Conducted by Aymeric Bas, Managing Partner International, Valtus Interviewee: Christian Kniescheck, Partner, Management Factory – A Valtus Company
Introduction With growing demand for agile leadership and transformational expertise, the interim management market across Europe continues to evolve. To better understand its size, structure, and specific characteristics of the Austrian market, Aymeric Bas, Managing Partner International at Valtus, sat down with Christian Kniescheck, Partner at Management Factory – Austria’s leading provider for executive interim management and part of the Valtus Group. Drawing on seven market surveys and internal data, Christian shares a comprehensive overview of the Austrian market’s key figures, trends, and outlook.
Aymeric Bas: Christian, let’s start with the fundamentals: how large is the Austrian interim management market?
Christian Kniescheck: In Austria, we currently have around 1,500 interim managers. However, not all of them work full-time in interim roles—many also take on consulting or advisory assignments. Each year, we estimate 1,000 to 1,100 interim mandates, translating into a total annual fee volume of approximately €263 million in 2024.
Aymeric Bas: That’s remarkably specific. How did you arrive at these figures, given that there’s no official data?
Christian Kniescheck: Indeed, there are no government statistics, so we had to take a more empirical route. I compared seven major recent surveys—ranging from the DÖIM and Maria Bühler studies to the AIMP, DDIM, Heuse, and INIMA reports. Last but not least, we cross-checked the findings with our own CRM and talent pool data. It’s a synthesis of qualitative estimation and quantitative validation.
Aymeric Bas: Fascinating. Let’s talk about how mandates are filled. How important are providers in Austria?
Christian Kniescheck: Currently, in Austria only 33% of mandates are filled via providers, with the remaining 67% arranged directly between clients and interim managers. That’s quite different from Germany, where the provider share has already reached 50%. Austria’s smaller and more transparent market likely explains this. That said, we expect the provider share to grow over time.
Aymeric Bas: And what about fees? How do Austrian daily rates compare internationally?
Christian Kniescheck: The average daily rate, excluding provider margin, is about €1,275—slightly below Germany’s €1,326. But there’s wide variation depending on the role. Executive interim managers in Finance, General Management, or Restructuring often command significantly higher rates than HR or specialist functions.
Aymeric Bas: You mentioned executive interim management. How big is that segment in Austria?
Christian Kniescheck: We estimate it to be about 25% of the total market—so roughly 265 mandates annually. These are C-level assignments: interim CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CIOs, CHROs, CROs, and so forth. Given the higher day rates, this segment alone accounts for roughly €93 million annually. Management Factory is the market leader in this segment in Austria.
Aymeric Bas: What makes up the remaining 75% of mandates?
Christian Kniescheck: About 45% are second- to fourth-tier leadership roles—department heads, team leaders, division managers. Then 20% go to program and project management, especially in transformation and change initiatives. The final 10% are staff and expert roles with advisory elements.
Aymeric Bas: Let’s talk demand: which functions are most sought after?
Christian Kniescheck: Finance and General Management dominate—each representing about 30% of all mandates. That includes CRO roles, which are often counted under Finance. Operations, HR, and IT each account for roughly 10%, and the remaining 10% covers Sales, Marketing, Quality, Business Development, and R&D.
Aymeric Bas: And what about the typical profile of an Austrian interim manager?
Christian Kniescheck: Most interim managers are over 50, often with decades of leadership experience. That’s the foundation of their credibility. There is, however, growing interest from younger high-potentials entering the field. The share of female interim managers remains relatively low—about 16%.
Aymeric Bas: Which industries are the main users of interim management in Austria?
Christian Kniescheck: Machinery and plant engineering comes first, followed by the automotive sector. Other important industries include construction, chemicals, pharma, telecom, electrical engineering, energy, packaging, consumer goods, and retail. Public sector usage remains the exception in Austria.
Aymeric Bas: Finally, what’s your outlook for 2025?
Christian Kniescheck: Optimistic. The year 2025 started strong, and we expect solid growth. The main drivers are restructuring, transformation, and post-merger integration. M&A-related interim mandates are also increasing. That said, the HR interim market is softening, and demand for ESG roles is declining—these are increasingly part-time or project-based. The demand for vacancy bridging remains stable.