I don't
clean up your
accounting.

An interim Finance Manager takes ownership; a consultant delivers recommendations. I step into the line role with authority, closing responsibility and signing power within the defined mandate scope. Concretely: I take charge of the closing, lead the team, and represent the finance function to auditors and group headquarters. Consulting ends with the report; interim management ends with handover to a capable successor.

Four scenarios recur: First, vacancy bridging at Head of Accounting or Finance Manager level, often at short notice after resignation or illness. Second, audit and SOX remediation when findings escalate and the closing must run in parallel. Third, ERP stabilisation around S/4HANA or Oracle go-lives where reporting does not hold after cutover. Fourth, closing acceleration: month-end closes that take two weeks instead of five days, with no one knowing why.

→ More on this: Why Your AP Team Has Been Behind for Weeks

HGB, IFRS and US-GAAP — and in parallel within the same closing, not as separate topics. In group environments I have managed over 50 entities in multiple standards simultaneously, including reconciliations, local tax reporting and consolidation packages. SOX-relevant controls, IFRS 15 (revenue recognition), IFRS 16 (leasing) as well as HGB notes and management report preparation are standard repertoire.

→ More on this: IFRS 18 — What CFOs Need to Know Now

SAP FI/CO/AA/HCM and S/4HANA, Oracle ERP (incl. R12 and Fusion), Hyperion for consolidation, Blackline for account reconciliation, Coupa Bellin and Coupa Treasury in cash and banking, Kepion for planning and reporting. I am not a consulting interface to IT — I work operationally in the system, read customizing and find booking errors in the tables, not just in the reports.

Request to mandate start is typically 5 to 15 working days, depending on contract structure (direct mandate or provider) and NDA process. Operational impact begins on day one: no two-week onboarding, but structured handover and parallel takeover of ongoing topics. Measurable stabilisation, clean closing, reduced findings, documented processes — typically within the first two month-end closes.

Full-time interim mandates usually run three to twelve months. In parallel I offer fractional models for companies that need ongoing expertise at manager level but cannot justify a full-time position — typically two to eight days per month, often in Group Accounting or ESG Reporting. Project-based mandates with clearly defined scope (e.g. AP remediation, IFRS 16 first-time adoption) run independently of the hours count until the agreed result.

Market day rates for DACH interim mandates at senior manager to Head of Finance level currently range between EUR 1,200 and 1,800 net, depending on complexity, travel and mandate duration. Provider mandates are higher than direct mandates because of the intermediary margin. The reliable day rate for a specific mandate I quote after the initial conversation — flat-rate lists are unprofessional in this market because they reflect neither risk nor scope.

→ More on this: Provider vs. Direct Mandate

Both, depending on the mandate. Audit remediation and ERP stabilisation require physical presence in the heat of the project, because decisions happen between meetings and team trust can only be built in person. Ongoing closing, reporting buildup and documentation phases work remotely. My catchment area is Europe-wide; travel readiness is part of the mandate model.

That is my core principle: Zero Knowledge Loss. Three mechanisms work in parallel. First, audit-proof process documentation — no Word walls, but operational work instructions a successor can use on day one. Second, team enablement: knowledge is actively transferred during the mandate, not only at the end. Third, elimination of single points of knowledge — no one on the team should be the only person with critical knowledge after I leave. I become unnecessary, not indispensable.

→ More on this: Eliminating the Single Point of Knowledge

Focus: internationally operating groups and upper mid-market with consolidation obligations. Industries from my experience: Automotive, Financial Services, IT, Industrial Automation, Receivables Management. Company sizes typically from around EUR 100 million revenue or from the point where multi-GAAP reporting, SOX compliance or a consolidated group statement is required. For smaller structures I am oversized — and I say so honestly in the initial conversation.

Direct mandates are concluded contractually between client and me: faster decisions, lower day rate, personal contract relationship. Provider mandates run through specialised intermediaries that handle pre-selection, NDA processing and invoicing. Standard margin in the DACH market is 15 to 30 percent on the day rate. Both models are legitimate. Which fits depends on the procurement structure of the client, not the quality of the interim manager. A detailed analysis can be found in the blog post "Provider vs. Direct Mandate".

→ More on this: Provider vs. Direct Mandate

Step one: a 30-minute initial conversation — situation, deadlines, scope, critical risks. Step two: written mandate proposal with objective, timeframe, day rate and deliverables, typically within 48 hours. Step three: NDA and master agreement, in parallel with mandate preparation. Step four: mandate start with structured onboarding day — stakeholders, system accesses, risk picture — and operational responsibility from day one.