The document discusses the role of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and their relationship with product and engineering. It states that the CTO focuses on long-term strategies rather than day-to-day operations to avoid infringing on other roles. The CTO should push innovation by fostering competition among teams and looking beyond immediate market requirements. While involved in strategic thinking and direction, the CTO keeps away from technical details and focuses on constructing the overall framework. The CTO also facilitates connections with academia and education to help train future employees and influence curriculum.

1. Part 1 : the relationship between CTO and Product & Engineering
Although roles inside a company cross path multiple paths and it is a trait of modern times to look at
less strict boundaries between different jobs, at least at an executive level, it is important to have
functions with clear responsibilities and formulated expectations. The role of the CTO (Chief
Technology Officer) has become vital in world driven by information, and the relationship with the
product as it is one of the highlights of the position. He contributes his quota to the success by
working hand in hand with the product and engineering.
The CTO in this respect is focused on the long-term strategies of the company and how to achieve
them and not the day to day running of the affairs and duties so as to avoid infringing his priorities.
The CTO needs to be the force pushing the bar of innovation higher. This can be achieved by
fostering a climate of competition that can stimulate the teams to come up with products which are
technically superior. Development should be done outside the immediate requirements formulated by
the market, but ultimately driven by visible tendencies.
On a technical level, it is easy to get carried away by details. A CTO will always know how to make
some steps away from the task in hand, the moment someone feeling the ranks knows how to do it.
Execution itself is not a priority on a CTO’s list and although new products need assistance for a
certain period after launch, his focus should be directed at long-term strategies. Despite having both
eyes set on the future, every CTO should be able to assess the success rate of current developments.
Products and services often need fine tuning at a discreet level, a correction only the CTO is able to
sense.
Scientific research can be put next to stimulating competition on the list of duties a CTO has inside a
company. Maintaining contact with the academicals circles and with the latest developments is vital
for many industries. The CTO should position itself as the middle person, facilitating a genuine
exchange at multiple levels. Building the future projects starts by training and selecting the
employees who will grow together with it. At this level, the CTO can create powerful connection
with education providers, altering and even dictating curriculum.
Strategic thinking is not a job in itself but acts as a good description of what the CTO is required to
do on a daily basis. Evaluating alternatives and ultimately choosing a direction of development is the
main area in which the CTO and the product come in direct contact. While the CTO keeps clear of
details, its role is to construct the structural frame that will later accommodate those details. From

2. this point of view, the CTO can be assimilated to a visionary, the one projecting future needs on
already existing means of implementation.
A large company often deals with the problem of work duplication. It is quite common for different
departments to cross paths and this is a breeding grown for disputes and loss of time. The CTO
should know how to scan for such occurrences and how to develop a methodology that will ensure
the company is spreading roots in new territory in the most efficient and organic way possible.
It unarguably true that the CTO must be a solid backbone for the VP of engineering and all times. He
should be self-sacrificing and be willing to help in brainstorming. Continually being responsible for
the uniqueness of the company when compared with other companies. In fact the CTO is the brain
box for the company’s product lines.
While talking about the CTO Resume, the key obligation of a CTO is to search out and develop new
technologies appropriate for an organization furthermore to ensure the effective running of current
information systems. Reviewing, analyzing and deploying the new technologies is as crucial as is
working productively with different departments. The role requires great communication and
management skills combined with a wealth of experience.
Jean-Christophe Huc (Jay C)