The most prestigious award in the industry
The Austrian Interim Management (DÖIM) umbrella organization is a national platform for professional interim managers. The " Interim Manager of the Year " industry award, initiated by the DÖIM, is considered a symbol of modern leadership and management in the business world. This annual award recognizes exceptional achievements in interim management and honors managers who excel in delivering outstanding results for their clients and demonstrating a highly professional approach.
A unique success: Two-time award winner
Siegfried Lettmann is the only interim manager to have received this prestigious award twice – in 2018 and 2022. This achievement underscores his exceptional expertise as an executive interim manager and his ability to achieve sustainable transformation success .
As a profit architect and executive interim manager with a focus on transformation in sales, marketing, and pricing, Lettmann has proven over the years that he not only achieves short-term improvements, but also realizes long-term, measurable profit increases.
The growing interim management market
The interim management market in Germany and Austria is experiencing continuous growth. The fee volume in Germany is around €2.7 billion, and in Austria, around €300 million. Interim managers are in increasing demand, particularly in the areas of business processes, agile management, digitalization, and AI, due to their broad experience.
This development demonstrates that interim management is no longer solely associated with crisis management, but is now experiencing increasing demand in areas such as growth, innovation, development, sales, and digitalization . Interim management is increasingly becoming an important strategic management tool.
The 2018 award: Transformation of a sales organization
For his mandate " Transforming a Sales Organization " at MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Lettmann was named Interim Manager of the Year in 2018. At this commercial warewashing company, with approximately €330 million in sales and 2,300 employees, he served as the general manager for sales, marketing, and product management from 2015 to 2017.
Internal feedback on the project speaks for itself: "With Mr. Lettmann's help, we as a company have made significant progress without causing any internal chaos. From MEIKO's perspective, I can only say: his efforts were a complete success!" says Dr. Stefan Scheringer, CEO.
The 2022 award: Flexible transformation with record results
In 2022, Lettmann received the award for his exceptional mandate " Flexible Corporate Transformation " at an innovation leader in fastening technology for timber construction . What's special about this assignment: Between March 2020 and July 2021, Lettmann held four different management positions consecutively: Head of Purchasing, Head of Commercial Operations, Head of Sales, and Head of IT .
Measurable top results
At the end of the mandate, both the company's revenue and profit (EBIT) were at record levels – never before in the company's history had these figures been so high. The interim manager's investment had paid for itself after just a few months! The return on interim management ( ROIM ) was over 1,500 percent.
These exceptional results impressively demonstrate how executive interim management can be used as a strategic tool to increase profits. The three phases of the mandate demonstrated Lettmann's versatility and execution strength:
| Leadership position | Measures and results |
|---|---|
|
Phase 1 Purchasing Management |
Ending the procurement crisis by integrating procurement planning into the ERP system and realistic sales planning. |
|
Phase 2 Commercial Management |
Significant improvement in employee morale, development of a mission statement and a forward-looking strategy, and organizational realignment. |
|
Phase 3 Sales Management |
Establishment of a planning and forecasting process, restructuring of dual sales, introduction of price management and identification of new business areas. |
|
Phase 4 Head of IT |
Establishment of an internal IT department, introduction of an ERP system, data warehouse and conversion to virtual desktop infrastructure (desktop-as-a-service). |
Expertise and qualifications of a top interim manager
Lettmann's success is based on an exceptional combination of practical experience and continuous professional development . He is a certified Business Model Innovator, Change Manager, Project Manager, and Certified Management Consultant . He also serves as a lecturer and program director at the European Business School (EBS), where he trains interim managers at university level.
His practical experience includes management positions at renowned companies such as Miele , Kärcher Professional and numerous international hidden champions from the medium-sized manufacturing sector.
Industry focus: Manufacturing medium-sized companies
Lettmann's expertise focuses on industries such as mechanical engineering, metalworking, electrical engineering, toolmaking, construction supply, and sanitary engineering . This focus enables him to quickly identify industry-specific challenges and develop targeted solutions.
According to market analyses, interim managers are particularly in demand in companies with 1,001–10,000 employees, with traditional mid-sized companies being the primary target group. It is precisely in this segment that Lettmann, as a "profit architect," has his greatest impact.
The future of interim management
Growth in interim management has averaged 13 percent per year over the past 13 years. Globally, there have been several major acquisitions in the industry, underscoring the increasing professionalization and importance of the market.
The majority of interim managers expect growth in the coming years, with restructuring mandates in particular set to increase in the short term. This trend reflects the growing recognition that external leadership expertise represents a decisive competitive advantage during transformation phases.
Conclusion: A benchmark for excellence in interim management
Siegfried Lettmann's two-time award as " Interim Manager of the Year " is more than just recognition—it is a testament to the transformative power of professional interim management . His ability to achieve measurable top results in diverse roles and industries makes him a unique "profit architect" in the German-speaking world.
For medium-sized manufacturing companies facing transformation challenges, these success stories impressively demonstrate the potential that can be realized through the targeted use of executive interim management. As Lettmann's mandates demonstrate, the investment in a first-class interim manager can pay for itself in just a few weeks and lead to sustainable profit increases.
The DÖIM awards not only recognize individual achievements but also promote the recognition of interim management as a strategic management tool in modern corporate management.
