Fractional CTO & IT Strategy Advisor
RetainerCTOStrategy
1. Context & Objectives
Client Context
- An R&D organisation must clear a step change — rapid growth, internationalisation, a technology overhaul — without senior technical leadership in place
- The CTO seat is vacant, in transition, or not yet justified full-time
- The executive needs a counterpart able to operate at board level and at technical level alike
Key Challenges
- Technology strategy that is loosely formalised or disconnected from business priorities
- An R&D organisation that no longer holds at scale: blurred responsibilities, delivery bottlenecks
- Structural decisions (architecture, hiring, investment) deferred for lack of a senior arbiter
- Technical reporting to the board hard to produce
Engagement Objectives
- Fully own technical leadership, from strategy to team management
- Align the technology roadmap with company strategy
- Structure the R&D organisation to support growth
- Secure a critical phase: scaling, transformation, fundraising, or M&A
2. Value Proposition
Our Approach
- Senior technical leadership, immediately operational, embedded in your decision bodies
- An intensity tuned over time: strong at the start, then a rhythm matched to your needs
- An executive posture: arbitrate, decide, be accountable — not merely advise
- Every decision captured in a structured, reusable knowledge base for your teams
Expected Impact
- A clear technology strategy, shared and tracked over time
- A more legible R&D organisation that ships faster
- Structural decisions made at the right time, by a leader accountable for the outcome
- Reliable board reporting on technology performance and investments
Why Us
- Hands-on VP / Head of Engineering experience in high-growth contexts (from 16 to 45 engineers)
- The ability to cover the full spectrum: strategy, architecture, organisation, and R&D financial steering
- A pragmatic, adoption- and outcome-driven approach — not document production
3. Engagement Plan
Phase 1 – Diagnosis & Framing
Objectives:
- Understand the current state and define priorities
Key Activities:
- Interviews with executives and teams
- Assessment of strategy, architecture, and organisation
- Alignment on business objectives
Outputs:
- Diagnosis and action priorities shared with the board
Phase 2 – Steering & Execution
Objectives:
- Lead R&D and execute the roadmap
Key Activities:
- Steering teams and technology trade-offs
- Structuring the operating model and governance
- Tracking delivery indicators
- Regular board reporting
Outputs:
- Roadmap in execution, governance and rituals in place, regular reporting
Phase 3 – Handover & Continuity
Objectives:
- Prepare the organisation's autonomy
Key Activities:
- Upskilling internal leaders
- Optional hiring of a permanent CTO
- Handover of decisions and context
Outputs:
- Continuity and handover plan, structured knowledge base
Timeline & Milestones
- Total duration: a recurring engagement, typically 6 to 18 months, at adjustable intensity (from a few days a month to part-time)
4. Key Deliverables
The engagement is, above all, the provision of a senior CTO profile. The concrete outputs are defined with you during the engagement; here are examples of deliverables that can be produced:
- Technology roadmap aligned with company strategy
- R&D operating model and governance
- Performance and investment steering dashboard
- Regular board reporting
- Continuity and handover plan
5. Financial Proposal
For pricing and commercial terms, please contact our sales team.
Assumptions & Exclusions
- Access to executives, R&D teams, and the data needed for steering
- A clear mandate and participation in decision bodies
- Hiring and contractual commitments decided and signed by the client
6. Contact
The advisor
An example of a profile who could take on this type of engagement — Benjamin HEINTZ, independent CTO & IT Strategy Advisor.