Luke Swithenbank
Head of Engineering
Based in Australia
Summary
Fractional CTO for startups and scalps. 15 years across engineering, platform, and AI. Technical strategy, hands-on AI implementation, and the infrastructure decisions that compound early.
About
I work with early-stage startups that need senior technical leadership before they're ready for a full-time CTO hire.
Most founders at this stage face the same problem: engineering is happening, but no one is connecting it to the business. Decisions get made in isolation. Technical debt accumulates before the product is stable. AI gets bolted on as an afterthought rather than built into the foundation.
These problems compound. I work across technical strategy, AI implementation, and platform foundations simultaneously because the decisions in each area affect the others.
Background
Fifteen years across engineering, platform, and leadership. Most recently at Slate. Before that, Elastic, FL0, Expert360, and Macquarie Group. I've been close to the decisions that matter at each funding stage: hiring the first engineers, selecting data infrastructure, building for compliance without over-engineering, and shipping AI in ways that create durable advantage rather than demos.
How I engage
Monthly retainer, typically three to six months. Work covers:
- Technical strategy: architecture, team structure, build vs buy, roadmap alignment with investor expectations
- AI implementation: hands-on work on AI features and workflows, not just advisory
- Platform foundations: CI/CD, observability, security posture, cloud cost management
Based in Sydney. Work with founders across Australia, the US, and the UK.
Who I work with
Seed to Series A founders who are technically aware but stretched thin, or non-technical and making expensive decisions without senior technical input. You know you need someone who can own the technical roadmap. You're not ready to hire a full-time CTO.
If that's where you are, I'm worth a conversation.
Skills
Engineering Leadership, Software Architecture, Cloud & Infrastructure, Data & AI, DevOps
Regions covered
Industry experience
Fintech, SaaS
At a glance
Luke brings hands-on experience across Engineering Leadership, Software Architecture, Cloud & Infrastructure, Data & AI, DevOps. Available for engagements across Asia-Pacific, North America. Industry experience includes Fintech, SaaS.
How fractional CTO engagements with Luke work
Luke works on a fractional basis — typically one to three days a week for an agreed engagement length — so you get senior technical leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. Engagements commonly include technical due diligence, board reporting, engineering team leadership, technology strategy, architecture reviews, hiring support, and stepping in as interim CTO during a transition.