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Interim Management in China - Foreign Executives have been working in China andAsia for decades.

Originally on expatriate contracts, a high number of them have now decided to stay in China. This is either done by renewing their contract, making the transition over to another company or by using their experience and expertise in an Inte

rim role.

In China, there is only a small group of senior interim turnaround professionalswith the experience and track record to make a difference. The best aren't easyto find or attract these individuals are always in demand, since there are alwa

ys both local and foreign invested companies struggling, regardless of the stateof the market.

Mick McGeehan, Managing Director of Interim Management Solutions, says that the demand for temporary assignments of highly experienced executives is dramaticallyincreasing. Whether the term Interim Management is used or not, temporary exec

utives with 10+ years experience are extremely valuable in Chinas current economi

c climate. He continues, when tough decisions need to be made, a fresh pair of eyes is an excellent way to ensure challenges are seen from the right perspective.This, I believe, is one of several key reasons for the sudden increase in demand.

The vast majority of Interim Managers working in China are foreign and currentlythere are very few Chinese Interim Managers carrying out regular assignments. This could be due to a number of reasons. Firstly, Chinese society extols the virtues of security the irregular nature of an Interim Managers income and the lackof long term contracts certainly wards off a number of would be Interim Managers. Secondly, experienced Chinese managers who are already secure financially areusually in their late 50s - some of these managers may have limited English language skills which would make them less appealing to MNCs in China. Nevertheless,

there are a number of Chinese in their late 30s to early 40s who are adventurous,entrepreneurial and interested in becoming Interim Managers.

One function in China that seems to be attracting a burgeoning number of InterimManagers is in Human Resources. A growing number of HRDs are looking to provide consulting or training services on a project or freelance basis, rather than being tied down to long term contracts. Interim assignments are therefore appealing given the greater flexibility and control over ones working life they can provide.

A typical Interim assignment can last from six months to over two years. An example wold be an Interim Manager named John, a British citizen and a highly experi

enced IT Professional, providing IT Project Direction and Management, with over15 years experience in the IT field of which 3 years were working in China (mainly Beijing &; Shanghai). He has vast experience with Microsoft Systems and has even managed the relocation of an entire IT division to a new facility in the UK.

He carried out an assignment for Interim Management Solutions as Director of Information Technology for a textile company based in Nanjing, Jiangsu province where his main KPI was to specify and deliver a new ERP system.

John

s hands-on experience proved invaluable in bringing the company

s IT infrastructure up to the required standards necessary prior to rolling out a successful ERP platform. Being able to adapt and provide solutions not in the original as

signment are all part of the skill set of an Executive Interim.

Interim Management Solutions (IMS), based in Shanghai, is the leading provider o

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f Interim Management services in China. Dealing with both foreign and local executives, IMS currently holds the largest database of Interim Managers in China. IMS places Interim executives in a variety of different industries all over Asia,from Luxury goods and Retail to machine manufacturing. They are part of the J.MGemini group, one of the longest running and most successful recruitment agencies in Asia, and aim to keep up with the current demand for interim managers andexecutives and provide the Chinese market with Interims capable of transforming

businesses.

Should you wish to learn more about Interim Management Solutions and the services they provide, or if you have an enquiry either as a client or candidate, please send and email to ims@jmgemini.com, or visit our website here at http://www.imsinchina.com/