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How the CTO role is changing from 2025 onwards
The CTO role confusion
Right now the CTO role is in a deep state of confusion. Here’s what many companies think counts as CTO:
- Software Engineers who are part of the founding team of a startup
- Software Engineers or developers who are leading a team of engineers or developers (often in a company that’s growing beyond 20 people)
- Solutions Architects with a lead on a particular industry are often labelled as CTOs, especially in larger companies
- Software Architects are also often labelled as CTOs, especially in medium to large companies
- Senior Scientists who were often an early member of staff or founder of a tech mixed with science company (like biotech for example) are also often called CTO or more rarely, CSO (Chief Scientific Officer).
The CTO role is going trough transition
What the CTO role has been
In the past we had businesses who had a bit of technology in the corner, but these days every business is a technology business.
Traditionally, the CTO was seen by the CEO and board as a “Chief Technologist” (in the UK, they were sometimes called “Technical Director”, CTO came later when we started adopting USA terminology) — who was the most knowledgeable person in a particular technology relevant to the company. Often they were the person who delivered tech for the business, at scale through teams, but doesn’t have any input into designing the business strategy or vision.
Technology was seen (and in many companies, still is!) as a cost to the business, not a revenue generator for the business.
This person was (and in many companies today, still is!) responsible for delivering technology needed by business, often decided BY the business, without any strategic input in any of those decisions.
This CTO is now seen as the person ultimately responsible for delivering the tech the company needs (together with their VP Engineering who does the operational side of engineering delivery) and unfortunately, often the engineering department is treated as a software house, CTO being treated as their…
