Fractional COO / GTM Operations
- Operating model, KPIs and reporting across offices
- ICT and systems transformation, from plan to adoption
- Resourcing, project and finance systems that work together
Industries · Professional services & AEC
Fractional C-suite leadership for professional services and AEC firms
I've built and run professional services businesses, as founder and CEO of a global systems integrator and as head of a technology practice across Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore, and led a national ICT transformation for an architecture practice.
When does a professional services or AEC firm need a fractional executive?
For a professional services or architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firm, a fractional executive usually earns their keep when growth depends on a few partners' time, systems haven't kept up with the number of offices and projects, or the firm needs a practical plan for AI. I take the COO, CRO/CMO or Chief AI & Transformation Officer seat part-time and own the result.
What I see
Common challenges for professional services and AEC firms
01
Growth depends on a few partners
Business development lives with the partners, so the pipeline rises and falls with their time and networks.
02
Margins only show up after the job
Time, resourcing and project data sit in separate systems, so nobody can see project margin until it is too late to fix.
03
Every office works differently
Each office has grown its own tools, suppliers and ways of working, so the firm struggles to act as one.
04
ICT has fallen behind the firm
Design, documentation and collaboration tools have multiplied, and the infrastructure and support behind them have not kept up.
05
AI is arriving through the side door
Staff are already using AI tools on client work, without a policy on confidentiality, quality or who checks the output.
06
Knowledge walks out the door
Proposals, methods and lessons learned live in people’s heads and inboxes, so every bid starts from scratch.
Where I help
Three seats I can fill
Fractional CRO / CMO
- A business development engine that doesn’t depend on a few partners
- Positioning, proposals and sector campaigns
- Fee models and pricing that protect margin
Fractional Chief AI & Transformation Officer
- An AI use policy that protects client confidentiality
- AI for proposals, documentation and knowledge search
- Automating project administration and reporting
Fractional seats from A$12,000 + GST a month; a two-week diagnostic from A$15,000 + GST. How I work
Experience
I've done this work inside professional services and AEC firms.
Clients and employers are anonymised. Figures are as reported at the time.
- Led a national ICT transformation across five capital-city offices for an architecture practice
- Founder and CEO of a global systems integrator delivering transformation programs, now focused on agentic AI and automation
- Head of Integrated Technology, APJ, for an integrated B2B marketing agency, with a team across Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore and growth, budget and P&L responsibility
- Consulting and transformation programs for clients across retail, financial services, technology and architecture
FAQ
Professional services & AEC: common questions
Do you work with architecture and engineering firms?
Yes. I led a national ICT transformation for an architecture practice across five capital-city offices, and my systems integrator delivered transformation programs for architecture clients.
What should a professional services firm do about AI first?
Put a short AI use policy in place that protects client confidentiality, then pick one or two document-heavy processes, such as proposals or project reporting, where AI saves real time and a person checks the output. My AI use policy template is a free starting point.
Can a fractional COO work across several offices?
Yes. I work from Melbourne, in person and remotely, and have led teams and programs across several Australian capital cities and Singapore. The operating rhythm is designed so every office works to the same priorities and measures.
What does a fractional executive cost?
My fractional seats start from A$12,000 + GST a month for about one day a week, and a two-week diagnostic from A$15,000 + GST. Interim cover is quoted after a call.
Further reading
AI & transformationAI use policy template for Australian businesses
A free AI use policy template for Australian mid-market businesses, with a traffic-light data guide and a 30-day rollout plan. Free Word download.
6 min read
Fractional leadershipWhen to hire a fractional COO: 7 signs it's time
The seven signs you need a fractional COO, when a full-time or interim hire suits better, and what the first months and the cost look like.
6 min read
AI & transformationAgentic AI workflows: what's real for mid-market businesses
What agentic AI workflows can really do for a mid-market business today, where they fall short, how to pick your first one and how to run it safely.
7 min read
Other industries
Let's talk about what's next for your business.
A 30-minute conversation, no pitch deck. If I'm not the right fit, I'll tell you, and point you to someone who is.