In a modern business organisation, especially after digital transformation, there are several C-suite roles — chief financial officer (CFO), chief operating officer (COO), chief technical officer (CTO) etc. These top level executives report to CEO or Chief Executive Officer. If the CEO is also the Board member, he may be called Managing Director or MD. A big organisation can have different MDs for different verticals, each assisted by assistants. The position being senior ranks higher than mid-management jobs such as VPs or vice-presidents.

Of these C-level jobs, we will focus on the role of a chief technical officer (CTO). A CEO manages the whole company, whereas a CTO oversees the technical team. He/she manages the physical assets as well as the technology team. In fact, he has to deploy the technology team for particular tasks. He/she is also responsible for network and system management. He/she does integration testing and develops the technical operations personnel. He/she interacts with clients.

A typical CTO draws in India a salary ranging between Rs.7.5 lac to Rs.102 lac. His/her average annual salary is Rs.34 lac.

How qualified is a CTO? It all depends. He may have formal technical qualifications, but more than that what matters the way he/she experiments, hacks and codes. The engineering skills possessed count more.

He/she must have business sense, leadership and communication skills. As a manager, he must be a good decision maker. He/she should have the ability to conduct research, do strategic thinking, time management. and the ability to recruit technical talent.

A CTO’s career, though stressful, is highly satisfying. Of course, it is filled with uncertainty.