Service
Fractional CTO
Senior technology and security leadership on a flexible monthly retainer — without the full-time hire.
The Advisory Retainer
A simple, flexible model. No long-term contracts, no day rates, no timesheets. Just guaranteed access to senior technology leadership when you need it. We keep client numbers deliberately low so every retainer gets genuine attention. Need something built? Retainer clients get priority access to our fixed-price delivery service.
£1,500/month
Monthly 1-hour check-in plus a half-day advisory session. No lock-in — month to month.
What's Included
- Monthly check-in call (1 hour)
- Half-day advisory session (4 hours)
- Quarterly technology scorecard
- Additional days at a preferred rate
Getting Started
- Free 30-minute introductory call
- Optional discovery session (1–2 days)
- Start the retainer when you're ready
- Cancel anytime — no commitment
How It Works
Each month starts with a check-in to identify the biggest priority. The half-day session tackles it. Adaptive, not rigid — your needs change month to month, and so does the focus.
Monthly check-in (1 hour)
Review top risks, progress on open items, and upcoming decisions. Identify the biggest problem of the month.
Half-day advisory session (4 hours)
Deep-dive into the month's priority. Board deck prep, security review, architecture decision, vendor evaluation, strategic planning — whatever matters most.
Quarterly scorecard
A board-ready summary of your technology and security posture. Clear ratings, trends, and recommendations — something you can share with stakeholders.
Advisory Topics
Your retainer adapts to whatever matters most. Each topic could be a single session or an ongoing focus across multiple months.
Strategy & Planning
- Technology roadmap and 90-day delivery plans
- AI strategy — what's real, what's hype, where to start
- Architecture review, scalability, and technical debt
- Cloud strategy and migration planning
- Build vs. buy decisions with honest trade-off analysis
Security & Compliance
- Cybersecurity posture review and risk assessment
- Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, and GDPR alignment
- Incident response planning and crisis preparation
- Supplier and vendor security assessment
People & Operations
- Technical hiring strategy, job specs, and interview support
- Engineering team structure and productivity metrics
- Vendor and agency evaluation — independent, no kickbacks
- Support operations, SLAs, and operational improvement
Board & Governance
- Board-ready technology and cyber risk reporting
- Budget development, cloud cost optimisation, and spend governance
- Data architecture, governance, and quality assessment
- Due diligence preparation ahead of fundraise or sale
Example Sessions
Here's what a typical month's advisory session might look like in practice.
Board & Investor Prep
- Cyber risk board decks and technology updates
- Due diligence preparation ahead of fundraise or sale
- Technology investment cases for board approval
- Quarterly technology scorecard for non-technical stakeholders
Strategic Planning
- Technology roadmap and 90-day delivery plans
- Annual technology budget development and review
- Build vs. buy decisions with honest trade-off analysis
- AI adoption strategy — what's real, what's hype, where to start
Security Oversight
- Monthly security posture review against standing checklist
- Incident response planning and crisis preparation
- Supplier and vendor security assessment
- Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 alignment tracking
Team & Operations
- Hiring briefs and interview support for technical roles
- Agency and vendor performance review
- Engineering team structure and capability assessment
- Away day facilitation and strategic planning sessions
The Quarterly Scorecard
Every quarter, retainer clients receive a board-ready scorecard covering the metrics that matter most to their business. We select the areas together — common examples include:
Who This Is For
Startups & Scale-ups
Companies that need senior technology leadership but aren't ready for a full-time CTO hire.
Non-Technical Founders
CEOs and founders who need a trusted technical advisor to help make confident technology decisions.
Boards & Investors
Organisations that need independent technology oversight and board-level reporting on technology and cyber risk.
CTOs Who Value a Sounding Board
The best leaders still use a coach. An experienced second opinion on strategy, architecture, and stakeholder management — someone to pressure-test decisions with, not report to.
Why Mangrove
- 20+ years as CIO and CTO — we've sat in the chair, from startups to enterprise, across financial services, cybersecurity, and beyond
- Security built in — 20+ years in cybersecurity including CEO of a ransomware defence startup. Security leadership comes standard, not as an add-on
- AI-literate — we can assess AI opportunities and vendor claims properly, not just parrot the hype
- No lock-in, no fluff — month to month, focused on what matters most. If it's not working, you stop. No hard feelings
Need senior technology leadership?
Book a free 30-minute call to discuss your situation. No obligation — we'll tell you honestly whether this is the right fit.