Success story · December 2025
From crisis management to day-to-day management: Industrial leadership at the Spanish subsidiary of a French group
How an interim manager filled a critical, unexpected vacancy and consolidated the factory management team after five months of high-performance leadership.
Client and Sector:
Our client is the Spanish subsidiary of a prestigious French industrial group. The company, which plays a key role in the group’s international strategy, operates a production plant in Spain that requires standards of operational excellence in line with those at the parent company in France.
The Situation / Need (The Problem):
The organisation suffered a severe blow to its chain of command: the Plant Manager was suddenly forced to take sick leave due to a serious illness. This unforeseen situation left the plant without its head from one day to the next, creating an immediate risk of operational disarray and a breakdown in communication with the French head office. The company could not afford a lengthy recruitment process or leave the post vacant; it needed immediate executive leadership to ensure business continuity.
The EPUNTO Approach and Solution (The Methodology):
EPUNTO recruited an Interim Manager (COO) in record time, with a senior industrial background and the ability to adapt culturally to French multinational environments. The manager took full charge of the factory without a handover period, stabilising operations from the very first week.
During the five months of the initial assignment, the Interim Manager not only filled the vacancy but also optimised processes and gained the trust of both the team and head office. Given that the previous director was unable to return to the role, and in view of the excellent results achieved (‘Accountability’), the company decided to appoint the Interim Manager on a permanent basis as the new Plant Manager, transforming an emergency solution into a successful strategic recruitment.
Frequently asked questions
What was the main challenge in this project?
The challenge lay in the urgency of the situation and the lack of a successor. As this was a sudden sick leave, there was no handover of responsibilities. The executive had to arrive on the ground, assess the situation and take operational control (‘take charge’) without a pre-established roadmap, reporting directly to a demanding international group.
Why was an interim manager chosen rather than a traditional recruitment process?
Due to the critical urgency. When faced with a serious illness-related absence, there is no time to react. A traditional headhunter would have taken months to put forward a suitable shortlist. EPUNTO placed a qualified manager within days, ensuring that the factory did not lose its momentum for a single shift.
What was the most significant impact during the first 90 days?
Stability and continuity. The Interim Manager succeeded in instilling a sense of calm and reassurance in the workforce and the French parent company, demonstrating that the factory was under professional control despite the personal crisis caused by the previous manager’s illness.
How did EPUNTO ensure the transfer of knowledge at the end of the mission?
In this case, the handover turned into a permanent appointment. Once it was confirmed that the previous manager would not be returning, the expertise developed by our Interim Manager did not need to be handed over to a third party, but was instead capitalised upon as he himself remained in the role as permanent Plant Manager (Interim to Permanent).
What unique feature did EPUNTO bring to this solution?
The quality of the ‘matching’. We didn’t just find an operations expert, but a leader capable of fitting into the culture of a subsidiary of a French group and managing an emotionally complex situation arising from their predecessor’s departure. The arrangement was so successful that the client didn’t want to let them go.
