Interim managers are being used more to direct change, deliver essential projects and improve business rather than their tradition gap-management role, according to a study by the Interim Management Association (IMA).

The survey of 27 interim management providers showed that the main reason for using an interim was for change/transition management (25%), programme/project management (24%), business improvement (22%), and gap management (16%).

The research found that interim fees ranged from £500 to £1,500 a day and a quarter of assignments were in human resources.

Nick Robeson, IMA chairman, says: “Our findings confirm that interims are operating throughout the UK at strategic levels across the private and public sectors. We know from other research that bringing an interim on-board can increase profitability in a company running into millions of pounds.”