The organisation was a national Regulatory Body with a statutory remit and a long history of doing things carefully and correctly. Its systems, however, told a different story.
Over time, technology had grown organically around the organisation rather than by design. Core platforms for case management, registration, complaints handling and reporting were functional, but fragmented. Staff relied heavily on manual workarounds, data was held in multiple places, and reporting required significant effort to produce even basic insights.
Externally, expectations were changing.
Members. industries and stakeholders increasingly expected:
Internally, staff were spending disproportionate time navigating systems rather than applying regulatory judgement.
Senior leadership knew digital change was needed - but also knew it carried risk. This was a regulated environment where:
A mis-step would have serious consequences.
The initial question for us was whether to recruit a permanent digital leader. But, following a meeting with Anna and the interim team, the organisation recognised that what it needed first was deep, situational expertise, not a long-term role shaped around business-as-usual.
Their challenge was time-bound and specific:
This pointed towards an interim.
With Anna's support, they appointed an experienced digital transformation specialist with a background in regulated and public-facing organisations. Crucially, this was someone who had:
The interim was given clear authority, direct access to the executive teams, and a tightly defined mandate.
The first few weeks were deliberately diagnostic rather than disruptive.
The interim:
This created a shared, evidence-based view of reality - something the organisation had not previously had.
From there, the focus shifted to pragmatic delivery:
Importantly, the interim did not attempt to “own” the transformation indefinitely. Part of their role was to leave the organisation stronger than they found it.
Within months, the organisation had:
Perhaps most importantly, senior leaders were able to make informed decisions about the future - including whether a permanent digital leadership role was required, and what that role should actually look like.
When the interim assignment concluded, the organisation was no longer facing an undefined digital problem. It had a structured plan, improved resilience, and the confidence to move forward at a pace appropriate to its regulatory responsibilities.
For regulators, digital transformation is rarely about speed for its own sake. It is about assurance, continuity, and credibility.
This organisation’s experience highlighted why interim expertise can be so effective:
In high-scrutiny environments, sometimes the safest way to change is to bring in someone who has done it before - temporarily, deliberately, and with a clear exit in mind.
Talk to Anna more about what an interim can achieve for your organisation.