Aspiring CTOs advised to own business outcomes
In a recent podcast, engineering leader Karim Fanous advised that VPs of Engineering transitioning to a CTO role must shift their focus for board-level conversations. He argued that CEOs and boards care about business outcomes like growth rate and ROI, not internal engineering metrics like DORA scores. Fanous also warned against the "hiring ramp illusion," where CEOs mistakenly believe doubling headcount will double output.
- Aspiring CTOs must demonstrate their ability to conduct thorough technical due diligence, a systematic assessment of a company's technology to identify risks and scalability, which is critical during M&A and fundraising. A key part of this is creating accurate architectural diagrams and managing technical debt. - In the programmatic advertising space, Supply Path Optimization (SPO) is a crucial strategy for advertisers to gain transparency and efficiency by finding the most direct routes to ad inventory, which can reduce costs by up to 15%. This process helps mitigate ad fraud by allowing for better scrutiny of the ad supply chain. - The phase-out of third-party cookies, driven by privacy regulations and browser changes from Apple, Mozilla, and Google, requires a strategic shift to first-party data. While Google has delayed the complete deprecation in Chrome, the industry is moving towards alternatives like the Privacy Sandbox APIs for targeting and measurement. - AI-driven creative automation is becoming essential for marketing teams, enabling the rapid production of numerous ad variations from templates. This allows for scalable personalization and faster campaign testing without a proportional increase in headcount. - Enterprise adoption of agentic AI workflows, where AI agents autonomously manage complex tasks, is a growing trend, with Gartner predicting that by 2028, a third of enterprise software applications will include agentic AI. These workflows leverage technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to enhance decision-making and operational agility. - The UK tech startup scene saw significant investment in H1 2024, securing $7.7 billion in VC funding, a 2.8% increase year-over-year despite a 17.8% drop in the number of deals. Notable funding rounds in 2024 included autonomous vehicle company Wayve raising $1.05 billion and digital bank Monzo securing over $430 million. - In Formula 1, the 2026 season will introduce new technical regulations focused on more agile cars and the use of 100% sustainable fuels. The power units will feature a simplified internal combustion engine and a more powerful electrical component, aiming for a 50/50 power split. - A key dynamic for a growth-stage company's success is the relationship between the founder and the CTO, which relies on mutual trust, a clear division of responsibilities, and a shared strategic vision. During fundraising, the CTO's presence is crucial in later-stage discussions to provide technical credibility and a tangible execution plan to investors.
