The role of chief technology office (CTO) in a modern defense company

It is commonly felt that the Chief Technology Office (CTO) is responsible for linking technology with (i) strategy, (ii) market issues, and (iii) top management guidelines [1]; it is also responsible for promoting innovation and facilitating the intersection among research, development, technology innovation, and leadership vision [2]. Having these definitions in mind, it becomes easier to understand the differences among the CTO and Engineering Manager roles, the latter being responsible for developing company products on time, within cost, and with the required quality standards. The aim of this article is to present the results of a multiyear experience gained in “playing” the CTO role while executing the high-level tasks discussed above.