Technology strategy & roadmap
A 12–18 month roadmap tied to business goals, with clear build-versus-buy decisions.
Fractional CTO · CTO as a Service
Fractional CTO in Dubai
Senior technology leadership for startups and growing companies in Dubai and the UAE — the strategy, architecture, hiring and delivery decisions of an experienced CTO, one to three days a week.
Signs you need a fractional CTO
- You’re building a product, but nobody senior owns the technology decisions.
- Your developers or agency deliver, but releases are slow, buggy or unpredictable.
- Investors are asking about your architecture, security or technology roadmap.
- You’re about to hire engineers and aren’t sure what good looks like.
- Cloud and vendor costs are growing faster than revenue.
- You want to use AI but aren’t sure where it creates real value.
What a fractional CTO does for you
Architecture you can scale
Cloud-native, secure foundations that won’t need a rewrite as you grow.
Hiring & team structure
Role definitions, technical interviews and onboarding for your first or next engineers.
Delivery governance
Sprint cadence, code-quality standards, CI/CD and release discipline.
Security & compliance
Security by design and readiness for UAE PDPL and customer audits.
AI opportunities
Practical AI and LLM use cases that improve the product or operations.
How it works
- 1
Discovery call
A free 30-minute conversation about your goals, team and current technology.
- 2
Technical assessment
One to two weeks reviewing architecture, code, delivery, security and costs.
- 3
Roadmap & priorities
A clear plan: what to fix, what to build, who to hire and in what order.
- 4
Ongoing leadership
One to three days a week leading the team, with regular reporting to founders and the board.
Built for the UAE and GCC
Technology decisions in the UAE come with local requirements. I help companies plan for them from day one.
- UAE Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and data-residency expectations for customer data
- DIFC and ADGM data-protection frameworks for regulated and financial businesses
- Arabic and English (right-to-left) product experiences
- Regional payments, identity and integration requirements
- Alignment with national priorities such as the UAE National AI Strategy 2031
Track record
15+years in technology leadership
4live ventures led as CTO
1founder exit (TDH)
15–30engineers led
99.9%availability on cloud-native platforms
Frequently asked questions
What does a fractional CTO cost in Dubai?
It depends on the time commitment and scope. Engagements are usually a monthly retainer based on days per week — a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive package. You get a clear proposal after a free discovery call.
How is a fractional CTO different from CTO-as-a-service or an agency?
A fractional CTO is a named senior leader who owns your technology decisions part-time; “CTO as a service” usually means the same thing. An agency builds what you ask for — a fractional CTO decides what should be built, how and by whom, and can manage agencies on your behalf.
How many days a week do you work with each company?
Typically one to three days a week, adjusted as you grow. Many companies start with a technical assessment and then move to an ongoing retainer.
Can you work with our existing developers or agency?
Yes. I regularly lead in-house teams and external vendors together, setting standards and making sure delivery matches the roadmap.
When should we hire a full-time CTO instead?
When technology is your core product and the team is large enough to need daily leadership. I can help you define the role and hire your permanent CTO.
Do you work outside Dubai?
Yes — across the UAE and GCC, including Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, and remotely with teams in the UK, Europe and Australia.
Related services
Have a product to build or a team to scale?
Tell me where you are and where you want to be. Let’s find the shortest path to get there.