About

De-risking technology. Accelerating innovation.

Marcel van der Vliet

How I work with founders and boards

Advisory first

Most engagements start as a retained thinking partner — strategy, coaching, and clear decisions — before anyone needs me in the seat full days a week.

Risk-literate advice

Cyber security and technology risk are part of the advice from day one, not a separate workstream bolted on after the stack is fragile.

Built for growth companies

I work with founders, CEOs, and CxOs who carry technology without a full-time CTO — and with boards that want an independent read on technology and risk. Finance and trading are my deepest proof, not a limit on who I work with.

Approach

I help leaders turn technology from a source of anxiety into an advantage: clarity for the business, pace for delivery, and risk you can actually see.

That means honest architecture conversations, coherent roadmaps, leadership coaching for the people around you, and an explicit view of what can break: security, resilience, concentration of knowledge, and unchecked AI adoption.

High-stakes systems

Background leading trading technology and fintech platforms where latency, resilience, and operational risk are board-visible — useful discipline for any growth company scaling systems under pressure.

Leadership & coaching

Building and mentoring teams, aligning engineering with the business, and developing the leaders who will eventually own the function permanently.

Architecture & delivery

Reference architectures, delivery operating models, and pragmatic build-vs-buy decisions that keep platforms coherent as you scale.

Proof under pressure

  • Flow Traders — Global Head of IT: global trading infrastructure, 75 engineers across five offices.
  • TradeSense — Founder: built a trading-technology business to 25 people; acquired by Flow Traders.
  • XY Capital — CTO: front-to-back technology leadership for a Hong Kong trading firm and hedge fund.
  • Hong Kong Jockey Club — IT Executive: modernised the digital channels, including the HKMA award-winning eWallet.

The industries vary — the pattern is the same: technology that has to work under real pressure. That discipline travels to any growth company.

If you’re looking for a selective Fractional CTO partner — advisory first, ownership when needed — let’s talk.

See if we’re a fit

Questions about my background?

Ask my AI assistant about my experience and approach — or skip it and use the contact form below.

Next step

See if we’re a fit.

A short conversation. No deck — just where you’re stuck.

Book 30 minutes or email [email protected]

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