Interim Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Contract: 9-12 months (Inside IR35)
Location: London/Hybrid (UK-wide travel as needed)
Start: ASAP

Why this mandate matters
You’re stepping into a leading UK Insurance business that needs a decisive technology leader to help them in their next stage of integration and acceleration. You’ll own the technology estate end-to-end operations, change, resilience, cyber, data, while steering a complex integration and restructuring agenda.

We are seeking a proven Interim CTO with both Insurance and significant Integration programme experience.

What you’ll be accountable for

• Full ownership of technology strategy, architecture and delivery ensuring platforms, systems and processes are fit for purpose during (and after) integration.
• Operational resilience, business continuity and cyber security frameworks measured, tested and board-assured.
• Data governance and protection embedding robust controls for personal and sensitive information across the estate.
• Change management and transformation programmes, fast, visible, outcome-focused.
• Supplier and outsourcer performance, clear SLAs, tough negotiation, and value-focused vendor consolidation.
• Budget ownership, set, track, and optimise multi-million pound tech spend.

• Review the current tech landscape (architecture, vendors, people, risk).
• Lock down an integration roadmap for systems, teams, contracts, aligned to business strategy.
• Stand up pragmatic governance for cyber, resilience, data and delivery.
• Re-shape the tech organisation by optimising as required.

• Define and execute the technology integration plan; align to future-state business needs.
• Own IT vision, strategy and roadmaps, legacy modernisation plus modern engineering (cloud, DevOps, CI/CD).

• Lead a 300 person technology organisation (perm, contract, outsourced).
• Attract, retain and motivate high-calibre talent in security, data, engineering and ops.
• Communicate with execs and boards, clear, concise, data-led

• Set robust KPIs, SLAs and metrics for performance and value.
• Ensure disaster recovery and continuity plans are real, tested and funded.
• Embed best-practice delivery: Agile, DevOps, automated testing, continuous deployment.

• Operate under SMCR/Cer-Reg accountability; ensure tech risk is visible and managed.
• Partner with auditors, regulators and assurance functions.

• Proven CIO/CTO track record in £1bn+ organisations, ideally with Financial Services/Insurance exposure.
• End-to-end integration leadership: people, platforms, process, and cost.
• Deep understanding of both legacy (Java/DB three-tier) and modern microservices/cloud architectures.
• Modern engineering mindset, automation, CI/CD, DevOps, always-on cloud environments.
• Executive presence: you can influence, cut through noise, and make calls quickly.
• Data-driven decision making; you prove your point with facts, not volume.

• A strong network across security, data, engineering and vendor ecosystems.
• Prior chair/committee experience (e.g., Systems & Information Risk, Continuity).