How an interim CFO was on duty within 40 hours
A CEO of a Swiss SME booked an appointment at short notice via my calendar function. That same day we spoke to each other – and the urgency became immediately clear:
The existing CFO was increasingly unreliable due to illness and could no longer perform his function. At the same time, a critical visit by the Group CFO from the parent company was imminent – in just four days.
The pressure to act was correspondingly high.
Initial situation
In the conversation, the requirements quickly crystallized:
- Bridging by an experienced interim CFO
- At the same time, further development of the controlling
- Solid technical understanding of a demanding industrial environment
- Experience in international project financing (over 80% export share)
- Clear hands-on mentality – crucial in an SME
Our approach
I did not promise the client a “candidate list”, but a targeted recommendation:
A maximum of two profiles – but a perfect fit.
Just one hour after our interview, the CEO received two carefully selected candidate profiles.
That same evening, he reported back – with the clear desire to have a first interview with a candidate directly due to the time pressure.
The interview was organized for the next day.
The Solution
Even in the first meeting, it became clear that the combination of professional competence and personal fit was right.
The decision was made immediately.
👉 Start: the following day.
Despite minimal training time, the interim CFO immediately took over the management of the finance function – and ensured that the company presented itself professionally and confidently during the Group CFO’s visit.
Shortly after the start of the mandate:
- Presentation of a clear development plan for the finance department
- Start of concrete implementation
- Coordination with the Group CFO
The result: The effect was so convincing that the interim CFO was immediately scheduled for another mandate within the group.
Conclusion
From the first contact on Tuesday at 16:00 to the start of the operation on Thursday:
👉 40 hours.
What sounds like a promise to many is lived practice for us.
Your benefits
If you want to do so in the short term:
- need to close a critical CFO gap
- Want to stabilize or develop your finance function
- or simply don’t have time for lengthy recruitment processes
then we don’t provide many options – but the right one.
Contact Now
Are you facing a similar challenge?
Contact me directly or book an appointment easily:
👉 https://meet.brevo.com/luc-widmer
