The experience and breadth of a seasoned CTO, without the full-time cost.
Having built and run a software company for many years and led teams of developers, QA, and technical support staff, I bring broad experience. That may suit a small company needing a few days per month of technical oversight, help with a focused project, or a startup that is not ready to commit to a full-time role but still wants clear, actionable technical guidance. Nowadays I focus on the following areas:
I’ve been building with LLMs and agents in production systems — past the hype, and beyond chatbots. I can help you work out what’s worth automating, what isn’t, where the costs actually land, and how to wire it into systems you already trust.
I write code - loads of it. I am a developer with decades of experience turning user requirements into fast, reliable, and secure software. I can design systems for your team to build, or deliver them myself.
Nowadays I use AI within my development stack as it allows me to deliver solutions significantly quicker than before. I always carefully review and validate anything generated by AI, I am not a vibe coder!
I work with AI to modernise aging or legacy software and/web applications to make them more effective, more deeply linked with your existing workflows or data, cheaper to maintain and more pleasurable to use.
Migration of code or infrastructure from on-premises estates to the cloud, or repatriation of software when cloud economics or operational needs make on-premises the better fit.
I can help write technical specifications and scopes based on loose outcome requirements from non-technical stakeholders, written so modern developers can action them. I look beyond the immediate brief and suggest ways to future-proof the solution.
I have delivered lots of integrations between systems - Sage, Xero, Dojo, Stripe, Mailchimp, Verifone, and many more.
I was once asked to integrate with a coffee machine!
If two or more systems need linking, then I can probably help.
Query and index optimisation is a hobby of mine. I can analyse your current setup with a view to improving the performance of your SQL databases, sometimes by an order of magnitude.
Need advice on something not listed here? Get in touch - if I cannot help directly, I almost certainly know someone who can.
I'm not your typical techie. I will always respect your team and work constructively with them. I will not undermine their efforts and will always work collaboratively for the best outcome.
I particularly enjoy projects started by entrepreneurs that need a steer in the right direction, or practical advice on scaling to the next level. I enjoy seeing code and projects from non-developers, it is often a great starting point for a product whilst allowing us to exchange experience along the way.
Our initial discussion is free, after that I work on a daily basis with no commitment. For the right project, I would consider a retainer arrangement.
During our time together you will get my undivided attention. I work fast and will never pad a project to bill you more. We will talk candidly when we first meet about whether I can add value, and if so, the likely scope and cost. If the fit is not right, I will tell you from the outset and will try to point you in the right direction.
I work remotely from my own office, but am happy to work with you in person if thats appropriate.
I discount my fee for small charitable organisations and may work pro bono where the cause aligns with my own charitable interests.
I guarantee that my engagement with you will be of high quality. In the unlikely event you feel my time has not added value, I will either rework those aspects or not bill you.
This assumes you have followed my advice and that no unforeseeable external factors have intervened.
Tell me what you are building and we can decide together whether I am the right fit.
Contact me