A study has revealed that the role of interim executives in delivering change had more than doubled to 33% from a base of just 15% in 2008.

A new report by Executives Online, the fast-track headhunting company, entitled ‘Challenge of Change 2010’, shows remarkable consistency in responses surrounding the ‘drivers of change’ against the previous study conducted two years ago.

The top four ‘primary drivers of change’ indicated increasing efficiency, cost reduction, corporate restructure and the search for competitive advantage.

When asked whether change programmes were fuelled by ambition or fear, almost 60% of respondents taking part in this year’s survey indicated ‘fear or defensive reasons’ as the driver of business change compared with just 45% of respondents in 2008.

And female respondents were less likely than men to state fear and more likely to consider ambition as the key driver of change.

Respondents from both client companies and interims themselves agreed that the most important skills a person responsible for delivering change needed to demonstrate included successful leadership, successful track record of similar change management programmes and excellent communication, as well as personal charisma and persuasiveness.

Anne Beitel, managing director at Executives Online, explains: “The role that interim managers can play in driving change programmes has become well established during the course of this recession.

“Recession also causes fear because it presents a set of forces over which most businesses feel they have little control. The interim change manager is unique. They have no fear of change because to them it is both known and manageable.

“Furthermore, in most instances the change manager will have experienced several recessions and will be able to introduce a sense of calm and focus in an often turbulent, highly charged business environment.”