Tony Piper offers one-to-one coaching for CTOs in London and remotely. With 27 years in technology leadership, his transformative approach helps CTOs find clarity without adding more frameworks. Specialising in neurodivergent tech leaders, Tony also offers outdoor coaching walks in Canary Wharf. Less Mask, More You.
You're the only person in the room who sees the full picture. The engineering team sees the code. The board sees the numbers. But the pressure of holding the entire technical strategy in your head? That's yours alone.
Most CTOs I work with describe it like this: you've made it to the role everyone said you wanted. You're good at it. People respect you. And yet — there's this persistent feeling that you're three steps away from being found out. That someone's going to realise you don't actually have all the answers. That you're performing the role rather than being the role.
That's the CTO life. And it's lonely.
The Transition Nobody Prepares You For
If you came up through the ranks — developer, tech lead, engineering manager — then becoming CTO isn't a promotion you were trained for. It's a completely different job.
You were good at solving problems. Now you're expected to see around corners. You were energised by shipping code. Now you're shipping vision and strategy. Your instinct is to debug; your job is to think five years ahead.
Most people don't talk about how disorienting that transition is. They just expect you to know.
The Imposter Syndrome Amplifier
Imposter syndrome at IC level feels manageable. You can hide in a pull request. You can ship something and let the code speak.
But as CTO? Everyone's watching you assume competence across a domain so wide it feels impossible to master. Board conversations. Technical decisions you can't reverse. Hiring people who might be smarter than you. The stakes feel higher because they are higher.
The funny thing is — most of the best CTOs I know feel exactly this way. The difference is they stopped waiting to feel confident before making decisions.
Why I'm Different
I've spent 27 years in tech. I've worked at every level — from developer to IT Director. I've sat in the CTO chair long enough to know that what you're feeling isn't a personal failing. It's the job.
What this means for you: I don't need frameworks explained to you. I don't need to tell you what a technical strategy looks like — you already know. What you need is space.
My coaching isn't additive. It's subtractive. Your mind is already full of frameworks, methodologies, best practices, things you should be doing. What we do together is create space inside all that noise. Space to think clearly. Space to remember why you wanted this role in the first place. Space to lead without performing.
This is why it works for neurodivergent CTOs, particularly those with ADHD or autism. You're not getting more structures and accountability systems. You're getting a space where the masks can come off.
How We Work Together
This is one-to-one coaching. Not a community, not a group programme, not a workshop. Your situation is specific. Your challenges are unique. That's where the transformation happens.
We typically work over 8-12 weeks. Sessions are online, or — if you're in London — we can walk. There's something about moving side-by-side that creates a different kind of conversation. No eye contact pressure. Just thinking together.
We start with a free 45-minute Introductory Call. That's where we figure out if this is the right fit, and what the actual thing is that you need to work on.
Coaching Walks in Canary Wharf
If you're based in London, I offer coaching walks in Canary Wharf. Something about being outside — moving, breathing fresh air, changing scenery — creates better thinking. No video call awkwardness. Just walking and talking.