Strengthening our presence in Romandie: How Swiss Interim Management Is Expanding Its Local Presence
- Ines Techt
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
Alexandre De Col is an executive and interim manager, a long-time partner of Swiss Interim Management. Based in Neuchâtel, he plays a key role in building our presence across French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie) and supporting businesses overcome their challenges.
We spoke with Alexandre about his international background, the unique landscape of Romandie, and what makes Swiss Interim Management a trusted partner in the region.
Ines Techt: Alexandre, you’ve had quite an international career. What brought you into interim management?
Alexandre de Col: I spent over 30 years as an international executive with companies like Nestlé, holding positions across Europe, the U.S., Latin America, and Asia. After leaving Nestlé, I founded Dr.PME®, a consultancy dedicated to supporting managers of small and medium-sized companies in Romandie. Over time, our clients started asking us for interim candidates — and that’s how we began working with Swiss Interim Management.
What inspired you to represent Swiss Interim Management in Romandie?
At the time, Swiss Interim had a strong presence in German-speaking Switzerland, but Romandie was a clear white spot. We saw the opportunity to bring that expertise to the French-speaking market by building a local talent pool of French-speaking experts. It’s become a great synergy — we support each other with mandates and talent, depending on client needs.
How would you describe the current business landscape in Romandie?
There are around 185,000 companies, but most are micro-enterprises. The real focus for us is the 13,000–14,000 small and medium-sized businesses, especially in industry, services, and retail. Many are currently facing challenges around commercial, operations, finance or HR aspects of their business — some even just need help surviving. Others are looking to innovate, reposition, diversify, or professionalize their operations.
Are companies in Romandie open to interim solutions?
Yes — especially when there’s an urgent need. For example, when a key employee leaves the company, they often don’t have time for a long recruitment process. That’s where we come in. Through Swiss Interim, we offer a talent pool of over 150 professionals, including CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, change managers, and supply chain experts. With SIM, we make a difference by prioritising Quality over speed. We take the time to match companies with the right person, not just the first available.
You’ve recently helped launch the French version of our website. Why is this an important step?
It’s a major milestone in showing our commitment to the region. The French page makes it easier for customers to understand how SIM can help them, which industries we serve, how we approach interim work, and even browse case studies and blog posts. It also highlights the fact that we have a strong, French-speaking talent pool right here in Romandie.
What are your goals for Swiss Interim Management in Romandie in the year ahead?
We want to be recognized and trusted for the great work we do, not only in German-speaking Switzerland, but also here in Romandie . Our goal is to build credibility, visibility, and long-term relationships with customers and interim-managers — so that local companies know we are here, we understand their culture, and we offer a real solution to their issues.
Finally, is there a personal side to your story that drives your professional mission?
If I had to choose one word, it would be curiosity. It’s what led me to travel, to shift from engineering to commercial roles, to discover new markets. Even as a child, I was inventing — I once built a ski-skateboard hybrid and won a prize at the Geneva Young Inventors Fair. Today, that same curiosity drives me to support businesses and help them grow. I’m always looking for variety and new opportunities to help, and interim management is the perfect environment for that.
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