Lorraine Payne Named Among Top 10 Interim Consultants in the 2025 IIM Awards
We are incredibly proud to share that Lorraine Payne, Partner at Starfish Search, has once again been recognised by the Institute of Interim Management (IIM) as one of the UK’s top interim consultants, securing a place in the Top 10 for 2025.
This honour, based entirely on feedback from interim managers themselves, celebrates the individual consultants who go beyond the brief — those who listen carefully, understand deeply, and deliver consistently for the interims and organisations they support.
Recognition for Excellence — and Empathy
Each year, the IIM highlights not only the top interim service providers, but also the standout individuals within them. These professionals are recognised not just for their market expertise, but for the human qualities they bring to their work: trust, understanding, and an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing.
Lorraine’s inclusion in this year’s Top 10 is no surprise to those who have worked with her. Whether supporting a senior interim through a complex assignment or guiding a client through a period of strategic change, Lorraine combines sector knowledge with a sharp eye for leadership potential and a sincere commitment to people.
A Trusted Partner to Interims and Clients Alike
Those who voted for Lorraine cited her insight, empathy, and tireless support as key reasons for their nomination — a reflection of the consistent quality she brings to every conversation and placement. In a sector built on trust and pace, Lorraine stands out as someone who brings both clarity and calm.
As one interim shared in the survey, consultants like Lorraine “don’t just place people — they build partnerships that last.”
A Team Achievement
While this is an individual recognition, Lorraine would be the first to credit the wider Starfish Search team. Collaboration and shared values are core to how we work, and her success reflects the environment we strive to build every day — one where relationships come first, and where long-term impact always matters more than short-term wins.
We also extend our congratulations to all those recognised in this year’s Top 10, and to the IIM for continuing to champion quality and care in the interim profession.
Thank You to the Interim Community
We’re especially grateful to every interim professional who took the time to vote in this year’s survey. Your feedback does more than honour individuals — it helps raise standards and reaffirm the values that define good practice in our field.
To learn more about Lorraine and the work we do across interim leadership, visit our Interim Talent page or get in touch with our team.
Webinar Recap: Navigating Recruitment in the AI Age with PPMA
Starfish Search recently partnered with the Public Services People Managers Association (PPMA) to deliver a timely and thought-provoking webinar: “Navigating Recruitment in the AI Age.” Our own Sunita Patel was joined by Jason Makepeace from GovCats to explore how artificial intelligence is already reshaping recruitment, leadership, and workforce planning across the public sector. If you missed the session, the full webinar is available to watch here.
Top Talent: Regeneration and Growth
The growth and infrastructure agenda remains central to the government’s mission, and local authorities across the country are key drivers.
Mastering the Chair and Chief Executive Partnership: Insights from Our Latest Webinar
We recently hosted the second session in our Aspiring Chief Executives webinar series, focusing on a crucial theme for any leader entering the charity sector: Mastering the Chair and Chief Partnership. The session, led by our own Louise Beales, Prinicpal Consultant, and special guest Ciara Eastell, an experienced charity CEO, Chair, and coach, both provided a wealth of practical advice for those stepping into executive roles, especially within non-profit and charitable organisations.
ACCREDITATIONS
ESPO is a public sector owned professional buying organisation (PBO), specialising in providing a wide range of goods and services to the public sector for over 40 years. Starfish Search has been awarded a place on ESPO’s Strategic HR Services framework (3S). Services we offer under the framework include: Lot 1, Executive and Managerial Interim Recruitment Lot 2, Executive and Managerial Permanent Recruitment.
Starfish are proud to be certified Disability Confident Committed. This scheme provides employers with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace.
Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2020/21, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £2.04bn - supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers. Starfish Search has been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s Executive and Non-Executive recruitment. Services we offer under the framework include: Lot 3 - Non-Executive and Public Appointments.
Bloom, launched in 2012 is the UK’s leading marketplace for professional services. They provide an end-to-end solution for the procurement, contract management and payment of all professional services, via the compliant NEPRO³ framework. Their public sector clients have access to 20 professional services categories and over 4500 accredited suppliers. Bloom provides swift routes to market via either direct award or mini competition. Starfish is an accredited supplier to BLOOM; our services can be accessed via this framework - Executive and Non-Executive Search and Interim Management.
Join the starfish team
We hire people who bring insight, integrity and ambition to their work. If you’re ready to contribute to shaping the future of leadership and you want to explore our current opportunities please get in touch.
