Fractional CPO / CPTO /
CSO
Not every company needs a full-time Chief Product Officer, Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO), or Chief Strategy Officer — but every company navigating the AI-native transition needs senior executive thinking on product, engineering, strategy, and go-to-market. I embed with your leadership team as a fractional executive — bringing the depth of a 25-year operator career without the overhead of a full-time hire. This is hands-on strategic leadership, not occasional advice.
Who This Is For
For leaders who know they need to move — but need clarity on where and how
Pre-Series B Startups
You need senior product and strategy leadership but can't justify — or find — a full-time CPO/CSO yet. You're making foundational decisions about product direction, pricing, and GTM that will compound for years. Getting them right matters more than getting them fast.
Companies in AI-Native Transition
Your existing leadership team built a great SaaS business. But the AI-native pivot requires a different lens — someone who understands product transformation, platform architecture decisions, and the go-to-market shifts that come with reinventing your core offering.
Founder-CEOs Wearing Too Many Hats
You're the de facto product leader, strategist, and sales closer. That worked at $2M ARR — it doesn't work at $10M. You need an experienced operator to own the product and strategy function so you can focus on what only you can do.
What We Work On
A comprehensive approach to transformation — tailored to your needs
Product Vision & Roadmap
Define and own the product strategy — from AI-native product architecture to feature prioritization to competitive positioning. Translate vision into a roadmap your team can execute and your board can believe in.
Pricing & Monetization Strategy
Design pricing models that work for AI-native products — outcome-based, usage-based, or hybrid approaches. Ensure your monetization reflects the value you actually deliver, not just the features you ship.
Team & Process Building
Build or restructure your product organization for the AI era. Hire the right people, establish processes that balance speed with rigor, and create the operating rhythm a scaling company needs.
Strategic Leadership & Board Partnership
Serve as the strategic counterweight to the CEO — challenging assumptions, pressure-testing plans, and bringing operator depth to board conversations. Bridge the gap between founder vision and execution reality.
What You Walk Away With
Not a deck that collects dust. A living strategy with clear priorities, decision frameworks, and the alignment you need to execute with conviction.
How It Works
Commitment
2–3 days per week, embedded with your leadership team
Duration
6–12 month engagements (flexible based on needs)
Integration
Attend leadership meetings, board prep, team standups
Transition
Knowledge transfer and hiring support for your permanent exec
Why ilim
As CPO/CPTO at Chargebee, I managed product, design, engineering, and product operations — scaling the team from 60 to 350+ and driving revenue from $8M to $80M. I currently serve as CPTO at Mattilda.io.
Before that, I led product at Microsoft (first SaaS offering, $250M ARR) and GTM at Cisco ($0 to $700M). I know what it takes to bridge product and engineering at every scale.
When I embed with your team, I don't just advise — I own outcomes. I build the strategy, hire the people, run the processes, and make the hard calls alongside you.
Need senior leadership now?
Don't wait 6 months for the perfect hire. Let's talk about how fractional executive leadership can accelerate your company's most critical phase.