Dec. 15, 2025
By Sam Young
When you look across Europe, two sectors stand out for how quickly they are embracing interim leadership. Manufacturing and retail are on the same path, but they are moving at very different speeds.
Other industries use interims as well, but the energy and momentum sit here.
It is also where our partnerships across Europe have expanded the most. The demand is consistent, the pain points are clear and the value of proven leaders is more obvious than ever.
Manufacturing is structured and selective
Most manufacturers know exactly why they bring in interim help. Operational resets. Plant performance. Site stabilisation. They want leaders who can step into complex environments and make decisions without hesitation.
A trend we are seeing across FMCG manufacturers is the scale of ERP transformation now underway, and these programmes touch every part of the business. They demand tight control, quick recovery from setbacks and cross functional experience that many internal teams simply do not have. Interims with ERP delivery backgrounds become essential when the stakes are this high.
M&A is another pressure point. Several major players in food, drinks and household goods are active across Europe, which creates moments where integration work needs to start before a permanent team is fully in place. Interim leaders are often the bridge that keeps everything on track.
The maturity in this sector is steady. They use interims when the outcome is clear and the value is measurable. Nothing is wasted, and everything has purpose.
Retail is moving faster than almost anyone expected
Five years ago, interim support in retail felt like a last resort. A project had stalled. A programme needed rescuing. A leader left suddenly.
Now the shift feels intentional. Retailers are bringing in interim and fractional leaders to rebuild fulfilment models, drive digital change and deliver major technology transformations. ERP programmes are a growing part of this story too. Many retailers are replacing legacy systems while trying to modernise their supply chains at the same time. The pressure on permanent teams is huge, and interim support gives them room to breathe.
We are also seeing more activity triggered by European M&A. Retail groups expanding across borders or consolidating locally need leaders who can align systems, processes and people quickly. A short-term specialist can often accelerate six months of work into six weeks.
Across Europe the pattern is consistent. The UK still leads. The Nordics are moving quickly. Germany and the Netherlands are catching up. Our European partnerships have grown because these challenges do not pause for recruitment cycles.
What ties manufacturing and retail together is urgency. Manufacturers want stability and precision, and retailers want pace and clarity. But both need leadership that can slot in immediately and remove friction.
This is exactly where NB Connect sits. A network of proven leaders across Europe who can step into ERP programmes, M&A integration work, operational resets and major transformation where timing matters more than titles. As interim maturity continues to accelerate across manufacturing and retail, the ability to access trusted, delivery-focused leadership quickly is becoming a genuine competitive advantage. This is where we support organisations to move faster, reduce risk and keep momentum when it matters most.