Maintaining momentum with an interim GM of Technology

A leading Australian industrial and waste management business engaged Six Degrees Executive to source interim technology leadership to cover a planned seven-month sabbatical of its incumbent GM of Technology. 

Operating across the Eastern Seaboard with over 1,000 employees, the business had already moved through a significant transformation phase and was now focused on operational efficiency, optimisation and disciplined growth. The Technology function was in good shape - stable team, active initiatives, strong foundations. The priority was not change, it was continuity.

The Challenge

The outgoing leader had built a high-performing, settled team. A poorly handled transition risked disrupting something that was already working well and in a business at this stage of its maturity, that disruption would have been costly.

• Interim cover required at Executive GM of Technology / CIO level during a seven-month sabbatical
• Highly regarded incumbent had built a stable, high-performing team — risk of disruption if mishandled
• Active portfolio of AI, automation and continuous improvement initiatives requiring steady oversight
• Anticipated acquisition activity requiring technology input and integration readiness
• Need to maintain operational rhythm across a complex, asset-intensive environment
  

The brief was precise - a safe pair of hands. Someone who could step in without friction, maintain momentum, and leave the function in the same strong position they found it.

Our Approach

We deliberately kept the solution simple. Rather than building a broad market search, we focused on a tightly curated group of interim technology executives who:

• Demonstrated low-ego, pragmatic leadership styles
• Could coach and enable an existing leadership team rather than overhaul it
• Were comfortable balancing BAU stability with incremental improvement

Cultural fit and leadership style were weighted as heavily as technical capability. In this environment, the wrong kind of capable would have been as disruptive as the wrong kind of inexperienced. A shortlist was delivered at speed due to our engaged network and tenure in market.

The Outcome

An experienced interim GM of Technology was appointed, bringing a measured approach and a track record of operating effectively in complex operational businesses. Across the seven-month engagement:

• Seamless leadership transition with no disruption to technology operations
• Continued momentum across AI and automation initiatives aligned to business productivity goals
• Strong engagement and stability within the existing technology leadership team
• Effective support for acquisition-related activity without diverting focus from core operations
• Business remained on track in its shift from transformation to optimisation

Not every interim mandate requires transformation. In a high-performing environment, the value lies in judgment, restraint and continuity - knowing when to act and, equally, when not to.