Fractional CPTO and CTO for health and fintech

Getting teams to deliver outcomes at pace in regulated businesses.

I've worked for over twenty years in fintech and healthtech, most recently leading product and technology at Numan and engineering at Funding Circle, so I know what shipping fast looks like under tight regulation. My approach is to define the outcomes that matter, then work with the teams to deliver them at a sustainable pace within the regulatory constraints.

These days I help a small number of founders and exec teams do the same, usually one to three days a week.

Book a free first session What I do

When people call me

You need a CPTO or CTO but can't justify the salary yet, or you're not sure what kind you need.
You've raised, and product and engineering have to scale without risk and compliance turning into a problem.
The team is working hard, but impact and value are slow to arrive.
You want AI in front of customers, and it has to be safe, accurate and valuable.
You're an investor with a health or fintech company in the portfolio that needs senior product and tech guidance.
You've just stepped into your first CTO, CPO or CPTO seat (or a much bigger one) and want someone who's done the job to think it through with.

What I do

Fractional or interim CPTO and CTO: I step into the role one to three days a week. For companies that need senior product and tech leadership before they can justify a full-time hire, or while they're finding one.
Technical strategy and org design: Operating model, team shape and ways of working to deliver outcomes at a high, sustainable pace.
Product and technical capability building: Making the team you already have better, and building the missing pieces. Hiring, career frameworks and leadership programmes that people use, support for new managers and leads who need to step up, and getting product and engineering teams working well with AI.
AI product strategy: Where AI changes your product and how your engineers work, and how you keep it safe once it's live. And just as often, where it doesn't belong.
Board and investor advisory: Technology due diligence for investors, and a second opinion for boards before a big hire or a big bet.
Executive coaching: For product and engineering leaders in their first exec seat or a much bigger one. I've done the job, so we work on the decisions in front of you.

Track record

Led product and engineering teams across the globe (UK, US, India, Singapore and South America), in healthtech and fintech, under the MHRA, CQC, GPhC, ASA and FCA.
Scaled product and technology teams through several years of fast revenue growth, and led restructures in businesses that needed them.
Drove engineering to elite delivery performance on the DORA measures (daily deploys, few failures) in regulated businesses.
Built teams and operating models that handle billions of pounds of lending to 100,000+ businesses, and prescribing, clinical care and distribution for 100,000+ patients.
Shipped AI into regulated products before the current wave. I'm a named inventor on a patented AI lending platform, and I launched an AI behaviour change coach with its own governance and safety layers.
Built high-quality products at pace in regulated markets: small businesses funded in minutes, and ongoing medical care delivered online.
Held roles reporting to the CEO and board, spanning product, engineering, design, clinical product and cybersecurity.
Built the governance regulators and partners expect, from clinical oversight to ISO 27001.
Designed leadership programmes and career frameworks, and led AI adoption across product and engineering teams.

How we'd start

Free first sessions
Tell me what's stuck. I'll tell you what I can help with, and whether I'm the right person or not.
A short diagnostic
A couple of weeks with the team to find out what's happening. It's rarely what the board pack says.
The engagement
We agree the scope before we start, including the point where you should stop needing my help.

Book a free first session

Writing

I write about leadership in product and tech, and the tensions in building products people trust with their health and their money. Longer pieces go deeper on big topics, and occasional shorter notes cover what I'm seeing in teams and in the market.

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Questions people ask

What is a fractional CPTO?

Someone senior who owns product and technology together, part-time. In regulated companies the expensive decisions tend to sit where product, engineering and risk overlap, so one person holding all of it usually beats a CTO on their own.

How many days a week do you work with a company?

Usually one to three. I keep the number of clients small so each one gets proper attention.

How do you charge?

A day rate or a monthly retainer, depending on how many days a week you need. We agree which in the first session.

Do you only work in health and fintech?

Mostly. If trust and regulation shape what you can build, drop me a line and I'll tell you straight whether I'm a fit.

Where are you based?

London. I'm in person with London teams and work remotely across the rest of the UK.

Tell me what's stuck

The first sessions are free. You'll come away with my read on the problem and whether I'm the right person to help with it.