Finance governance reset: Interim Regional CFO restores reporting clarity in 90 days in Czech Republic

1) Client situation (anonymised):

A publicly listed European biopharmaceutical group with a broad portfolio across specialty therapies operated a complex regional structure of more than 25 country affiliates.

The region generated several hundred million euros in annual revenue and reported into an international headquarters structure in Switzerland.

Each country operated as a full commercial entity with local finance teams, creating a decentralized and inconsistent finance landscape.

Following a regional leadership change, the new regional CFO for Czech Republic needed to quickly stabilize reporting, strengthen governance, and prepare for upcoming budget cycles and product launches.

2) The challenge:

Fragmented finance processes across countries with duplicated activities and no standard governance
Inconsistent FP&A capability after the regional lead was reassigned, leaving a gap in senior analysis and narrative support
Limited visibility into regional performance, with reporting lacking clarity and alignment to Swiss HQ expectations
Overloaded local finance teams in the Czech Republic focused on operational tasks rather than decision support
No structured framework for evaluating AI or digital initiatives within finance
Weak cross-country coordination, leading to slow decision-making and reduced accountability
Risk of declining confidence from international leadership due to inconsistent forecasting and reporting originating from the Czech Republic
Growing demand for high-quality financial storytelling towards the Swiss HQ, ahead of budget and launch cycles

3) Interim role delivered (speed and fit):

CE Interim deployed an Interim CFO and Finance Transformation in Czech Republic through a rapid selection process, ensuring strong alignment with the regional CFO’s mandate.

The assignment was structured as a 9-12 month mandate, reporting directly to the regional finance leader and operating across more than 20 countries.

The selected interim leader brought:

deep experience as an interim CFO and regional FP&A leader in multi-country environments
strong governance and reporting discipline in regulated industries
the ability to act as a senior sparring partner to the group CFO based in Switzerland
credibility to engage and align local finance directors without formal line authority

Operating outside local structures, the Czech interim leader was positioned to drive alignment, challenge existing practices, and restore control quickly.

4) What happened during the mandate:

First 30 days

Assessed reporting quality, closing discipline, and FP&A capability across all country affiliates
Identified key gaps in governance, process consistency, and ownership of financial outputs
Re-established a weekly reporting cadence with clear expectations for all markets
Stabilized preparation of regional management reports for Swiss headquarters
Took over critical FP&A coordination in Czech Republic to support immediate forecasting and budget activities

First 6 months

Designed and initiated a regional Finance Centre of Excellence model for core FP&A activities
Standardized reporting structures, templates, and key KPIs across all affiliates
Clarified roles and responsibilities between local teams, regional leadership, and shared services
Introduced structured scenario planning and forward-looking analysis for product launches
Defined and prioritized finance-related AI use cases, linked to measurable business impact
Built a consistent narrative framework for board-level and headquarters reporting

6+ months

Embedded a stable monthly closing and reporting rhythm across all countries
Improved cross-border transparency and comparability of financial performance
Scaled selected digital and AI pilots within finance and logistics functions
Reduced dependency on manual reporting processes through targeted automation initiatives
Strengthened capability of local finance teams through coaching and clearer workload allocation

Handover and exit

Transitioned FP&A leadership responsibilities to a permanent or internal successor
Delivered full documentation of processes, governance routines, and reporting standards
Ensured continuity of the Finance Centre of Excellence structure
Left a stable reporting and decision-making cadence in place across the region

5) Actions taken (execution focus):

Restored a disciplined reporting cadence across all country affiliates
Introduced standardized FP&A templates and KPI structures
Centralized key analytical activities to Czech Republic to reduce duplication
Built a clear governance model with defined ownership and escalation paths
Acted as the primary finance business partner to the Group CFO in Switzerland
Developed high-quality financial narratives for headquarters and board discussions
Aligned local finance directors through регуляр cadence calls and performance reviews
Mapped finance and logistics processes to identify digital and AI opportunities
Established criteria to measure ROI on AI and automation initiatives
Mentored local teams to shift focus from reporting production to value-added analysis

6) Outcomes achieved (measurable proof):

Reporting clarity restored within the first 90 days, with consistent outputs across all countries
Monthly closing and reporting delivered on time with reduced escalation from headquarters
Improved forecast reliability through structured scenario planning and aligned assumptions
Clear governance and accountability established across more than 15 affiliates
Regional FP&A capability rebuilt, eliminating dependency on a single individual
Reduced workload pressure on local teams through better allocation of analytical tasks
Increased confidence from international leadership due to improved transparency and consistency
Defined and prioritized AI use cases with clear business relevance and tracking approach
Stronger alignment between regional strategy and local market execution

7) Why CE Interim:

CE Interim enabled rapid deployment of a senior interim finance leader with both FP&A depth and transformation experience for a Swiss based Group in the Czech Republic.

The match combined governance expertise, cross-border credibility, and the ability to operate as a trusted partner to the regional CFO from day one.

The interim operated with clear structure and cadence, aligning multiple countries without disrupting local operations.

This reduced execution risk at a critical moment, while ensuring visible progress early in the mandate.

8) Call to action:

If you need an interim Head of FP&A or interim CFO to restore reporting clarity, strengthen governance, and align cross-border finance teams, CE Interim can deploy the right leader quickly and deliver measurable control from the first months.

CE Interim delivers proven executive interim leaders within 72 hours across borders, cultures, and industries. We specialize in high-impact interim management for private equity firms, family offices, and global corporations facing moments of transition: digital transformation, market entry, operational turnaround, post-merger integration, or crisis.

What sets us apart is not just the speed or depth of our network, it’s how we lead. Every engagement is personally guided by a CE Interim managing partner: former CEOs, CFOs, or COOs who’ve been on your side of the table, steering organizations through high-stakes decisions.

With a global talent pool and operational reach spanning Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, we don’t fill roles, we build trust, lead transitions, and deliver outcomes.

As part of the Valtus Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of Executive Interim Management companies, we ensure seamless international execution through 25+ offices and 80+ senior partners in over 50 countries.