“Putting the people, the product and the desirability in the focus of all activities”.

Mr Kinting, you were CEO at Olsen, comma and most recently at zero. The focus was often on the restructuring of the companies. It seems that especially fashion companies in Germany are struggling. What is the reason for that?

USK: “Consumers’ purchasing power is declining, cities and shopping centres are less and less frequented and the appeal of fashion has clearly lost its appeal due to a new environmental awareness.”

Due to the declining appeal of stationary retail, online shopping is moving further into focus.

USK: “Online and offline retail must be interlinked. In order to reawaken the level of desirability, the products and their points of sale must be staged more. This staging only works if the “media world” is linked with the “stationary world”. The prerequisites for this are comprehensively (integrated) functioning IT systems and employees with enthusiasm and the corresponding know-how. The complexity for this will continue to increase.”

Regardless of the form of the shopping experience, how can fashion companies become fit for the future?

USK: “Put the people, the product and the desirability in the focus of all activities. Create brand values through uniqueness and continuously engage with the defined target group. Consistently implement the aforementioned points. Everything else then follows from this.”

The fact that this is not yet being practised is probably also shown by the increasing number of insolvencies. Shop closures are a frequent component of redevelopment. What effect do these have on the inner cities? And how sustainable is the “shopping mile” model overall?

USK: “Cities and shopping centres will change. Simply lining up shops no longer works. Working, living, eating, drinking, shopping, leisure and experience will move closer together. Cities and shopping centres will have to be bustling 24/7 for this to work. The rented spaces should be able to be used “multi-functionally” throughout the day. Legislators must create the conditions for this.”

Insolvency also offers companies the opportunity to reorganise themselves cost-effectively and gain advantages over their competitors. Do you fear a domino effect?

USK: “Insolvency is always a tough test, both for entrepreneurs and their employees as well as for business partners. With insolvency proceedings, the legislator has created the possibility to restructure companies, not to gain advantages. The main goal is to stabilise the company while it continues to operate and to continue (if necessary with new owners).”

Interim managers are often used in the context of reorganisation. What are their areas of responsibility?

USK: “Interim managers develop solutions and strategies. They design and implement measures for restructuring or reorganisation. They also initiate steps to rationalise and draw up a plan to turn the company around.”

You have worked as an interim manager yourself. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an outsider in a company?

USK: “I come into a company unbiased, have no history with the organisation, am independent and offer an outside view. At the same time, I am the specialist for a clearly assigned task that is temporarily limited. Decisions are prepared and made on analytical and fact-based foundations. The disadvantages include the short familiarisation period and the lack of knowledge about existing corporate structures. Scepticism and mistrust among internal staff is certainly another hurdle.”

Yet interim managers depend on the support of internal employees. How do you, as a “new colleague”, manage to build trust within a very short time and create motivation to work together?

USK: “As an interim manager, I am impartial, have to be very sensitive to the ethos of organisations and avoid office politics. Transparent communication with all contacts is essential.”

So communication skills are elementary. Are there other qualities that are mandatory in this position?

USK: “Interim managers must have an economic, pragmatic, solution-oriented mindset. They also need analytical skills and a quick grasp of things. Detailed knowledge of management and organisational theory is helpful:

1: Adaptability and flexibility

2: Ability to perform under pressure

3: Good communication skills

4: Technical and methodological competence

Is it the case that interim managers achieve results faster than permanent employees? And if so, why is that?

USK: “The interim manager has no ambitions for a career in the client company and is untouchable in that respect. He does not pursue any personal goals with his development in the mandate and therefore has nothing to lose. Since the interim manager’s business model is based on the principle of self-employment, there is basically a more valid objectivity due to independence. More diverse experience from different industries and several companies distinguishes the interim manager from the typical permanent employee. Therefore, an interim manager can draw on benchmarks, comparables and a larger portfolio of methods and tools.”

In this job, you gain insight into highly sensitive data – is there a separate confidentiality agreement for this?

USK: “As a rule, I am deployed in an exposed position in the company – in management, leadership or supervision. If the interim manager is working in a position as a member of a corporate body, he or she is also subject to the legally defined duties; otherwise, this is regulated by a separate confidentiality declaration or obligation. This covers all matters of the company and the business. In terms of content, these are the facts concerning the company, unless they have been made public or are subject to information requirements. The confidentiality obligation not only means that the interim manager may not pass on the information to third parties, he may also not use it for his own purposes outside his work. This confidentiality obligation continues to apply (possibly for a limited period of time) after the termination of the mandate.”

Thank you very much for the interview.