“Structure is not an end in itself. It creates space for clarity, focus, and sustainable decisions.” — Marcel Russ

Lack of technical leadership

As IT grows, so do the challenges.

Without technical leadership, teams get lost in daily business.
Many companies get stuck: IT evolves inconsistently, technical debt increases, and strategic decisions are postponed – often because the CTO role is missing or overwhelmed.

This doesn’t just cost time and money – it endangers future viability.
Without a clear technical vision, silos emerge, poor architectural decisions are made, and inefficient processes take root. The result: frustrated teams, delayed releases, missed market opportunities. Eventually, it’s too late for sustainable corrections.

A Fractional CTO brings strategic leadership on demand.
As a Fractional CTO, I bring structure, clarity, and technical thinking into your organization – flexible, experienced, and focused on what matters. Together, we realign your IT: future-proof, impact-driven, and aligned with your business goals.

Architecture that scales

Complex systems become manageable. Your IT remains scalable, maintainable, and adapts flexibly to the business – instead of slowing it down.

Teamplay instead of tech silos

Development, operations, and business work together. This brings clarity, reduces friction, and creates room for real results.

IT that takes responsibility

Sustainable at all levels: modern technologies reduce consumption, improve operational stability, and increase the impact of your digital solutions.

Trust through experience

Recommendations from the field

Marcel was a key contributor in my department. Thanks to his clear and direct communication, he was always able to present problems and challenges – but also successes and achievements – in the teams. He is solution-oriented and helps teams tackle their issues independently, while also being unafraid to get hands-on himself. I especially value his ability to strike a good balance between customer orientation and adherence to principles. This enabled us to develop true best practices for the specific challenges of my organization.

Konstantin Pasternack
Head of IT, EnBW AG

Marcel impressed with his strong analytical and logical thinking. He consistently found practical solutions for new challenges and identified emerging problems early. In his field of expertise, Mr. Russ possesses comprehensive and in-depth knowledge, which he brought into our company in a highly valuable way.

Exxeta AG
Reference, Team Lead

Marcel knew how to deploy his employees successfully according to their strengths and motivated them to the highest degree. He encouraged his teams to shape change proactively and forward-thinking – with clear communication of goals and a situational leadership style.

Hugo Boss AG
Reference, Manager
Action areas in the CTO mandate

12 building blocks for resilient tech, teams, and processes

CTO Tech Audit
Technical Roadmap & Architecture Strategy
Release Capability & DevOps Structures
Green Tech / Sustainability
AI Enablement & Use Case Assessment
Team Structure & Role Clarity
External Partner Management
Technical Backlog Management
Agile Maturity & Impediment Analysis
Business-Tech Bridge Function
Growth & Scaling Strategy
Agile Delivery & Scaling
GOOD TO KNOW

Answers to the most important questions

What exactly does a Fractional CTO do?
I temporarily take over technical leadership – hands-on and strategic. This includes clear architectural decisions, clean team structures, and effective processes – until your tech team can deliver independently.
How does the engagement begin?
With the CTO Quick Check (free), we review goals, context, and needs. If appropriate, a CTO Tech Audit follows with clear recommendations and priorities.
Are you part of my team or an external advisor?
I work as part of your organization, not from a meta level. I take responsibility, make decisions, and coach your team toward sustainable independence.
How long do you stay on board?
As long as it makes sense – typically between 2 and 9 months. Some projects end after the roadmap phase, others continue until successful scaling.
We don’t have a big budget. Are there smaller packages?
Yes – especially for startups and NGOs, there are focused modules like the Tech Audit or targeted architecture and team reviews. Impact over volume.
How do you differ from traditional IT consultancies?
I don’t bring PowerPoint slides – I bring implementation experience. I work on real systems, with real teams – and deliver measurable impact, not just strategic presence.
How do you measure your success as CTO?
Success means: transparency, progress, and autonomy. I work with concrete KPIs – e.g., release cycles, bug rate, technical debt, or team satisfaction. What matters is: your team can deliver independently after I’m gone.

Fractional CTO – Clarity, structure, and impact start here.

In 30 minutes, you’ll receive a realistic assessment of potential, risks, and next steps – free, concrete, and non-binding.
Request free Quick Check now
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