I've spent 20 years in financial-services technology — from Sys Admin to Director of Infrastructure and Operations — across Man Group, Generation Investment Management, and leading a managed cyber security operations centre. I've walked into environments going down daily, held my nerve through major incidents, and rebuilt platforms from the ground up.
I know what it feels like to carry that weight — accountable to the board, responsible for your team, keeping the lights on, and somehow expected to figure out AI at the same time.
The Tech-Xecutive Partnership is the relationship I wish I'd had earlier in my career — a calm, experienced voice who's seen this before, available when the calendar's already on fire. Not a consultant who shows up with a deck. An external brain.
All tiers · Async access · Regular calls · Desk research · Context Brief
For when you mostly need someone to confirm you're not crazy. Light touch, monthly rhythm, always there when you need a fast second opinion.
The default. Real time with you each month, real depth on the questions that matter, supported async between calls.
For periods when you need me operationally close — going through a platform rebuild, a major AI rollout, a board-level decision sequence.
Pre-engagement form. One-hour deep-dive call. Optional stakeholder conversations. The goal: I know your context as well as someone could in a week, without you having to repeat yourself later.
30-minute playback session. I deliver your Context Brief — a written summary of your situation, priorities, and watch-list. From here, you never have to repeat your context to me. Support begins.
Proactive alerts on things you should know about. Async access when you need a fast sense-check. Regular calls on the rhythm your tier sets. Desk research when a question needs depth. No surprises.
20 years across financial services and cyber security. Man Group, Generation Investment Management, Crossword Cybersecurity, more. Sys Admin to Director of Infrastructure and Operations. ~$10m budgets. 60-person global teams.
Walked into environments going down daily. Held my nerve through major incidents. Rebuilt platforms from the ground up. Worked with regulators, with boards, with auditors, and with 3 a.m. on-call rotas.
Now ISO 42001 Lead Implementer + Advanced AI Governance Practitioner + MBA — but more importantly, I'm doing this work right now, every day, with real organisations. That's what makes me useful as a thinking partner. Not the certificates. The fact that I'm currently in the conversation with you.
A fractional CTO is typically embedded in your business. This is lighter — I'm an external thinking partner. You keep your own decision rights; I help you think them through. Better if you already have a competent IT manager or head of IT and want a sounding board.
Sanity Check tier: typically within a working day. Thinking Partner: prioritised — usually within hours during UK working time. External Brain: same-day on working days. None of these are 24/7 — I value sleep.
Yes. Most clients start at Sanity Check or Thinking Partner and adjust after the first quarter. You can move up or down monthly with one month's notice either way.
A small peer group of IT leaders I'm currently piloting — quarterly meetings, shared problems, anonymised case discussion. Open to Thinking Partner tier and above, no extra cost. Launching mid-2026.
Yes — many clients run an AI Governance engagement to lay the foundation, then move into Tech-Xecutive for the ongoing iteration. There's a small bundle discount; ask on the intro call.