1) Client situation (anonymised):
A privately owned European SME in the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) sector faced a critical inflection point. The company, with headquarters in Germany and a new greenfield production facility in Poland, had grown rapidly from a niche retrofit provider to a full-scope technical solutions partner. With fewer than 200 employees and annual revenues approaching €25 million, the business was launching its first in-house production unit, funded by EU grants. The founders, still active in daily operations, lacked the executive capacity and experience to manage the transition, creating urgency for external leadership.
2) The challenge:
- No in-house experience operating or ramping up a production/assembly facility
- Founders overloaded with both core business and new factory build
- Delays in recruiting a permanent CEO; top candidates unwilling to relocate
- Rising risk of mismanaging EU-funded project and jeopardizing financing
- Potential slowdown in core business growth due to resource diversion
- Reputation risk with Western European clients over quality or delivery failures
- Unclear governance and decision-making with four active shareholders
- Looming overhead from hiring three senior managers, straining finances
3) Interim role delivered (speed and fit):
CE Interim rapidly deployed an Interim CEO with a mandate to stabilize both the core business and the new production facility in Poland. The assignment was structured as a 12-18 month mandate, with the interim leader assuming full P&L authority and significant on-site presence. The selected executive brought hands-on experience in greenfield industrial ramp-ups, cross-border stakeholder management, and governance implementation. Fit was ensured by prioritizing candidates with a track record in Poland, fluency in local business culture, and the ability to build trust with both founders and technical teams.
4) What happened during the mandate:
First 30 days
- Conducted a rapid operational assessment of both core EPC and new production activities
- Established immediate reporting and escalation routines with founders and key managers
- Stabilized project governance for the EU-funded facility, ensuring compliance and milestone tracking
- Initiated weekly cadence meetings to clarify priorities and decision ownership
- Identified critical gaps in production planning, quality control, and resource allocation
First 6 months
- Built and integrated a senior management layer, recruiting and onboarding three key functional leaders
- Implemented cross-functional escalation governance to address quality and delivery issues
- Developed and launched a go-to-market plan for the new production facility
- Aligned engineering, production, and supply chain teams around a unified ramp-up plan
- Restored delivery discipline in the core EPC business, protecting client relationships
6+ months
- Embedded a sustainable operating rhythm across both business units, with clear KPI ownership
- Reduced escalation volume and improved customer communication on project status
- Achieved stable production ramp-up, meeting break-even targets within the first year
- Supported founders’ transition to board and business development roles
- Prepared the organization for external financing and future leadership handover
Handover and exit
- Documented all key processes, governance structures, and reporting routines
- Facilitated knowledge transfer to incoming permanent leadership and senior managers
- Ensured continuity of operational cadence and stakeholder alignment post-exit
5) Actions taken (execution focus):
- Established weekly reporting and decision-making cadence across both business units
- Introduced structured escalation handling for quality and delivery issues
- Built and integrated a senior management team, clarifying roles and accountability
- Developed and implemented a go-to-market strategy for the new facility
- Aligned cross-border expectations between German headquarters and Polish operations
- Stabilized resource planning and production scheduling during ramp-up
- Ensured compliance with EU funding and bank financing requirements
- Mentored technical teams and strengthened cross-functional collaboration
- Supported founders’ transition from daily operations to governance roles
6) Outcomes achieved (measurable proof):
- Production ramp-up stabilized within 90 days, with quality controls in place
- Escalation volume reduced by over 50% in the first six months
- Core business growth maintained at targeted 10% year-on-year during transition
- New facility reached operational break-even within 12 months
- Customer confidence restored through improved delivery reliability and communication
- Senior management layer fully operational, reducing founder dependency
- Governance and reporting structures embedded for sustained control
- Organization prepared for external financing and permanent leadership transition
7) Why CE Interim:
CE Interim delivered a rapid, precise interim CEO deployment tailored to the client’s cross-border and operational complexity. The selected leader brought immediate execution capacity, bridging German headquarters expectations with Polish operating realities. CE Interim’s disciplined approach ensured stakeholder alignment, restored governance cadence, and reduced risk for both owners and clients. The mandate moved forward quickly and safely, with visible results from the first 90 days.
8) Call to action:
If you need an interim CEO to stabilize production ramp-up, restore operational control, and bridge cross-border execution challenges during the first critical months of a mandate, CE Interim can deliver the right leader quickly and safely.
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.
