Fractional CTO · Product-led delivery · UK-based
Fractional CTO that shipsproduct-led systems for UK B2B growth.
Senior IT leadership and hands-on delivery — ERP modernisation, portals, and integrations that move revenue and operations forward. No full-time hire. No agency overhead.
Based between Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham and Leicester. Remote-friendly across the UK. Fractional IT leadership in Derby.
What you get
- CTO-level strategy tied to business outcomes, not tech for its own sake.
- Product-led delivery: working software shipped, not slide decks.
- Legacy ERP and integration expertise — wrap, don't rip and replace.
- One senior UK technologist. No juniors, no outsourcing.
"Excellent, first-class work as usual. Thanks, Oliver."
— Mickey Wong, Digital Strategist
Trusted by UK businesses across the Midlands — see our case studies
Results for UK B2B businesses
Measurable outcomes from fractional CTO engagements — not hypotheticals. View all case studies.
£30M+ in portal orders in 2025
Customer Self-Service Portal Integrated with ERP
B2B customer portal on live ERP — channel shift from phone to online, freeing sales teams.
B2B Distribution · UK-wide
Faster ERP tasks, zero logic lost
Legacy ERP Modernisation with a Modern Web Interface
Modern web UI on a 30-year OpenEdge ERP — all business rules preserved, UX transformed.
Manufacturing · UK-wide
Thousands of quotes, years of uptime
Excel to Web-Based Quoting System for Surveillance Solutions
Fragile Excel quoting replaced with a rule-driven web platform sales teams rely on daily.
Surveillance Solutions · UK-wide
Who leads your engagement
Senior expertise you can verify — not a faceless agency bench.
Oliver Burton
Founder · Fractional CTO & senior developer
MSc Web Applications Development
UK-based senior technologist with deep experience in legacy ERP, B2B portals, warehouse systems, and API integrations. Hands-on strategy and delivery — no account managers, no juniors, no outsourcing.
- 20+ years shipping production systems for UK SMEs
- Progress OpenEdge, React, Angular, Node.js, Microsoft 365
- Open Banking, Twilio, EDI, and custom API integrations
Problems we solve
The pain points that cost you time, money, and sleep — in plain English.
Systems won't hold when sales grow. Everything feels fragile, and you're one big order away from something breaking.
Tech debt is piling up. Every quick fix makes the next change harder. You're stuck in a cycle of patches.
No straight technical answers. Every question becomes a sales pitch. You need someone who speaks business.
Legacy systems block progress. They work, but they're slow, clunky, and impossible to integrate with modern tools.
What we build
Between freelance dev and full agency — systems that run operations, finance, and customer experience. UK system integration and ERP modernisation services.
ERP & legacy system modernisation
Wrap legacy systems in modern UIs, APIs, and automation so you can move fast without a full rewrite.
Internal tools & portals
Order portals, customer dashboards, and internal apps that connect directly to your existing systems.
Integrations & automation
Open Banking, EDI, Twilio, email, and custom APIs to stitch together the tools your teams already use.
AI workflows that actually make money
Use AI to remove manual work from quoting, customer service, or operations — not just generate marketing fluff.
How we engage
Clear process and commercial model — so you know what you are buying before you commit.
1. Discovery
Free call to map systems, risks, and priorities. No obligation.
2. Audit
Technical review — what to fix first and what can wait.
3. Retainer
Monthly fractional CTO engagement with defined delivery capacity.
4. Ship
Hands-on build, integrate, and govern — product-led, outcome-focused.
Pricing signals
Most clients choose a monthly subscription for ongoing delivery (1–3 active projects at a time) or ad hoc consultation for one-off architecture and due diligence. Fractional CTO retainers sit materially below a full-time hire once salary, pension, and recruitment are factored in.
Solo
1 active project
SMEs making steady improvements to one area of the business.
Growth
2 active projects
Growing teams juggling multiple systems or internal tools.
Scale
3 active projects
Ops-heavy companies with several departments to support.
View pricing and engagement models or book a free discovery call.
Why UK businesses choose us
“Highly recommended — polished, professional work and excellent communication throughout.”
Our commitment to you
- Reply within 48 hours — no ghosting
- Free discovery call before any commitment
- UK-based senior technologist — no juniors, no outsourcing
- MSc in Web Applications Development
Areas we serve
Fractional CTO and software delivery across the Midlands and wider UK. View all locations.
West Midlands
Birmingham
We help Birmingham manufacturers, distributors, and agencies ship internal tools, portals, and automations.
East Midlands
Derby
Technical delivery support for Derby-based manufacturers and logistics businesses with legacy systems.
East Midlands
Nottingham
CTO-level software delivery for Nottingham agencies, wholesalers, and growing SMEs.
East Midlands
Leicester
We modernise internal systems and build custom tools for Leicester SMEs.
Built for UK B2B companies with 10–100 staff
Business-critical tech with no senior owner? You need a fractional CTO who delivers — not another agency pitch deck.
Not for: Startups needing MVP hacks, marketing-site agencies, or 24/7 support desks.
Frequently asked questions
What is a fractional CTO and do I need one?
A fractional CTO provides part-time senior technology leadership — strategy, architecture, vendor governance, and delivery oversight — without a full-time hire. UK B2B companies with 10–100 staff and business-critical systems typically need one when the MD is still the accidental IT lead, projects are stalling, or legacy systems block growth.
How much does a fractional CTO cost in the UK?
Costs vary by scope, but fractional CTO arrangements are typically structured as monthly retainers — materially below a full-time IT director package once salary, pension, and recruitment are included. We offer subscription tiers for ongoing delivery and ad hoc consultation for one-off guidance. See our pricing page for engagement models.
What's the difference between subscription and ad hoc consultation?
Subscription plans give you ongoing delivery capacity for active projects — ideal when you have a roadmap of improvements. Ad hoc consultation suits architecture reviews, due diligence, or specific decisions without a long-term commitment.
How quickly can you start?
We begin with a free discovery call, then typically start work within 1–2 weeks depending on capacity and scope. Urgent engagements can be prioritised when discussed upfront.
Do you work with businesses outside the Midlands?
Yes. We are remote-friendly across the UK, centred on Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, and Leicester. Most delivery is remote; in-person visits are arranged when they add value.
What makes HTML Studio different from a development agency?
You get one senior technologist who owns strategy and execution — not a sales team and rotating juniors. We focus on systems that run your business: ERPs, portals, integrations, and automation. Product-led delivery means we ship working software, not decks.
What technologies do you work with?
We are technology-agnostic. Common stacks include React, Angular, Node.js, SQL, and cloud platforms — plus legacy ERP integration (Progress OpenEdge), Open Banking, Twilio, EDI, and Microsoft 365/Teams.