Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - Octopus by RTG

We are looking for an experienced Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead the technical vision, architecture, and technology strategy for a next-generation digital wealth management platform. The platform includes native iOS and Android applications, a web-based administration portal, and an AI-powered investment and advisory engine. As CTO, you will be responsible for defining the platform's long-term technology direction, architecture, security, and governance while partnering closely with the Engineering Director, AI Engineering team, Product, and business stakeholders. This is a strategic leadership position focused on technology vision, technical governance, and business alignment rather than day-to-day software development. Key Responsibilities Technology Strategy & Architecture - Define and own the end-to-end architecture for mobile applications, web platforms, AI services, backend systems, and cloud infrastructure. - Establish technology standards, architectural principles, and engineering best practices. - Lead architectural decisions across microservices, event-driven systems, APIs, cloud infrastructure, and real-time data platforms. - Drive technology roadmaps, architecture evolution, scalability, and technical debt management. - Define non-functional requirements including scalability, performance, availability, resilience, and security. AI & Innovation - Define the organization's AI strategy and oversee the integration of AI-powered capabilities. - Guide the development of LLM-powered services, conversational AI, and intelligent automation. - Establish AI governance frameworks covering model quality, explainability, monitoring, bias mitigation, auditability, and regulatory compliance. - Ensure AI solutions meet business objectives while operating within regulated financial environments. Security & Compliance - Own the platform's security architecture, including authentication, authorization, encryption, API security, and identity management. - Ensure compliance with financial regulations, data privacy laws, and security standards across all markets. - Oversee disaster recovery, business continuity, and platform resilience strategies. - Establish governance for audit trails, compliance reporting, and regulatory readiness. Engineering Leadership - Provide technical leadership across engineering teams and resolve complex architectural challenges. - Lead architecture reviews, technical governance, and engineering decision-making. - Define engineering standards, technical hiring criteria, and technology best practices. - Identify technical risks and ensure mitigation strategies are implemented throughout the product lifecycle. Executive Stakeholder Management - Act as the primary technology advisor to executive leadership, clients, investors, and strategic partners. - Translate complex technical concepts into business-focused recommendations. - Partner with Product, Engineering, and Project Management teams to align technology delivery with business goals. - Support client engagements, pre-sales activities, RFP responses, and investor presentations. Requirements - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (Master's degree or MBA is preferred). - 10+ years of technology leadership experience in roles such as CTO, VP Engineering, or Head of Engineering. - Minimum 3 years of experience within FinTech, WealthTech, Digital Banking, or Neo Banking. - Proven experience delivering enterprise-scale digital platforms within regulated financial environments. - Demonstrated experience leading AI/ML products, preferably involving financial advisory, portfolio management, risk scoring, or intelligent decision-making. - Strong expertise in distributed systems, microservices, cloud-native architecture, APIs, and real-time platforms. - Hands-on knowledge of AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform and modern DevOps practices. - Experience integrating KYC/eKYC providers, payment gateways, trading platforms, and market data providers. - Strong understanding of cybersecurity, identity management, encryption, compliance, and financial regulations. - Experience leading engineering organizations of 8–15+ engineers. - Excellent stakeholder management, leadership, and communication skills. - Fluent in both Arabic and English. Nice to Have - Experience building Wealth Management, Investment, Trading, or Digital Banking platforms. - Knowledge of MENA financial regulations, AML, KYC, and data residency requirements. - Experience with LLMs, AI Agents, Conversational AI, or Generative AI products. - Experience presenting to executive boards, regulators, and investors. - Background in vendor management, technology budgeting, and strategic sourcing.