The Ultimate Guide to Hiring an Interim CIO

Technology can make or break your business. Whether you’re navigating a high-stakes digital transformation, cleaning up an IT disaster, or preparing your company for sale, you need smart, decisive leadership. But what happens when your organization can’t wait six months to recruit the perfect permanent CIO?

That’s where an interim CIO comes in.

Unlike a full-time hire, interim CIOs bring speed, clarity, and deep experience — often stepping in after a CIO departs, during a crisis, or ahead of a major initiative.

This guide breaks down what every CEO, board member, or private equity investor should know about hiring an interim CIO—how to recognize when you need one, what they actually do, how they differ from CTOs and fractional executives, and what traits to look for.

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When Should You Bring in an Interim CIO?

In today’s digital-first economy, the demands on IT leadership are immediate, complex, and high-stakes. Whether it’s leading a large-scale ERP rollout, navigating a merger, or shoring up cybersecurity, your organization can’t afford delays in critical IT decision-making.

That’s where a top-tier interim CIO can make all the difference. But how do you know it’s the right time to bring one in?

Below are the most common scenarios when engaging a part-time or temporary CIO is not just helpful, but necessary.

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The Reverse Elevator Speech: The Essential 60-Second Secret Every Interim Leader Must Master

“If you cannot explain it simply, you do not understand it well enough.”

— Albert Einstein

Most leaders know the power of an elevator pitch — that concise, compelling speech you’d give the CEO if you found yourself sharing an elevator. But what about when the tables turn? What if it’s your job, as a leader, to share your vision with your team?

Enter the reverse elevator speech — the 30-to-60-second message every leader needs to master.

The reverse elevator speech is particularly relevant for interim professionals as it enables rapid alignment and impactful engagement. Interims can swiftly grasp an organization’s core challenges and, by articulating the company’s problem and their proposed solution concisely, immediately gain executive buy-in and establish their value. This approach cuts through complexity, fosters quick consensus for change initiatives, and frames the interim’s role as a direct solution provider from day one.

What Is a Reverse Elevator Speech?

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Why Every Company Needs a Divestiture Strategy — Insights from Wharton’s Emilie Feldman

For decades, business strategy has been synonymous with growth through mergers and acquisitions. But according to Emilie Feldman, Professor of Management at Wharton and author of Divestitures: Creating Value Through Strategy, Structure, and Implementation, companies that focus on M&A deals are overlooking one of the most powerful tools in their arsenal: a clear, proactive divestiture strategy.

In a recent conversation, Feldman unpacked why smart divestiture planning often outperforms M&A in value creation and why boards and executives looking to shore up their balance sheet should rethink their approach to shedding non-core assets.

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Fractional vs. Interim Executives: What Are the Differences and Which is the Right Path?

Interim and fractional leadership lies at the intersection of leadership gaps and the gig economy. They are the answer to the challenges organizations face in today’s dynamic business landscape. But what are the differences between the two approaches and which one is right for your organization? And which is the right future career path for you as a high-level executive?

Let’s break it down.

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Top 5 Qualities of a Great Interim CIO

When technology stalls or transformation fails, it’s rarely because of tools or code. More often, the root issue is leadership — misaligned, ineffective, or stuck in the weeds.

That’s where interim CIOs step in. The best ones don’t just manage systems. They stabilize teams, reset direction, and accelerate outcomes — often under immense pressure and tight timelines.

At InterimExecs, we work with elite interim leaders across the globe through our RED Team. We sat down with some of our top-performing interim CIOs to understand what separates the good from the truly great.

Here’s what we found:

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Leadership Accountability Isn’t What You Think: What Interim and Fractional Execs Must Get Right

In the world of interim and fractional executives, there’s no room for fluff. You’re dropped into a company mid-crisis, mid-turnaround, or mid-transformation. You’re expected to hit the ground sprinting—not just running.

So let’s talk about the word that gets tossed around like confetti but is often completely misunderstood: accountability.

We sat down with Sam Silverstein, founder of Sam Silverstein Enterprises and the Accountability Institute, and author of multiple books on leadership and culture, to unpack what accountability actually means—and why it matters more than ever for executives who lead without long-term guarantees.

Spoiler alert: It’s not about barking orders or micromanaging from the corner office.

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CIO vs CTO: What’s the Difference — and Which Do You Need?

In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven business world, knowing the difference between a Chief Information Officer (CIO) and a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is more important than ever. If your company is experiencing rapid growth, going through a big digital transformation, or bringing teams together after an acquisition, having the right tech leadership can be a game-changer for your strategic success. And sometimes, the smartest move is to bring in an interim CIO or CTO to provide the expert guidance you need without rushing into a permanent hire before you’re completely ready.

So, what are the key differences between a CIO and a CTO? And how do you figure out which skillset your organization actually needs ? Let’s break it down so you can confidently decide when it’s time to bring in a CIO, when a CTO is the right call, and when an interim leader might be the perfect strategic advantage.

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Fraud Risk Management 101: How to Protect Your Business From Corrupt Clients and Employees

Maribeth Vander Weele once saved a client from a disastrous $250 million deal. The client was $90 million into the deal when intuition told him something was wrong and he hired her firm to do a fraud risk assessment. Ten days later, her firm had “put together enough red flags about that individual” that the client was able to withdraw from the deal without losing a dime. A year and half later, law enforcement investigated, shut down the company, and sent the leaders to prison, she says.

Wander Weele, whose company, The Vander Weele Group, now specializes in oversight of large-scale grant programs for government agencies, says that more people need to do “pre-diligence.” That is the deep dive into the background of the partners that will tell you whether they are people you want to do business with.

“People come to us when they have some intuition about a deal. Everything else looks good in the deal, but that intuition is kicking in. We deep dive the internet. We put together facts, dive through thousands of references to that individual or company, and put together a story of who this person really is,” she told Robert Jordan, CEO of InterimExecs in an interview.

In another case, her team investigated a company that grew from $27 million to $300 million very quickly — an unbelievable feat given the company’s limited infrastructure. Learning that requires looking beyond the usual data points of the financials.

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Manufacturing Challenges 2024: Defining and Dealing with Them

Manufacturers are grappling with a number of significant challenges in 2024. Some of them are new, some are left over from the pandemic, and some have been around for years. Here we list the top challenges facing manufacturers and our executives’ recommendations for dealing with them.

Labor Shortages

Identifying, recruiting, and hiring skilled workers is often cited as the No. 1 manufacturing industry challenge for 2024. Baby boomers hitting retirement age, a skills gap in areas like automation, and millennials’ demand for flexibility and remote work options all contribute to the challenge of hiring the right people for the manufacturing jobs of the future.

Interim CEO Tony Evers says companies can overcome this challenge. “Always focus on capability potential as this is the basis for growth – personal and business,” he says.

There are some tried and true ways to do that, says Ed Trevisani, an interim executive with extensive experience in business strategy, operations, and transformation.

Those include:

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