In an age of AI disruption, ransomware attacks, and cloud dependency, boards of directors face a new kind of fiduciary responsibility: ensuring that technology risk is understood, governed, and turned into competitive advantage.
Without active board engagement, companies risk falling behind—or worse, facing catastrophic loss. But when boards get technology right, it opens the door to innovation, security, and sustained value creation.
“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”
— Steve Jobs
Technology is evolving at a breakneck pace, leaving many companies struggling to keep up. When systems are misaligned, talent is underleveraged, and business leaders are frustrated, it’s often a sign that technology is being managed in a silo—or worse, it’s actively hindering growth.
We spoke with two seasoned interim CIOs, David Mitchelhill and Kevin Malover, both members of the InterimExecs RED Team, about how they’ve guided companies through ERP overhauls, tech stack rebuilds, and aligning IT with business goals. Here are the biggest takeaways.
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.
Imagine your business, a $200 million operation, vanishing overnight. Not a slow decline. Not a market shift. A sudden, devastating wipeout. That’s the reality Paul Hardy faced. He’s a seasoned executive who found himself at the epicenter of an avian flu outbreak in 2022.
Ultimately, the company, one of the biggest producers in the country, destroyed more than 5 million birds.
In eight days.
This isn’t just a story about managing in a crisis; it’s a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and the human cost of extraordinary decisions.
“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.
The strategic playbook of most companies focuses on growth through mergers and acquisitions. But that focus on M&A deals overlooks one of the most powerful tools in their arsenal: a clear, proactive divestiture strategy. The strategic shedding of underperforming assets can be a robust engine for value creation and an essential component of dynamic portfolio management for boards, C-suite executives, and private equity funds.
“While there’s plenty of evidence to suggest divestitures can create more value for shareholders than acquisitions, only about 30% of S&P 500 firms engage in them annually,” says Emilie Feldman, professor of management at Wharton and author of Divestitures: Creating Value Through Strategy, Structure, and Implementation.
This underutilization, she posits, is partly due to a psychological bias: “M&A is associated with positive terms like ‘growth’ and ‘opportunity,’ while divestitures are linked to negative terms like ‘failing’ and ‘lagging.'”
Overcoming this misperception is critical to unlocking substantial enterprise value.
In today’s fast-moving, tech-driven business environment, the role of the CIO is more critical — and more complex — than ever. Whether your organization is navigating digital transformation, merger integration, or large-scale ERP system upgrades, an Interim Chief Information Officer (CIO) can deliver immediate, strategic value without adding long-term overhead.
(Learn more about our Interim CIO Services and Fractional CIO Services here.)
Unlike consultants or rising IT managers, a seasoned interim CIO brings deep operational and leadership experience. These executives are not only capable of taking on the same responsibilities as a permanent CIO, but they also offer a focused lens on change, transformation, and rapid results.
Here are 5 common use cases where an interim CIO can be a powerful asset to tackle high-impact technology initiatives, IT leadership gap coverage, or specialized project execution:
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.
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 and fractional CIOs to understand what separates the good from the truly great.
Here’s what we found:
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First-year Change Agent members have access to the Interim Institute’s 4 hour audio program on the Fundamentals of Interim Management, and a one-hour strategy session to help jumpstart their interim career.
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