Chief Technology Officer (EMEA)

About The Client

Our Client is global investment institution with a strong footprint across Europe. The organization is executing a multi-year technology modernization program in a regulated, high-availability environment, with strong executive sponsorship and board-level visibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the EMEA technology strategy for mission-critical products and engineering teams.
• Lead a measurable transformation of engineering delivery: stability, predictability, quality, and operational excellence.
• Build and enforce modern engineering standards: SDLC discipline, test automation, CI/CD, observability, monitoring, incident response, performance and reliability.
• Drive a strategic multi-year program to reduce dependency on a critical third-party vendor and strengthen internal ownership.
• Act as the senior technology partner for EMEA leadership and governance forums, translating complex risks and trade-offs into clear decisions.
• Shape the engineering operating model: org design, leadership layer, accountability, hiring bar, and talent development across locations.
  
  

Essential Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience as CTO / VP Engineering / Head of Engineering (or equivalent) in complex, enterprise-scale environments.
• Strong software engineering foundation with credible technical depth (architecture, modern delivery practices, ability to challenge decisions).
• Proven track record of improving delivery quality and reliability (reducing defects, improving release stability, raising engineering discipline).
• Experience managing large distributed teams and senior stakeholders across multiple countries.
• Demonstrated success in vendor strategy, migrations/insourcing, and risk-managed multi-year transitions.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication; high maturity, calm leadership, strong collaboration skills.
• Fluent English (additional European languages are a plus).
  
  

Candidate Profile

A hands-on credible technology leader who is equally strong in engineering and executive influence. You naturally build trust, align diverse stakeholders, and can turn a complex transformation into a clear roadmap with outcomes. You care about craftsmanship (automation, reliability, observability), but you also know how to run a disciplined program, manage risk, and deliver step-change improvements at scale.

Job Offer

• High-visibility CTO role with real strategic impact and strong executive sponsorship.
• Large scale and autonomy: ability to shape organization, standards, and ways of working.
• Mission-critical environment that values reliability, quality, and governance.