The current AIMP Market Study 2025 provides a detailed and well-founded insight into developments in the interim management market in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The AIMP (Association of Interim Management Professionals) market study has been conducted for 20 years under scientific supervision and is regarded as the leading study in the interim management industry. The study provides orientation points for companies, interim managers, providers, law firms, journalists, academics and an interested public.
2025, the study was fundamentally revised and based on a 360-degree approach. Together with Prof. Dr. Markus Lemberger from the University of Applied Management in Munich, three selected industry groups were included in the study. In total, over 5,000 clients, 20 interim providers/law firms and over 10,000 interim managers were surveyed. The study was conducted by Dr. Martin Mayr, Managing Director of GOiNTERIM, together with Erdwig Holste on behalf of the AIMP.
It shows that despite economic challenges, the market for interim management remains stable and continues to develop. In a time characterized by change and uncertainty, interim management offers companies the necessary expertise and flexibility to successfully navigate through transformations.
Market volume & structure
According to the AIMP market study, the total market volume for interim management in the DACH region amounted to around EUR 3.09 billion in 2024. At EUR 2.4 billion, the German market remained stable at the previous year’s level, while Austria contributed EUR 260 million and Switzerland around EUR 400 million. These figures illustrate both the economic importance and the heterogeneity of the interim management market: while daily rates continue to rise, there is a slight downward trend in the utilization and number of interim managers – with strong individual variance between full and underutilization in some cases.
At the same time, the daily rate range varies from region to region: in Switzerland, the average daily rate in 2024 was EUR 1,712, in Germany EUR 1,338 and in Austria EUR 1,282.
Demand, utilization and trends
Although the market volume declined slightly, the number of interim managers continued to rise slightly. In addition, providers recorded a 7.9% increase in average daily rates, while the average workload also rose slightly. Medium-sized companies in particular regularly make use of interim managers: 74 percent of all mandates are accounted for by companies with 250 to 10,000 employees. Large corporations and micro-enterprises commission interim managers much less frequently.
In terms of project content, the focus remains on transformation and transition topics: Change management, restructuring, bridging vacancies and business development are among the most common areas of assignment. Specialists in the areas of finance, commercial management and human resources are particularly in demand – 56% of assignments take place here. 63% of providers expect restructuring projects to become increasingly important in 2025, which underlines the need for experienced and assertive leaders.
High satisfaction with interim managers and providers
The quality and satisfaction with interim management is high: 75 percent of clients were very satisfied or satisfied with the performance of the interim managers used. Cooperation with providers was also rated positively by 67 percent of company representatives. Interim managers score particularly well in change processes – 79% of the clients surveyed confirmed that these can be implemented particularly effectively by interim managers.
The relationship between providers and interim managers is increasingly seen as a true partnership: 62% of interim managers generate more than half of their projects through providers. Of those who worked with providers in 2024, 77% were very satisfied or satisfied with the collaboration.
Market behavior & client relationships
Despite the positive development, challenges remain: Some companies refrain from using interim managers because they consider them too cost-intensive. Many inquiries fail due to budget restrictions, project stops or a lack of accuracy of fit – the so-called lead-to-deal ratio has deteriorated significantly. At the same time, the proportion of existing customers has fallen – from 48% to 41% – which indicates a change in purchasing strategies and higher fluctuation.
Communication usually takes place at top management level: Managing directors or board members are often the point of contact. The majority of interim managers operate at the second management level, while assignments at board level are declining slightly – a sign of greater specialization and differentiation in the range of assignments.
Industries, regions and prospects
In terms of industries, mechanical engineering remains a growing sector, while chemicals, pharmaceuticals, ICT and automotive are stable fields. In addition, interim managers are deployed in numerous other sectors and functions – after finance and HR, other roles follow across the entire functional spectrum.
Over 80 percent of assignments continue to take place in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Projects outside Europe are rare, which confirms the clear regional focus.
The future prospects also show a differentiated picture: 43 percent of interim managers expect growth in 2025, 20 percent expect stagnation and 27 percent see a possible deterioration. This shows an overall positive, but not uniform, expectation.
Digitalization & use of AI
One interesting aspect of the AIMP Study 2025 is the growing importance of AI technologies in interim management. A third of the interim management providers surveyed stated that AI tools have a very high or high impact on their day-to-day work. Only 16 percent say that AI plays a minor role or no role at all. This clearly shows that the use of AI does not contradict personal, established business relationships, but rather complements them in a meaningful way. AI is increasingly seen as a support in project staffing, in the matching process and in market analysis – not as a replacement for human experience and networks.
Interim management – established and fit for the future
One remarkable aspect is the stable takeover rate: since 2019, the proportion of interim managers who are taken on as permanent employees after a project has remained constant. This underlines the fact that interim management is no longer a temporary solution, but a deliberately chosen career path and an established profession.
The results of the study also highlight the high level of customer satisfaction: 75% of the companies surveyed are satisfied or very satisfied with the services provided by interim managers. The area of change management is particularly noteworthy, with 79% of clients confirming that interim managers can support change processes particularly effectively.
In conclusion, the AIMP Study 2025 paints a picture of a highly professional, structured and relevant segment in the field of management consulting and executive recruitment. In times of transformation and skills shortages, interim management remains an indispensable tool for companies – especially when experienced decision-makers are needed at short notice.
Click here to download the AIMP study
Feel free to share this post with your network as well.