Last Wednesday, the Melbourne Web Meetup was in full swing at Kolmeo, where we tackled one of the most debated roles in tech leadership: the CTPO - an ambitious hybrid of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Product Officer (CPO).

With a full house of curious minds and a stellar panel featuring Susan Brander (Co-founding CTO at Kaleida), Corina Best (Head of Product at PlayHQ), Luke Bongiorno (CTPO at Human Force), and our fearless moderator Bill Hunter (CEO at Fortify Technology), we got real about the highs, lows, and everything in between when it comes to leading both tech and product - and trust us, the insights came thick and fast!

The energy in the room was electric, with ideas taking flight, debates sparking, and heads nodding furiously in agreement (or deep in thought). And the networking? Off. The. Charts. 💥

People were so locked into conversations - sharing war stories, swapping insights, and maybe even hatching the next big tech breakthrough, that we literally had to start nudging people toward the door. 😅

If you couldn’t make it, you missed a great night, but don’t worry - we’ve got you covered with some key insights from the panel:‍

What Makes a Great CTPO?‍

A CTPO isn’t just a mashup of two roles; they’re the bridge between product vision and technical execution. They ensure that product and engineering teams are aligned, empowered, and heading towards the same goal. And let’s be real - with this level of responsibility comes an incredible amount of complexity.

💡 Key takeaways from the panelists:

  • Leadership is about outcomes. As Susan Brander poignantly shared, “If you’re not in the room, who is?” Great leaders show up, are present, drive results, and don’t just mitigate friction.
  • Empower, don’t micromanage. Great CTPOs empower teams to take ownership, trust them to lead the charge, and focus on results.
  • Accountability is the foundation. It’s not just about the tech or the product - it’s about making decisions that move the business forward and giving people ownership of the outcomes.‍
  • When things break down, clarity wins. Luke Bongiorno nailed it with, “Things get very simple when things aren’t working.” It’s often in the breakdowns that we learn the most.

Balancing Tech & Product: Where Does It Break Down?‍

Throughout the discussion, a major theme emerged - Tension. The push and pull between product and engineering teams is natural, but unchecked tension can quickly lead to bottlenecks and slow progress. The CTPO has to walk a fine line between encouraging healthy friction and preventing it from stalling growth.

📌 Challenges highlighted by our panelists:

  • Leadership as a bottleneck: Too often, decisions get escalated instead of being solved within squads, delaying progress.
  • Blurry ownership lines: Who is ultimately accountable for delivery, scope, and quality? Clear ownership is essential for smooth operations.
  • Scaling leadership: As teams grow, the role of the CTPO becomes even more complex. They need to build a strong team to handle the increasing demands and drive the vision forward.
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👥 The Culture Factor: Who You Hire Matters
One of the standout moments of the night? Culture. Your team culture matters just as much as your strategy.
Luke Bongiorno drove it home: "Accountability is a huge pillar of culture." When your team feels empowered and responsible, magic happens.

🛠 Pro tip from Corina Best:
Not every challenge requires a technical fix - ask your engineers: “How would you sell this product?”

When they have to figure out how they’d sell the product, it pushes them out of their technical bubble and into the bigger picture: how the product actually fits into the market.

This mindset shift gets engineers thinking beyond the code, focusing on real-world business challenges and customer impact. The result? Stronger alignment between product, tech, and business goals, and a team that’s not just building features, but driving real value.

‍Balancing the Chaos: How to Stay Grounded as a CTPO‍

With all the demands placed on a CTPO, how do they manage to stay balanced? Managing the intensity of the role is no easy feat, but our panelists offered some sage advice.

‍🏆 CTPO Success Strategies:

  • Prioritize ruthlessly. "You have an infinite amount of work to do as a leader - you have to prioritise and delegate - focus on what moves the needle." - Corina Best
  • Compartmentalize. "When something goes wrong, you need to act, but you also need to be able to switch contexts quickly." - Luke Bongiorno

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Final Verdict: Is the CTPO Model for Everyone?

Drumroll… 🥁 It depends!
Some companies thrive with a CTPO at the helm, while others find splitting the roles works better. Susan Brander summed it up perfectly: "If it’s working for your teams, power to you. Every organisation is different."
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Now that you’ve read this… we’re not saying you have FOMO, but let’s be honest—you definitely have FOMO! 😏

A huge thank you to our incredible panelists and event partners, Kolmeo and StarRez, Inc., for helping bring this conversation to life. 
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Until next time, keep pushing boundaries, breaking silos, innovating, and (most importantly) making your teams "give a shit" ©Corina Best