Interim CEO vs PE Operating Partner
An interim CEO takes the CEO seat in a portfolio company and runs it. A PE operating partner works across a portfolio, coaching CEOs and helping the fund with due diligence and value creation but not running any one company. Interim is inside the company. Operating partner is inside the fund.
The core difference
The interim CEO is the CEO of one portfolio company for a defined period, accountable to that company's board. The operating partner is a fund resource, working across several portfolio companies, coaching CEOs and helping the deal team on diligence, value creation planning and follow on decisions. They are complements, not substitutes.
Interim CEO vs operating partner: side by side
When the fund needs an interim CEO
When a portfolio company's CEO seat is empty, ineffective, or the value creation plan needs someone accountable inside the company on day one. Operating partners can support the fund and coach the interim CEO, but they cannot substitute for line ownership.
When the fund needs an operating partner
When the fund wants a permanent internal resource who understands multiple portfolio companies, supports deal teams on diligence, and coaches sitting CEOs. Operating partners scale with the fund; interim CEOs plug into one company at a time.
https://niklaslindahl.com/compare/interim-ceo-vs-pe-operating-partner