CONNECTING CTOs IN LONDON AND BEYOND

Join us for the “CTO Lunch Club,” a weekly virtual event designed exclusively for Chief Technology Officers in the London CTOs community (*You don’t have to work in London to join). This online gathering offers an opportunity for tech leaders to come together in a relaxed, virtual setting to discuss the most pressing topics in the world of technology with other CTOs and leaders. Each week, we’ll have 1-2 cohosts who will ensure a lively discussion with a curated selection of themes ranging from emerging tech trends and leadership challenges to innovation strategies and industry best practices. The CTO Lunch Club is more than just a meeting; it’s a community of thought leaders shaping the future of technology in London and beyond. Talk Title: Building a High-Performing Tech Team from Scratch. Hosted by: Nick Melis Talking points: This session will provide early stage tech founders, CTOs and technical leaders with a blueprint for building and nurturing a high performing engineering team. Most of these lessons will also apply to technical leaders building brand new teams within a bigger and more established organisation. We’ll cover challenges around making your first hires, overcoming challenges with limited budget and brand awareness, identifying skills gaps, hiring with purpose and attracting the best talent. It will also be a great chance for participants to share their challenges, experiences and lessons learned. Agenda: How to attract the best talent on a budget and with no brand: make yourself stand out without deep pockets, by leveraging your unique mission, growth potential, and culture to trump big corporate perks. Defining your culture and values: craft a magnetic company identity that draws in people who believe in your vision and share your core principles. Your first hires: learn how to identify not just the right skill sets and experience, but the superpowers and attitudes that will turbo-charge your company’s growth. The job spec: your first introduction to candidates: make it memorable, inspiring, and impossible to resist. Build your interview strategy: design a fair, consistent, and bias-free hiring process that reveals hidden talent while keeping top-notch applicants engaged. Make a compelling offer: convert promising candidates to enthusiastic new hires by clearly articulating your value proposition—beyond just salary. Onboard successfully: lay the groundwork for retention and success with a structured onboarding plan that motivates new hires from day one. Beyond the First 5 Hires: learn when and how to scale effectively, adding specialised roles and preserving your culture as your team expands. Remote team considerations: master remote collaboration with strong communication rhythms, tools that work across time zones, and a seamless virtual onboarding experience. Open forum and Q&A: an interactive wrap-up for participants to ask questions, share experiences, challenges, and learnings, ensuring actionable takeaways. Key Features: Weekly Discussions: Engage in meaningful conversations about the latest in technology and leadership. Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow CTOs, expanding your professional network in a supportive environment. Flexible Format: Join from anywhere, fitting easily into your busy schedule. This club is an ideal platform for CTOs to exchange ideas, seek advice, and stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving tech landscape.Who should join: CTOs or senior tech leaders in UK based organisations As with all London CTOs events, this event is organised by RecWorks. Who have organised the London CTOs community since 2010. RecWorks offer hassle free tech recruitment to companies in and around the London area and beyond. They have built teams for many of the leading startups and scale ups in the UK, if you are looking to hire tech talent in coming weeks and months and would like to find out more, then please reach out to RecWorks MD, Barry Cranford for a discussion at bc@recworks.co.uk

According to a 2023 survey by Deloitte, 70% of funded startups cite team scalability and operational alignment as their top challenges post-funding. Whether you're gearing up for growth or reflecting on the journey, this event is designed to equip you with actionable insights to scale successfully. Event Description: Scaling a company after securing funding can feel like uncharted territory. Join us for an engaging evening featuring two keynote talks and an expert panel discussion with seasoned CTOs, CPTOs, and industry leaders who have firsthand experience navigating the complexities of growth. From war stories to success strategies, this event will explore what to expect, what works, and how to avoid common pitfalls. You'll leave with practical takeaways, new perspectives, and connections to help you tackle your scaling journey with confidence. Key Discussion Points: Preparing your team and processes for rapid scaling. Strategies for managing operational alignment and team scalability. Lessons learned from scaling companies through significant challenges. Overcoming bottlenecks and growing pains in business and tech operations. Practical Takeaways: Learn proven approaches to hiring and retaining top talent during periods of growth. Gain actionable strategies for balancing speed and quality in product delivery. Discover how to align technical and business goals for sustainable growth, and manage technical debt effectively. Target Audience: This event is ideal for: CTOs, fractional CTOs, VPEs, engineering leaders, and tech founders currently scaling or preparing to scale. Professionals who have successfully scaled and want to share or refine their insights. Whether you're navigating early challenges, scaling for the first time, or reflecting on a past journey, you'll find practical value and meaningful connections. Format and Participants: The event will feature: Two short keynotes by experienced CTOs and CPTOs, sharing lessons learned and actionable advice. A panel discussion Nasreen AbdulJaleel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasreenabduljaleel/ Technology leader with a proven track record of delivering innovative products that scale to millions of users, combining expertise in machine learning, product design, and engineering leadership at companies like Amazon, Expedia, and startups. Aditi Agarwal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditiagarwal1/ Chief Technology Officer with extensive experience in software development for mobile platforms and a strong track record in technology leadership at organisations like Pizza Hut Digital Ventures, Blue Light Card and dmg media. Mashooq Badar - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mashooq/ Co-founder and Managing Director of Codurance, with over a decade of experience aligning business strategy, technology, and people. Mash is a thought leader in product development and software engineering, with expertise in driving transformation for funded companies across finance, retail, and government sectors. Gemma Whitehouse - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-whitehouse/ Technology leader with extensive experience scaling VC and PE funded B2B and B2C SaaS companies, specialising in operational efficiency, resource planning, and meeting investor growth expectations. Host: Steve Lydford - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelydford/ COO at Codurance with 25+ years of experience in software development and Agile. He has vast experience working with leaders of funded companies, having held senior roles at Totaljobs Group and Solidsoft Reply, specialising in cloud services, scaling teams, and aligning technology with business goals. Ample time for audience Q&A to address specific challenges and insights. Networking Opportunities: Enjoy food and drinks provided by our sponsors in a relaxed atmosphere. Connect with peers, speakers, and industry leaders during dedicated networking time before and after the talks. Sponsors: This event is proudly supported by: Codurance: A leading tech consultancy specialising in software craftsmanship and modernisation. Codurance’s expertise in scaling engineering teams and modernising systems will provide invaluable insights for attendees. They are also covering food and drinks to ensure a comfortable networking experience. Dawn Capital: A prominent venture capital firm focused on scaling innovative companies. As our venue host, Dawn Capital offers deep insights into the journey of scaling funded businesses, providing a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed post-funding. RecWorks: The event’s organiser and a trusted tech recruitment company with over 15 years of experience building thriving communities. RecWorks connects tech employers with the best tech talent and plays a pivotal role in fostering meaningful collaborations. This event is organised by RecWorks on behalf of the London CTOs. RecWorks are the creators of many groups and communities including Meet-a-Mentor a free slack group that introduces aspiring CTOs to experienced CTOs, as well as more junior developers - 3000 introductions made and counting! They also founded one of the largest Java User Groups in Europe - the 8000+ strong London Java Community. They are a community-driven recruitment agency focussing on tech placements in London. London CTOs are a 10-year old London based CTO community with over 1200 members.