THE CREATIVE CTO

Technologist Adams presents a comprehensive overview of the roles of chief technology officers in a high-tech world.

In his debut, the author assesses the uncertainties and challenges facing CTOs in a time of rapid technological change. CTOs are ideally responsible for both engineering and operational activities, and newly installed officers must deal not only with those challenges, but also with any operating models they might have inherited. Drawing on his own long experience as a CTO at such firms as Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, and Citigroup, Adams reflects on his evolving understanding of the position, shifting from “purely technical leadership roles to ones that required more customer, project, or people management.” Complex technology, he notes, is now ubiquitous across all industries, but employees’ level of comprehension has lagged behind, and this has blurred the distinction between the responsibilities of the CTO and the chief information officer, whose defined roles can vary widely from company to company. The author breaks down what he sees as the core responsibilities of the CTO and details several operational approaches, as well as application services, such as “project management software, code development environments, and software scanning solutions.” Naturally, cybersecurity is a key element of such solutions, and on this topic, as elsewhere, Adams effectively offers “threat models” to assess each situation and deal with it. He approaches his subject logically and step by step, breaking concepts down into smaller, easily digestible segments. He lays everything out methodically and comprehensively, although his thoroughness sometimes leads him into statements of the obvious, such as: “It is important to track any specific risks that may affect your strategy” or “you must determine whether you’re making progress toward realizing your strategic objectives.” Still, the author covers all aspects of the CTO’s job in exhaustive detail, and both existing and prospective CTOs will find this breakdown valuable.

A comprehensive, if sometimes-reductive, overview of CTO responsibilities and strategies.