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An interim CIO gives IT clear leadership and direction.

IT decisions too big to make on the side.

I make prioritisation, decisions and responsibilities clear – as interim IT leadership for companies that lack the time and depth for it:

  • Strategic prioritisation of IT initiatives
  • IT decisions prepared in an understandable way
  • Defined processes and accountability
Discuss your situation A first assessment of mandate, role and what needs doing.
30+ years in IT25+ years in project management5+ IT transformations guidedFormer President PMI Switzerland

Does this sound familiar?

  • „We are too small for a CIO" – but your IT decisions have long been big enough to get expensive.
  • You run IT on the side, alongside sales, HR and day-to-day work – without the time and depth these decisions deserve.
  • In steering, IT blames the business and the business blames IT – nobody is defending the project right now.
  • The IT organisation has grown, but structures, processes and a plan for the coming years are missing.
  • You invest in IT but can barely judge which measures actually create value.
  • You are open to using AI in principle, but unsure about the regulatory requirements.

Unclear ways of working — or clear direction and priorities.

Before
  • Unclear responsibilities at management level
  • IT investments with no clear business link
  • A missing decision basis for leadership
Before/after comparison: on the left an IT without strategic leadership and investments with no direction, on the right the same IT with an interim CIO, a clear roadmap and priorities.
After
  • Clear direction for your IT
  • Well-founded priorities and decisions
  • An IT team with clear leadership
  • Costs and risks under control

Like a shipowner, I set a clear course for your IT — so every decision supports your business goals instead of tying up resources.

From practice

IT Strategy

A service landscape streamlined, service costs cut by around 20%

~20%
Situation

Across three units, redundancies in the service landscape were to be removed and running costs reduced – while addressing service-related risks in a structured way.

Result

Around 20% savings in service costs and an optimised service offering across three service units.

See the full case

How I fill the leadership gap as an interim CIO

Whether as an interim CIO, fractional CIO, external CIO or CIO-as-a-service: you benefit from my experience and a structured way of working.

  1. Step 1: First call

    First call

    • Starting point
    • Objective
    • Pitfalls

    Result

    A well-founded initial assessment and a structured proposal for how to proceed.

  2. Step 2: Assessment

    Assessment

    • Internal stakeholders
    • Partner contracts
    • IT landscape, risks, dependencies

    Result

    A reliable decision basis with priorities, risks and recommendations for your IT.

  3. Step 3: Mandate as interim CIO

    Mandate as interim CIO

    • Regular on-site sessions
    • Working with internal stakeholders
    • Transformation roadmap

    Result

    A focused implementation of the planned transformation – aligned with all areas involved.

  4. Step 4: Closure & handover

    Closure & handover

    • Lean, lived IT processes
    • IT established as a value-adding partner
    • Optional follow-up mandate

    Result

    A lean, stable IT organisation that actively supports operations.

Frequently asked questions about interim CIO services

What is an interim (fractional) CIO?

An interim or fractional CIO provides strategic IT leadership temporarily or part-time: strategy, prioritisation, governance and investment decisions – without you having to fill an expensive full-time position.

When is a fractional CIO worthwhile for an SME?

When IT decisions grow in consequence but no one owns the strategic lead, or when investments run without a clear roadmap. Often just a few days a month are enough to establish direction and governance.

How does strategic IT leadership differ from IT operations?

IT operations keeps the systems running; strategic IT leadership decides which initiatives to pursue at all, prioritises them by business value and creates the governance for it. Technical depth is the foundation, leadership the lever.

Do you advise vendor-neutrally?

Yes. I don’t sell software or licences and receive no commissions from vendors. Recommendations are based solely on your needs.

Why me

Strategic IT leadership takes experience, neutrality and a proofed ways-of-work – exactly what I bring:

  • 30+ years in IT, 25+ years in project and programme leadership
  • Industry experience across IT, Consulting, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Event management, SMEs
  • Certified (PMP, Scrum, hybrid), with knowledge of the EU AI Act
  • Former President of the PMI Switzerland Chapter
  • Neutral: no product of my own to sell
I'm Stefan Vesenmeier Stefan Vesenmeier

Let's talk about your IT leadership. In a first call, I assess your situation and show where I'd start.

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