Mission completed: Reorganization of the IT department

Feb. 2025

What I love about my role as an interim manager is exactly this: Jumping into cold water, diving into an intense period of work – and in the end, delivering a success story. But it also comes with a bittersweet farewell after almost a full year on site.

My successor has taken over at the start of the year, and we are now in the handover phase. So it’s time for me to slowly let go, say goodbye to the colleagues I’ve grown close to – yes, with a tear in my eye.

At the beginning, the task was clear: restart long-delayed projects within the shortest possible time, establish a basic level of project management structure, create transparency around past gaps, and build understanding for budgets and timelines. Most importantly, turn all of this into real projects, prioritize with the business, and get things moving.

I was fortunate: my client had recently re-entered a phase of growth – against the industry trend. We used this momentum to shape the future IT landscape and define a modern user profile, addressing topics such as data science, machine learning, and AI.

What I enjoyed most was the rapid acceptance in the business teams and on the shop floor. The new, collaborative way of working – “co-creating” – quickly gained traction. We built new capabilities together, and trust developed fast, creating a truly productive working atmosphere. Even the apprentices found their place, took ownership, and achieved a level of recognition from the business they hadn’t experienced before. It became a real win-win situation.

It was great to see how the simple principle took hold: listen carefully to what the business tells you. Try to explore the root of their needs, even if their wording may not always match IT language. Take it as an opportunity – business experts reflecting on their work, offering ideas – and we in IT translate this into practical solutions using our technical know-how. For the business, IT is just an enabler. For us, it’s the core of our work. Naturally, the perspectives differ. That’s why continuous communication, constant interaction, and steady exchange are essential. Even a chef asks guests how the menu tasted. Living this mindset every day – and seeing how well it resonated – created a team spirit driven by: we can do this, we want to move forward as an organisation and as a company.

Now it’s time to move on to the next assignment, and to say goodbye to a fantastic company and, in many ways, a big family. Parting truly is such sweet sorrow.