Interim CIO/CDO for PE portfolio companies, the upper mid-market, corporate groups and divisions

When IT leadership is missing

Bridging the CIO vacancy from day 1, fractional CIO/CDO, IT organisation, cost and sourcing.

Gain clarity on working together in 20 minYou need supportYou need a specific outcome

Situation

The search for a CIO takes 12–20 weeks, plus the notice period. During this time programmes continue without leadership, providers and budgets without control, and key staff leave.

For whom

  • Shareholders
  • CEO and CFO
  • Advisory board
  • HR

What I take on

I take over IT leadership from day one – full-time or fractional with 1–3 days per week – and prepare the selection and onboarding of the successor.

What is in place in your situation after 30, 60 and 90 days

  1. Day 30Leadership taken over

    Situation picture, open decisions and priorities are clarified; team, providers and budget have a point of contact again.

  2. Day 60Programmes back under control

    Programmes, providers and budget are back under control, the team is stable, key staff stay.

  3. Day 90Succession prepared

    Target picture and organisation are in place; requirements profile, selection and onboarding of the successor are planned.

Services

CIO vacancy & fractional CIO/CDO

Deadline: Search 12–20 weeks plus notice period

What I take on

Full IT responsibility during the vacancy or part-time IT leadership, including selection and onboarding of the successor.

Evidence

  • Vacancy bridging with exit analysis and orderly handover to the new CIOKelvion, 2017–2018
  • Fractional with 0.5–3 days per week: ERP and M365 rollouts put back on trackUtsch, 2024
  • Fractional with 2–2.5 days per week as interim CIO and advisor to the board, including refilling the head of IT positionOberlinhaus, 2025–2026

IT cost optimisation

Deadline: Cost programme, covenant, budget cycle

What I take on

Cost transparency across contracts, providers and recharges, savings levers, implementation.

Evidence

  • ≈ 20% savings potential on ≈ EUR 3.3m IT cost per year, 8,863 invoices from around 500 vendors analysedARTEMIS, 2025–2026
  • Cost-reduction potential of ≈ EUR 2m and possible double charges of ≈ EUR 6.5m identifiedCarrier, 2025
  • Total operating cost reduced by 35%Securitas, CIO (permanent role), 2004–2006

Sourcing, provider change & data-centre exit

Deadline: Contract end, site sale

What I take on

Tender, negotiation, transition and management of the new provider without interrupting operations.

Evidence

  • Managed service provider selected from 52 bidders (≈ USD 2.7m), data-centre exit on the deadline of 31 Jul 2023Alliance Healthcare, 2023
  • SIAM introduced, external global service desk builtKelvion, 2017–2018
  • 12 contracts renegotiatedGazprom Germania, 2016

IT organisation build-up & target operating model

Deadline: After a carve-out, merger or reorganisation

What I take on

Roles, processes, governance and workforce planning – from rebuilding after a carve-out to reorganising a grown group IT.

Evidence

  • Target operating model with 39 processes; IT capacity up ≈ 60% with ≈ 8% lower IT personnel costCarrier, 2025
  • Role model condensed from 27 to 13 rolesITDZ Berlin, 2025–2026

IT and digital strategy, cloud

Deadline: Strategy and budget cycle, contract terms

What I take on

Group IT strategy with cloud and sourcing target picture, board approval, implementation plan.

Evidence

  • IT strategy 2026–2029 approved by the management conference (11/2025); digitalisation started with 19 fields of actionOberlinhaus
  • Microsoft Office 365 rolled out group-wide, data lines and security networks at all 92 sitesias Group, Group CIO (permanent role), 2019–2022

Onboarding the successor & digital advisory board

Deadline: After the mandate

What I take on

CIO First 90 Days for the new CIO; afterwards, on request, support as sparring partner or member of the advisory board.

Evidence

  • Orderly handover to the newly appointed CIO, joint IT managementKelvion, 2017–2018
  • Orderly handover to internal successorsTeamViewer, 2015–2016

Case Studies

Leistungspakete

CIO-Readiness Assessment

Where the IT organisation stands: maturity level, gaps and roadmap in 2–4 weeks.

CIO First 90 Days

Standardised onboarding process for the first 90 days of a new CIO, also as the handover from an interim mandate.

Let’s talk.

The simplest route to a conversation is the best one. A call, an email or a meeting – and in 20 minutes we’ll know whether and how I can help.

Book a meeting

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