is charged on a day-rate basis, agreed at the briefing stage and tied to the seniority and complexity of the role.

Where the engagement is delivered by an independent interim from the network, the interim contracts with the client directly.

The day rate is for the client and the interim to agree, although where it makes sense, we broker the agreement on behalf of both parties.

We charge a one-off introduction fee for identifying, assessing and matching the right person.

The fee is agreed at the briefing stage, calculated against the seniority of the role and invoiced on the interim’s first day in post.

Either way, our fees are never a percentage of salary and are never linked to upside.

The commercial relationship is straightforward and stated upfront.

A confidential conversation, and professional profiles on request.