Fractional CDO. Digital Leadership on Demand.

Monthly collaboration at decision-maker level. Embedded, with a clear mandate.

1. 01

   The challenge

   Digital transformation needs decision-making power at leadership level. Someone who brings technological reality and strategic goals together and can hold their own in management. A full-time Chief Digital Officer is neither economically nor structurally sensible for many organisations. The result: transformation initiatives are left without clear leadership, fail against internal resistance, or are delegated to external consultants who disappear again after the workshop. Every quarter without digital leadership is a quarter in which competitors build a lead.
2. 02

   Our approach

   Marc Buchholz takes on the role of Chief Digital Officer on a temporary basis, embedded in existing leadership structures, with a clear mandate and a defined time frame. With over 800 delivered projects and 20 years of enterprise experience, he brings not only orientation but concrete implementation know-how at decision-maker level. Collaboration takes place on a monthly basis: strategy calls, decision papers, sparring on vendor selection and support for internal teams on concrete initiatives. Those who move from the orientation phase into implementation find the next concrete step in our digital strategy consulting or AI implementation. Billing is monthly: fixed price or time and materials, depending on scope.
3. 03

   Deliverables

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   Monthly strategy sessions with minutes and recommended actions

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   Decision papers for governing bodies and project teams

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   Prioritised digital roadmap with milestones and responsibilities

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   Assessment of AI potential within the existing portfolio

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   Sparring on tenders, vendor comparisons and technology decisions

In practice

1. 01

   Industry

   Industry / Enterprise
2. 02

   Challenge

   Several digitalisation initiatives without overarching governance. Internal coordination effort blocked progress, decisions got stuck within departmental boundaries.
3. 03

   Approach

   Marc Buchholz took on the mandate as Fractional CDO for 9 months. A weekly strategy call with management, monthly decision papers for the board, assessment of three ongoing platform initiatives.
4. 04

   Result

   Clear prioritisation established, two projects consolidated, first measures implemented within 90 days, development partnership awarded for two strategic initiatives.

Frequently asked questions

• What does a Fractional CDO mandate cost?

  The mandate is billed monthly. Either as a fixed price with a defined hourly framework or based on actual effort. The scope depends on the complexity of the organisation and the desired presence. Orientation and concrete scope are clarified in the first conversation.

• How does onboarding work?

  We start with a 90-minute initial conversation without a fixed agenda: situation, goals and current challenges. From this emerges a concrete proposal for scope, time frame and billing. No standard package.

• What happens after the mandate?

  Those who move into operational implementation can continue directly with the same team, whether digital strategy, AI implementation or enterprise platforms. No knowledge lost at handover.

• Is the mandate suitable for mid-sized companies or only for large corporations?

  For both. The challenge (strategic leadership without a full-time role) is often even more pressing in growing mid-sized companies than in large enterprises with their own digital departments.