Interim management · Market data Germany and DACH
Interim management in Germany: figures 2026.
Market volume, day rates, utilisation and mandate length at a glance. Data from the current DDIM and AIMP studies, with the source cited under each figure.
~ 2.7 bn
EUR
German market volume 2026 (forecast)
After a decline to EUR 2.47 bn in 2025, DDIM expects a return to the 2024 record level in 2026. The market is sensitive to economic cycles but recovers faster than traditional permanent employment markets.
Source: DDIM market study 2026 · As of: 2026 (forecast)
3.09 bn
EUR
DACH total market volume 2024
The DACH region is the largest interim management market in German-speaking Europe. The difference between DDIM's Germany figure and AIMP's DACH figure reflects Austria and Switzerland as well as different survey methodologies.
Source: AIMP market study 2024/25 · As of: 2024
1,367
EUR/day net
Average client day rate Germany 2025
The client rate is the day rate the company pays. It includes the provider mark-up when booked through a provider. The manager rate the interim manager receives is correspondingly lower.
Source: AIMP DACH market study 2026 · As of: 2025
1,317
EUR/day net
Average manager day rate Germany 2026 (forecast)
The manager rate is the net rate received by the interim manager. It is systematically below the client rate by the provider margin.
Source: DDIM market study 2026 · As of: 2026 (forecast)
27 %
Average provider mark-up on the manager rate
The range runs from 10 to 49 percent. It reflects the provider's market position, specialisation and search effort. Direct mandates without a provider carry no mark-up.
Source: DDIM market study 2026 · As of: 2026
68.7 %
Utilisation rate (in an active mandate)
68.7 percent of interim managers surveyed were in an active mandate in August 2026. The European average stood at 65 percent in 2024.
Source: DDIM flash survey August 2026 · As of: August 2026
c. 12,500
Active interim managers in Germany 2026 (forecast)
In 2025 the figure was 12,250. The market grows organically but more slowly than demand, which partly explains the sustained rise in day rates.
Source: DDIM market study 2026 · As of: 2026 (forecast)
3–18
months
Typical mandate length
Restructurings and complex transformations tend towards the upper end. Project mandates such as PMO or specific IT programmes are planned shorter and often extended in practice.
Source: DDIM market study 2026 · As of: 2026
74 %
Mandates at companies with 250–10,000 employees
Interim management is not a large-company tool. Mid-sized companies are the core target group because the flexibility and cost structure suit companies that cannot or do not want to fill a permanent C-level role.
Source: AIMP market study 2024/25 · As of: 2024
79 %
Confirm: change processes more effective with interim manager
This figure does not measure general satisfaction but the specific question of whether change processes run better with interim support than without.
Source: AIMP market study 2024/25 · As of: 2024
1/3
Providers rate AI influence as high or very high
Generative AI is changing how interim managers prepare, document and run mandates. At the same time new mandates are emerging: companies are looking for interim executives who can operationally own AI projects.
Source: AIMP market study 2024/25 · As of: 2024
Day rate trend
Client day rate 2021–2025
| Year | Client day rate (net) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | EUR 1,096 |
| 2022 | EUR 1,157 |
| 2023 | EUR 1,244 |
| 2024 | EUR 1,338 |
| 2025 | EUR 1,367 |
Source: AIMP DACH market study 2026 · As of: 2021–2025
Frequently asked questions
What does an interim manager cost?
The average client day rate in 2025 was EUR 1,367 net according to AIMP. This includes the provider margin, which DDIM puts at an average of 27 percent. Rates vary considerably by function, sector and company size. Mandates can be booked directly or through a provider.
How long does a typical interim mandate last?
According to the DDIM market study, most mandates run between three and 18 months. Restructurings and critical transformations tend towards the upper end. CRO and project mandates are often planned shorter but extended in practice. A handover to a permanent hire is the norm, not the exception.
Which company size does interim management suit?
74 percent of all mandates in 2024 were at companies with 250 to 10,000 employees (AIMP 2024/25). Smaller mid-sized companies also use interim management, particularly for CRO and transformation mandates. For these companies a clearly scoped assignment is important: the mandate should close a gap, not replace a permanent role.
Sources
DDIM (Dachgesellschaft Deutsches Interim Management e.V.): ddim.de · AIMP (Association of Interim Management Professionals): aimp.de · Secondary sources: piquano.com, gointerim.com, interimalliance.de, interimmanagerportal.de
As of November 2026. Next full update after the AIMP study 2025/26 (expected May 2027) and the DDIM market study 2027 (expected Q1 2027).
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