AI-FIRST TRANSFORMATION · OPERATOR-PROVEN AT SCALE
AI ambition is cheap. Operating it isn't.
Former CTIO & Chief Product Officer, Hotelbeds Group (HBX) · Operator in Cinven, CPPIB & Platinum Equity portfolios · CIO of the Year — CIONET 2018
Board: Beyond-AI · Exponential Life · Happyforce · Fidesol
€8B+
Platform revenue enabled
€550M+
Business case delivered
1,400+
Applications migrated
Board-level AI strategy, governance and agentic delivery — from an operator who has actually run the platforms, carve-outs and migrations underneath. I move AI from scattered pilots to operating reality, and deliver the financial results that matter.
"Hyperscale AWS cloud migration — 1B+ requests/day in production."
Working with boards & listed companies and growing businesses.
Boards & Listed Companies
For non-executive directors and listed-company leadership teams.
Gain clarity on technology risk, cost, and opportunity — without the jargon.
ExploreGrowing Businesses
For founders and leadership teams scaling beyond startup stage.
Build the technology foundations that support growth, not slow it down.
ExploreInvestors & PE Firms
For investment professionals evaluating or managing portfolio companies.
Understand technology value, risk, and readiness before and after the deal.
ExploreTrusted by
The Operator Map · Choose the Problem
Tell me where it's stuck. I'll show you the play.
Six situations I'm pulled into most. Pick the one that sounds like your last board meeting — each reveals exactly how I'd operate it, with the track record underneath.
Financial Risk · P&L Drag
Our AI pilots aren't moving the P&L.
30-Day Operator Intervention
Lots of experiments, no enterprise impact. Establish a governance model, SDLC guardrails and a 30/60/90 plan that converts pilots into measurable profit.
Verification Evidence
€20M+ in annual savings delivered across insurance and travel operating-model mandates, tied to a 30/60/90 value plan.
What I Do
From AI Ambition to Operating Reality
Clear scope. Defined timeline. Measurable outcomes.
AI Strategy → Execution
Move AI from scattered pilots to enterprise impact — with a governance model, SDLC guardrails, and a 30/60/90 plan that delivers measurable profit improvement, not slideware.
AI Governance & Agentic Delivery
Controls, risk and board-level assurance for enterprise AI — plus agentic SDLC that lifts developer productivity while keeping cost, security, and vendor lock-in under control.
The Foundation AI Needs
The platform underneath the ambition: cloud modernisation, carve-out and post-merger integration, and operating-model redesign — reshaping the organisation for an AI-first world.
I also work with Revamp Advisors, a boutique advisory company alongside other high-profile ex-CIOs.
Engagement Models
Three Ways to Work Together
Fractional / Interim Executive
Part-time or full-time technology leadership for 3–9 months.
Advisory Project
Focused 4–12 week engagement with defined scope and deliverables.
Leadership Coaching
One-to-one coaching for technology leaders navigating transformation.
Operator-Proven at Scale
What Operating It Actually Looks Like
AI ambition is easy to declare. The proof is in the operating layer underneath it — the workforce redesigns, platform migrations, carve-outs and cost take-outs I have actually delivered at scale.
Platform Scale & Cloud Migration
€8B+ platform revenue · 1B+ requests/day
Hotelbeds Group
Technology Stack
Sectors
Travel & Hospitality
Hotelbeds Group, Awaze/TUI
Financial Services
Lloyds Banking Group
Media & Broadcasting
BT Sport
Industrial & Testing
SGS
Track Record
A Record of Delivering Results
CEO & Founder — Independent Advisory
PE advisory and AI transformation practice — Holiday Extras £120M→£500M strategy, WebBeds platform advisory, and board-level AI governance across Travel, HR Tech, and Insurance.
Director Technology Optimization — Lloyds Banking Group
Closed 12 datacentres, migrated 1,400 apps to GCP/Azure, negotiated £700M GCP and £400M Wipro agreements. £100M+ recurrent savings.
CTO & CPO (PE Carve-Out) — Awaze / Platinum Equity
Led €12M technology carve-out from TUI, managed 350+ FTEs across 5 European locations, and executed tech due diligence on 4 acquisitions.
Startups & Advisory — Independent / NASAX / Exponential Life
Founded NASAX Industry Innovation with NASA, co-founded Exponential Life. Advisory committee roles across tourism, HR tech, and mobility.
CTIO & Chief Product Officer — Hotelbeds Group (PE-backed)
Transformed 10K to 1Bn requests/day supporting €8Bn TTV (gross bookings). Managed €330M tech investment, 930 FTEs. Led €20M carve-out from TUI Travel, defended €500M plan to Cinven/CPPIB and their banks. Reduced costs 50% per booking.
CTO TV — British Telecom
Delivered BT Sport to 2M subscribers across 9 platforms. £80M budget, 310+ team. Improved delivery throughput 40% — documented in 3 Gartner whitepapers.
VP Professional Services — SeaChange International
Managed 300 accounts across EMEA, APAC, LATAM. Increased revenue 60%+ and enhanced profits 96%. Led M&A integration of 150-person company.
Chief Technology Officer — Havas Media
Led 200-person delivery team. Achieved €4M savings through outsourcing optimisation and Oracle Financials rollout across 4 countries.
Senior Manager — Accenture
Media & Telco transformation across Europe and US — Telewest, Cable & Wireless, Virgin Media, Comcast. Voice/Video over IP and Digital DOCSIS solutions.
Social Proof
What Clients & Sponsors Say
"Álvaro has a fantastic tech and transformational acumen from very different industries. He was a loyal partner for our business."
Vicente Cancio
CEO — Grupo Zurich España
"Alvaro is a very modern CTO, blending deep understanding of the business strategy with detailed knowledge of the technology. He has the rare ability to work at 30,000 feet and deep down in the weeds."
Simon McGrath
Strategy, Business Development & Portfolio
As Featured In
Recognition & Speaking
CIO of the Year — CIONET 2018
Recognised by CIONET for enterprise-wide digital transformation leadership across regulated industries
NASA Summit — Ecosystems2030.com
Founder and Senior Advisor at Ecosystems2030. Co-author of 'Never Normal' with the NASA Cross Innovation Strategy Group
Hotelbeds Group Transformation
Led Hotelbeds Group's technology transformation — €8B+ platform revenue (TTV), 25M+ bookings across 185 countries
Institutional Affiliations & Publications
Cross Innovation Strategy Group
Winning the Platform Game
CIO of the Year 2018
Technology CouncilFor Boards & C-Suite Leaders
The Operator's Briefing
A private quarterly communiqué on enterprise AI governance, agentic delivery, and the value-creation levers behind real transformation — curated for board members and operators. Not a newsletter.