Interview with Martin Brügger

Interim Engineering Lead between hydrogen technology, high-pressure systems and expedition vehicles 

Your path into engineering: What led you into the world of engineering? 

Martin Brügger: A part of me has always been fascinated by technology. Alongside interests like agriculture and animals, engineering has intrigued me since childhood. As a teenager, I maintained commercial vehicles on farms – I was constantly working on machines or vehicles. 

When it came to choosing a career, I was torn between veterinary medicine/biology and technology. Engineering seemed to offer more versatility and broader career opportunities. That made the decision quite clear. I studied mechanical engineering and entered the technical world through that path. 

Martin Brügger, Interim Manager Swiss Interim Management

How did your journey into interim management begin, and how did you eventually come to join Swiss Interim Management?

Martin Brügger: In my previous roles, I was rarely involved in routine tasks. I often took on special projects and troubleshooting assignments – exactly where things were critical and fast solutions were needed. 

Over time, I realized that these situations suit me particularly well. I enjoy familiarizing myself with new topics, stepping in where rapid progress is required, and coordinating interdisciplinary teams. 

After several temporary assignments in such roles, moving into interim management was almost a logical next step. Through SIM, I was able to apply my experience in a targeted way as an external project lead. 

Looking back, is there a project that stands out as especially memorable?

Martin Brügger: Yes, absolutely. Since joining SIM, I have worked with a company entering the field of hydrogen technology. This allowed me to immerse myself deeply in the topic and, together with internal experts, help build new core capabilities.

Being involved as an external expert in such a strategically important and future-oriented technical field is far from a given. It was a particularly rewarding mandate, both professionally and personally.

What fascinates you about demanding technical fields such as hydrogen and high-pressure applications? 

Martin Brügger:

My enthusiasm for technology is strongest when it is combined with leadership and hands-on project execution. I am particularly drawn to the intersection of deep technical expertise, organizational complexity, and collaboration with people from very different backgrounds.

I feel most at home in situations where things are not simply running smoothly—where real problems need to be solved, and new solutions need to be created.

“External experts often bring fresh perspectives to structures that have developed over many years. As outsiders, we frequently notice things that are no longer visible internally.

This change in perspective can be extremely valuable – and I believe it is still underestimated.”

What typical challenges do you see in process engineering and plant construction? 

Martin Brügger: Projects in process engineering and plant construction require very broad technical understanding. They are large in scale, involve many disciplines, and include numerous interfaces – both technical and organizational. 

You cannot work in a narrow niche without understanding the bigger picture. If that holistic view is missing, friction inevitably arises. 

I notice that this kind of interconnected thinking does not come easily to everyone. That’s what makes the field so demanding – and exactly what makes it appealing to me. 

What distinguishes successful technical project leaders from less successful ones? 

Martin Brügger: Perfection is not everything –  the classic 80/20 principle is enough. What matters is moving forward with momentum and achieving objectives efficiently. 

This also requires the ability to adapt to people with very different backgrounds and work cultures, and align them toward a common goal. Technical projects are rarely purely technical; communication, team dynamics, and interpersonal relationships play a major role. 

What is most important to you in the first days of a new interim assignment? 

Martin Brügger: The most important thing is to take action. Prolonged hesitation rarely helps a project move forward.

That doesn’t mean bulldozing everything. But it is better to start early, take initial steps, and create clarity than to wait for weeks. Movement generates insight—this has proven true in every project I’ve worked on.

How do you experience acceptance of interim managers within teams?

Martin Brügger: Very positively. In some cases, employees I worked with only briefly were later surprised to learn that I was actually an external interim manager.

If you deliver solid work, communicate transparently, and show a genuine interest in the team, you are quickly accepted as part of the whole.

What advice would you give to companies considering hiring an interim manager? 

Martin Brügger: Companies should be clear about where the value of an interim manager lies. Especially in technical fields, external experts often bring fresh perspectives to structures that have developed over many years. As outsiders, we frequently notice things that are no longer visible internally. 

This change in perspective can be extremely valuable – and I believe it is still underestimated. Many companies default to long-term permanent hires, even though a targeted interim assignment could often deliver better results more quickly. 

You also trained in group dynamics. What motivated you to do so?

Martin Brügger: In many projects, I have little formal hierarchical authority—which is entirely normal in project- and interim-based environments. Teams are interdisciplinary, employees remain anchored in their line organizations, and yet they are expected to achieve shared objectives.

That requires different tools than those provided by classical hierarchy.This is why I completed a CAS in team facilitation and group dynamics, with a focus on non-hierarchical leadership in project teams.

For me, a strong team is one in which roles are clearly defined and all key roles are filled. Such teams tend to perform almost automatically—and that does not mean everything is always harmonious. Performance often emerges precisely through the active interaction of different roles.

Do you use AI in your own work?

Martin Brügger: I use AI very selectively—only where the added value is clear. Responsibility for content and quality always remains with people.

Between technology and balance: Martin’s personal passion beyond his projects

What drives you outside your projects?

Martin Brügger: Alongside my interim work, I run a small side business that also revolves around technology. Together with a team, we design and build fully customized camper vans and expedition vehicles.

It’s a combination of engineering, organization, and creativity—and the challenges are surprisingly similar to those in my interim mandates. Clients often know very clearly what they don’t want, but are less certain about what they truly need. Working that out together is a key part of the process.

Traveling by van is also a very personal way for me to recharge. It’s not always relaxing, but it is deeply enriching. Two or three weeks on the road give me more than a traditional hotel vacation ever could.