Case Study

Interim CIO at a leading international fashion retailer

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Interim CIO at a leading international fashion retailer

A fashion retailer was struggling with high staff turnover rates and outdated technologies. Due to high employee turnover, the company’s competitiveness was also at risk. Targeted measures such as replacing the second management level, implementing a risk tracker and switching to an agile domain structure stabilized the IT organization, reduced staff turnover and provided an investment budget of EUR 15 million for technical upgrades.

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Company Details

Fashion retailer with approx. 15,000 employees
Operates 170 locations in 14 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, production facilities located in Asia, Hong Kong
IT organization consists of around 450 employees, with the headquarters situated in Dusseldorf

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Situation and Challenge

Short-term release of the internal Group CIO
Fluctuation in IT: approx. 15 resignations in one month
70 % of positions in the 2nd management level are either vacant or under notice
Technology and expertise lagging 10 to 20 years behind, resulting in decreased competitiveness

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Objective and Task

Ensuring the IT organization is aligned with the new omnichannel digitization project
Focus on stabilizing the organization
Addressing technical restructuring, initially not included in the project scope

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Measures and Procedures

Managing 9 departments and replacing the second management level
Developing a risk tracker to prioritize urgent technical investments in infrastructure, digital workplace, and IT security
Facilitating open communication through town hall meetings, newsletters, and intranet updates
Reorganizing departments and transitioning to a domain structure based on an agile model

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Results and Achievements

Entirely replacing the 2nd management level
Aiming for a decrease in staff turnover to 1 to 2 employees per month
Allocating a €15m investment budget for technical refurbishment, with swift execution and completion
Transferring two departments to an agile domain structure

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