Rob Bowley

Strategic Technology Advisor | Portfolio CPTO/CTO/COO (aka fractional) | Coach | Mentor | Techno Realist

Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom

About

Are you struggling with your product & tech delivery? Have concerns that things aren't quite right? Perhaps you're preparing for an investment round or gearing up for growth and thinking about how you can scale your platform and team? Whether you're an early stage start-up or a major organisation, the same rules apply - ruthless focus and an effective engine of delivery. By applying product thinking and modern engineering best practices I help founders, start-ups/scale-ups, established orgs and investors cut through the complexity and communicate in a language you'll understand. I don't just advise from the sidelines - I also work with founders and leadership teams on a fractional or part-time basis as an independent CPTO/CTO, getting hands-on with the problems alongside you, and coach and mentor individuals and teams. A bit about me 👀 A product and technology leader with 25 years experience and over 15 years in senior leadership across a wide variety of industries. Trusted by major brands (Co-op, Moneysupermarket) as well as succesful start-ups & scale-ups. Passionate, hands-on, commercially minded, known for building products that scale and productive, motivated teams. A long standing advocate for modern best practices for delivering software (Agile/XP/Lean). I believe "doing good things leads to good things", so I'm always happy to speak to similar minded people, give back and lend my experience to make a difference where I can. Available for speaking, podcasts, mentoring, consultancy or just a coffee and a chat.

Experience

  • CPTO/COO at Pragmatic Partners Limited
    Apr 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 4 mos

    Pragmatic Partners provide strategic product and technology advice and leadership for founders, start-ups, scale-ups, established orgs and investors. As well as advise we act in a fractional CPTO/CTO/COO capacity and coach and mentor people and teams. By applying product thinking and modern product engineering best practices we help organisations navigate the complexity and communicate in a language they'll understand. We can support you with: - Product & technology strategy - Product & delivery management - Tech supplier & partner management - Building and leading high performing teams - Leadership & team coaching - Organisational design & transformation - Recruitment - Investment & M&A - Technology Due diligence - Agile/Lean methodologies - Architecture Strategy - Software engineering best practices - Mobile, web & API development - CRM & Data Platforms - Cloud Infrastructure - Security - Regulation & Compliance

  • SYNTHO (2 yrs 10 mos)
    • Managing Director
      Apr 2026 - Present · 4 mos

    • Fractional COO
      Jan 2026 - Apr 2026 · 4 mos

    • Fractional CPTO
      Oct 2023 - Dec 2025 · 2 yrs 3 mos

      Learn with your favourite artists and build your career with Syntho. Get access to over 450+ world class tutorials, 1 on 1 track feedback and much more.

  • Due Diligence Partner at YFM Equity Partners
    Jun 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 2 mos

    Supporting YFM Equity Partners with product and technology due diligence across their diverse portfolio of ambitious, high-growth UK businesses.

  • Doc Abode (Freelance · 3 yrs 2 mos)
    • Product & Technology Advisor
      Oct 2025 - Present · 10 mos

      Doc Abode is an NHS workforce scheduling platform to optimise Urgent Care Referral (UCR) staff deployment

    • Fractional CPTO
      Jun 2023 - Oct 2025 · 2 yrs 5 mos

      Doc Abode is an NHS workforce scheduling platform to optimise Urgent Care Referral (UCR) staff deployment

  • Coach at Baltic Ventures
    Apr 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 4 mos

    Acting as a coach for early stage tech start ups on the Baltic Ventures Accelerator programme