Fractional & interim executive

Fractional versus interim: which is required

These two models address distinct challenges. Precision is warranted.

• Fractional implies part-time and ongoing. A fractional CMO might operate two or three days weekly for several months, owning the function where the company is too nascent or lean to justify a full-time appointment.
• Interim signifies full-time and temporary. When a critical position becomes vacant, interim management swiftly places an experienced individual in charge, maintaining business momentum while a permanent solution is determined.

The roles we execute

Why an operator, not an adviser

There is a material distinction between someone who has carried the number and someone who has merely advised on it. We have managed a EUR 120M marketing budget, delivered EUR 50M incremental revenue in under 12 months, grown a market by 500 percent (from EUR 3M to EUR 18M in under a year) and led a company turnaround as CEO. When engaging a fractional executive, one requires an individual who has made difficult decisions under pressure and lived with the consequences.

For more on how the fractional and interim model works in practice, see our companion practice at Fractional Manager.

The tangible outcome

A fractional executive is not advisory retained. It is a leader executing the role: owning the function and its results, establishing priorities and holding the team accountable, making the difficult calls a busy founder defers, and building the systems and people to ensure the function continues post-engagement. Handover is integrated into the brief from day one.

Optimal sectors for this model

Fractional leadership is broadly applicable, but sector context shortens the path to impact. We operate most effectively in iGaming, SaaS, e-commerce, manufacturing SMEs, scale-ups and defence tech.