Contents
- What makes the restructuring of an international group so special
- The three actors of a well-structured
- The typical phases of a restructuring
- Two recent missions in international
- WAYDEN in Paris, as close as possible to group
- FAQ
- Sources
mission
mission
groups
management
What makes the restructuring of an international group so special
Paris concentrates the headquarters of French international groups, in the heart of a region that weighs 860 billion euros in GDP, far ahead of all the others. When one of these groups restructures, the decisions taken at the headquarters have repercussions on subsidiaries, factories and teams in several countries.
The pressure is real: according to the Altares 2025 report, 236 companies with more than 100 employees defaulted last year, an increase of 18.6%. The groups that come out of this are those that restructure early, before being forced to do so.
Three particularities complicate the exercise in an international environment: multi-country coordination (different social rights, information-consultation calendars specific to each jurisdiction), confidentiality (a leak can affect the stock price, customers or social negotiations) and day-to-day management, because the group must continue to deliver while it transforms. It is precisely to hold these three fronts that a transitional leader is dedicated to the maneuver, rather than overloading an already exposed executive committee.
The three actors of a well-structured mission
A transition assignment is not a contract between two parties but a triangle: the company, the firm and the interim manager. The solidity of this triangle determines the quality of the execution.
The framework and the mission letter
It all starts with a framework between the group’s management and the firm: situation, scope, objectives, milestones, governance of the mission and confidentiality rules. This framework becomes a written mission letter, with measurable objectives and a provisional duration. The France Transition barometer places the average duration of an assignment at 7.5 months, and 8.3 months excluding relay management: a group restructuring is generally at the top of this range.
The interim manager and associate director duo
The interim manager operates within the company; the associate director of the firm manages the mission from the outside. This combination protects the group: regular progress reports, third-party views on progress, ability to reframe or strengthen the system if the situation changes. An isolated manager, without this safety net, is the risk of direct recruitment or platforms. Our interim management firm page details this difference.
Typical phases of a restructuring mission
The first weeks: securing and objectifying
The interim manager first establishes a factual diagnosis: the real performance of the entities, social and contractual commitments, legal risks by country. At the same time, he secures the urgent, whether it is cash flow, strategic customers or social dialogue. This diagnosis leads to a sequenced restructuring plan, validated by the governance.
The core mission: to execute within the legal deadlines
Then comes execution: legal reorganisations, information-consultation procedures, divestments or closures of activities, redeployment of teams. Companies are devoting an increasing proportion of their transition tasks to this: a European survey from spring 2025 indicates that 44% of them were planning change management and restructuring assignments. The detailed process is described in our guide to the stages of restructuring a company.
The mission exit: transmitting an organization that runs
The mission concludes with the handover to the long-term management: target organization in place, documented files, stabilized governance. A simple criterion allows us to judge success: six months after the manager’s departure, the new organization is operating without him.
Two recent assignments in international groups
A pharmaceutical company engaged in a carve-out (the separation of an activity intended to become autonomous) had to rebuild all of its HR processes: information system, payroll, time management, compensation. An interim manager piloted this program within the HR department, from the diagnosis of the existing system to the deployment of new tools, securing the continuity of payroll throughout the separation.
Another situation: an international dermo-cosmetics group, with a turnover of one billion euros and more than 3,000 employees, has embarked on a transformation of its governance while recruiting its future CEO. An interim executive ensured executive continuity during this pivotal period, within a framework of enhanced confidentiality, in direct coordination with shareholders.
WAYDEN in Paris, as close as possible to group management
Based on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, WAYDEN supports international groups and their subsidiaries in all management functions. The firm mobilizes a pool of 8,000 experienced executives, including profiles experienced in multi-country restructuring, carve-outs and governance transformations, which can be deployed in less than a week.
Each mission is managed in pairs with an associate director, from the initial scoping to the transfer. The Ile-de-France system is presented on our interim management page in Paris, and all of our expertise on wayden.fr.
FAQ
Who is leading the mission on the company side: the CEO or the HR Director?
It depends on the scope. An overall restructuring is managed at the level of the general management or the board; a functional project (HR, finance, systems) is attached to the department concerned. The main thing is that the sponsor has the decision-making power over the perimeter entrusted to the interim manager.
How is confidentiality guaranteed during the mission?
By the contract (confidentiality clauses binding the firm and the manager), by the system (limited circle of interlocutors, controlled communication schedule) and by the experience of the manager, who is used to sensitive operations. Some assignments start under a neutral title internally.
Can the transitional leader intervene in several countries at the same time?
Yes, this is common in international groups: the manager manages the program from the head office and relies on local management for execution, taking into account the employment law of each jurisdiction. The selection of the profile then integrates the multi-country experience and the working languages.
What is the difference between an interim manager and a restructuring consulting firm?
The consultant recommends, the interim manager executes. He takes operational responsibility in the organization, manages teams and reports on results, whereas the consulting firm produces analyses and plans. The two can coexist on the same operation, with distinct roles.
Conclusion
There is nothing improvised about a successful transition assignment in an international group: a clear triangle between the company, the firm and the manager, a mission letter with measurable objectives, sequenced phases and a handover prepared from the start. It is this structure that transforms a period of risk into an accelerator.
Is your group preparing for a restructuring or going through a significant transformation?
Contact WAYDEN to frame your situation with an associate director and meet experienced interim managers.
Sources
- INSEE, Insee Flash Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes n° 157, published on 26 August 2025: GDP of the Île-de-France region of €860 billion in 2023, France’s leading economic region.
- Altares, “Business insolvencies in France: 2025 report”, published in January 2026: 236 insolvencies of companies with more than 100 employees in 2025, up 18.6%.
- France Transition, barometer for the second half of 2025, press release relayed in February 2026: average duration of assignment of 7.5 months, 8.3 months excluding relay management.
- TPE Actu, “Companies and the use of interim management”, published on 8 May 2025: 44% of companies planned change management and restructuring missions in 2025.
