Case Study: Interim Security Manager - Strategic force in uncertain times
Security has stepped out of the technical niches and become a priority on the strategic agenda of management. In a situation where legal requirements and the security policy situation are changing rapidly, companies do not have time for long recruitment processes. We met Håkan Borgström, one of Sweden's most experienced interim security professionals, as he embarks on a new mission to build resilience in record time.
Strategic acceleration over management
Why do Swedish companies choose an interim solution over permanent recruitment in the current climate? According to Håkan Borgström, it's about the need to break old patterns and have an immediate effect throughout the business.
- “It's often about managing a new situation at short notice or daring to change direction. Changing pace is a challenge for an existing organization. An interim solution provides the mandate to be a change leader rather than a manager, which is required when dealing with the growing ”security debt” that many companies carry today after years of national naivety.”
The first 30 days: diagnosis and pace
In an interim mission there is no start-up period. In the first 30 days, the foundations for the future protection and structures of the organization are laid.
- “My priority is to identify the gap between the current state and the desired state right away. It's about getting the pace right on the priority tasks and ensuring that the security organization and management speak the same language. To succeed, you need to be present; a security organization that is not visible, does not exist.”
The balance between management and operational reality
The role of security manager requires a unique ability to move between different levels of the company. An interim profile is expected to be a strategic advisor to management one hour and act as an operational doer the next.
- “You have to be comfortable in both roles. It's about finding the balance between the needs of the business and the right level of protection. It requires a holistic approach, looking at the good of the whole company and building bridges between different departments.”
The time limit as a lever
Knowing that you have to hand over the keys in time affects how relationships and teams are built. Rather than being a disadvantage, Håkan sees the time frame as one of the mission's greatest strengths.
- “The time constraint creates a clarity and an understanding in the organization that decisions need to be made now. I act as a catalyst, raking the wheels for the permanent head of security. My job is to build a structure that will last long after I have left.”
The investment that provides objective answers
Håkan's best advice to a CEO or board considering an interim solution is to see it as an objective review of the entire business's security.
- “An interim manager provides straightforward and clear answers because we are not colored by internal politics. You get an expert view of a critical area in a short time. This allows you to organize and recruit in a way that is precisely tailored to the future needs of the business.”
Expert comment: Why demand is at a record high
Lars Hygrell, Recruitment Consultant:
”The market has shifted dramatically. Today, an interim security manager is a strategic choice to quickly professionalize the protection of the entire organization. Companies realize that they need a ‘transformation engine’ to quickly meet new regulations such as NIS2 and the tightened security policy situation. Bringing in a profile like Håkan Borgström gives management a seniority that directly sets the structure. It buys the company the right to do the right thing from the start, which makes the subsequent permanent recruitment much more accurate.”
This is the first part of our series on interim security managers. In the next part, we meet Carl Magnus Rutherfalk, who has just completed a similar assignment, to hear how to successfully hand over the baton to a permanent organization.
