Embedded AI Leadership
Some teams don't need someone to build something for them. They need someone in the room who's done this before, working alongside their engineers, making decisions and helping them figure things out as they go.
I was Head of Mobile Engineering at Gymshark. I've led teams through fast growth, competing priorities, and the constant pressure to deliver without breaking what's already working. A couple of years ago I started applying that to AI seriously. Not the hype. The tools that actually work in a real business with real constraints.
This is a part-time embedded engagement. I work directly with your team. I help them build, help them make better decisions, and make sure what they're working on actually gets done. The goal is a working AI capability inside your team that doesn't collapse when I leave.
What's included
Working sessions with your team, not just advisory calls. In the day-to-day, in the decisions, present enough to understand what's actually happening and help course-correct in real time.
Being in the room (or the thread) when AI tooling decisions get made. Which model, which infrastructure, which approach. Decisions based on experience with what breaks, not vendor demos.
Your engineers leave this engagement able to build and maintain AI systems themselves. When I leave, the skill stays.
Helping you work out what to build, in what order, with what resources. Keeping the work connected to outcomes rather than disappearing into interesting-but-irrelevant technical rabbit holes.
Who this is for
You have good engineers but nobody's led AI development at scale before
You're going through a big shift in how your product or team works and need someone who's navigated that
You want a fractional CTO or AI lead without the cost and commitment of a full hire
You've got 3-6 months to build a real AI capability and need it to stick
Your team needs direction more than they need more developers
A functioning AI capability inside your team, built to last.
Not dependent on me continuing to show up. Your team knows how to build, maintain, and extend what we've built together.
Note
I work with a small number of clients at a time. This keeps the quality high and means you actually get my attention, not a junior doing the work. If this sounds like what you need, let's talk before the next slot goes.
Related reading
The honest version of this decision, without the consultant spin.
Depends entirely on where you are and what you're trying to build. Here's how to think about it.
This engagement suits a specific type of team and situation. A short call will tell us both whether it's the right fit.
Get in touch