Frustrations of a CTO: Exploring the role of a CTO/CIO
Last week marked the debut of ‘Frustrations of a CTO’, a new video series from fusefabric, hosted by Co-Founders Simon Hamblin and PJ Jassal. Designed to bring honest discussions and real-world insight to the forefront, the series explores the often unseen challenges technology leaders face behind the scenes.
Filmed as a conversation between two experienced CTOs, the first episode of this series dives into the evolution of the role – unpacking how today’s CTOs must balance strategic leadership, innovation, tech debt, and organisational influence, all while managing high expectations from every corner of the business.
PJ and Simon’s highlights
From their early days of scaling ASOS’ tech teams, to leading global digital transformations in finance and travel, Simon and PJ reflect on their personal journeys. What started as technical roles evolved into senior leadership positions where influence, not just innovation, became the real currency.
PJ shared how his career shifted from avoiding people management to leading major transformation projects, including launching an entirely new business entity in China. Simon recounted the intense highs and lows of ASOS’ early growth years, highlighting the importance of letting go, scaling up, and learning to lead through chaos.
Together, they revealed the emotional weight of the CTO role, often lonely, misunderstood, and high-pressure, but also deeply fulfilling for those driven by delivering value and driving change.
Themes discussed in this episode:
The CTO role has changed
Once seen as the top engineer or “IT guy”, the CTO role has transformed into something far more strategic. Today’s CTO must act as a business enabler, not just a technical lead. That means engaging at C-suite level, influencing strategic decisions, and being visible across the organisation.
“You're not just there to fix the printer. You're there to help move the business forward.”
Simon and PJ discussed how the shift from operational oversight to strategic partnership has redefined what success looks like. Whether shaping boardroom conversations or leading innovation initiatives, CTOs must now balance deep tech knowledge with executive-level influence and communication.
From building teams to buying trust
Modern CTOs are turning away from building large engineering teams and instead focusing on platform-first strategies. The emphasis is now on speed, scalability, and trusted partnerships.
“We’re no longer building empires, we’re building ecosystems.”
Rather than developing every component from the ground up, CTOs are leveraging pre-built platforms and forming long-term relationships with reliable partners. This allows tech teams to focus on what truly differentiates the business, while reducing costs and speeding up time to value.
Influence, prioritisation & saying ‘yes’ differently
Perhaps the biggest frustration discussed was the sheer volume of demand placed on CTOs. Every part of the business looks to tech for solutions, but capacity is finite.
“I can do it, but what are we not going to do?”
Simon and PJ shared practical strategies for shifting the conversation from overcommitment to co-ownership. By surfacing the full delivery backlog and engaging business leaders in the prioritisation process, CTOs can move from reactive delivery to strategic impact.
They also stressed the importance of influence, not just within tech, but across the business, to ensure alignment, support, and faster decisions.
Looking ahead to future episodes
This first episode of ‘Frustrations of a CTO’ kicks off a much-needed conversation in the tech leadership community, one that values honesty, experience, and shared learning.
If you’re a CTO, aspiring tech leader, or someone who works closely with technology teams, this series is a must-watch.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next episode coming up next month with John Allen, ex-Asos, Missguided, and now Field CTO at fusefabric.
Watch the first episode: