Overview:
A technology operating executive with past experience working as a CTO in the software industry, working across a portfolio of European mid-market B2B technology and SaaS businesses. You will partner with management teams and deal teams to shape and execute technology value-creation plans - from due diligence through hold period to exit. This is not a single-company CTO role: you operate as a trusted advisor across many companies at once, prioritising where senior technology leadership drives the most enterprise value.
Key responsibilities:
- Value creation. Define and drive technology value-creation agendas across portfolio companies - product architecture, scalability, technical debt, cloud and cost efficiency, security, data and AI enablement.
- Diligence & assessment. Support technical diligence on new investments; assess engineering organisations, tech stacks, and product readiness, and translate findings into actionable value creation plans.
- Partner network. Build, curate and manage a network of trusted third-party technology partners - implementation firms, specialist advisors, fractional leaders and vendors - to deliver execution at portfolio companies without carrying large internal headcount.
- Leadership & talent. Coach and mentor portfolio-company CTOs and engineering leaders; help assess, recruit and upgrade technology leadership where needed.
- Standards & sharing. Establish reusable playbooks, benchmarks and best practices; drive cross-portfolio knowledge sharing
- Exit readiness. Position technology assets for exit - articulating the equity story, de-risking the stack, and evidencing scalability to buyers.
Experience and Background:
- At least 15 years of senior technology leadership (CTO / VP Engineering / equivalent), ideally scaling B2B SaaS businesses in the mid-market.
- Track record delivering measurable value in a private-equity, portfolio or operating-partner context is preferred.
- Deep, current expertise across modern SaaS architecture, cloud, data platforms, applied AI, and AI within the SDLC process.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver through partners and lean teams - and comfort operating with a leveraged operating model.
- Comfortable operating across multiple companies, geographies and cultures within a European B2B context.
Competencies and Attributes
- Investor mindset - can translate technology into P&L, valuation and investor outcomes.
- Influence without authority; credible with founders, CEOs, deal teams and boards alike.
- A strong, active external network and the instinct to build and leverage relationships.
- Bias to action, comfort with ambiguity, and a collaborative fit within a team of functional experts.
- Aspires to breadth over depth, relishes novel problems.
- Comfortable operating through others, influencing decision makers, keeping executors honest.
- Investor mindset. Maturity to discern what matters to create value, and discipline to focus on it, ignoring the noise.
- Commercial. Articulates incisively impact achieved, can talk concisely to financial professionals.
- Ability to work in other European languages (beyond English) preferred.
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Portfolio Chief Technology Officer in London employer: The Carlyle Group
Carlyle is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and fast-paced work environment in the heart of London, where interns can gain invaluable experience in the Private Credit sector. With a strong emphasis on professional development, interns will work closely with senior investment professionals, allowing for hands-on learning and the opportunity to take ownership of significant projects. The company's commitment to fostering a collaborative culture and providing exposure to diverse investment strategies makes it an attractive place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in finance.
