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More and more companies are realising that there's no shame in hiring an interim marketing chief. In fact, as Branwell Johnson reports, short-termers can be a positive business boon
The interim marketing director has traditionally been seen as someone in the twilight of their career trying to keep the bank account topped up by trading on his or her extensive marketing experience. But a new breed of younger executive candidates has appeared, and companies are no longer using them just as stop-gaps.
Recruitment agencies say the use of interims across all sectors is increasing and that the average age of marketers signing up for such work has fallen.
Companies are also more prepared to bring in skilled executives to handle particular projects or to take on a troubleshooting role. Several high-profile names have held interim positions, including new Woolworths marketing director Stephen Robertson, who has just carried out an interim task at WH Smith (MW July 1).
Companies that might in the past have preferred to gloss over the fact that they were employing an interim are now much more open about the situation.
Nestle Rowntree brought in Sam Hunter following the departure of Andrew Harrison to Muller, but the company was clear from the start that this was an interim appointment. In addition, Argos has appointed former Safeway marketing chief Karen Bray as marketing director but says this is initially for six months (MW last week). The company says it has not yet made a long-term decision about the position.
Isabel Cutts, manager of the interim marketing team at recruitment agency Michael Page International, confirms companies and marketers are trying out interim solutions for various new reasons.
Nick Cutts (no relation), chief executive of agency Barton International, adds: "Employing an interim used to be a knee-jerk reaction...