Technology & AI executive search
We recruit the leaders who connect technology, data and artificial intelligence with the business: from the CTO to the Chief AI Officer.
Technology has stopped being a support function and become the heart of strategy. Decisions about artificial intelligence, data, cybersecurity or architecture are no longer made in the technical basement: they are made in the executive committee. And the professionals capable of making them — leaders who combine genuine technical depth with business vision — are among the scarcest and most contested profiles in the market.
At Ad hoc we approach technology leadership search with the same executive search method we apply to senior management, adding something decisive for these profiles: technical knowledge from the inside. Our team combines executive search experience with professional careers in technology roles, which allows us to assess each candidate’s technical experience with our own judgement — not just their pitch.
Artificial intelligence has also created a new generation of roles — Chief AI Officer, Head of AI, data leadership — that many organisations need and few yet know how to define. Part of our work is precisely that: helping each company decide what technology leadership it really needs before going out to find it.
We deliver specialised technology talent searches through Klevo, our Tech Talent firm. Discover Klevo
Profiles we recruit
- 01
CTO — Chief Technology Officer
Technology and architecture leadership: leaders capable of building product, scaling engineering teams and translating business strategy into technical decisions.
- 02
Chief AI Officer and AI leadership
The most in-demand emerging position: executives who define the AI strategy, prioritise use cases and take AI from pilots to the business with judgement and governance.
- 03
CIO and information systems leadership
Systems and infrastructure leaders who guarantee operations, drive technology modernisation and align the systems map with strategy.
- 04
CDO — data and digital transformation
Data and transformation leaders who turn information into decisions: data governance, advanced analytics and a data-driven culture.
- 05
CISO and cybersecurity
Security executives who protect the business in an environment of growing risk and translate cybersecurity into the language of the board.
- 06
VP of Engineering and technical leadership
Engineering, product and technical team leadership: the profiles that grow the technology organisation without losing speed or quality.
Frequently asked questions
- Which technology profiles does Ad hoc cover?
- We cover the full range of technology leadership: CTO, CIO, CDO, CISO, Chief AI Officer, VP of Engineering, Head of Data or AI, and board members with a technology profile. For specialised technical talent below executive level we work through Klevo, our Tech Talent firm.
- What is a Chief AI Officer and when should you hire one?
- The Chief AI Officer (CAIO) is the executive responsible for the artificial intelligence strategy: they decide where to apply AI, with what governance and what return. It makes sense to hire one when AI stops being an experiment and becomes a strategic lever that demands budget, controlled risk and results.
- How do you evaluate a technology or AI leader?
- Beyond technical knowledge, we evaluate judgement: the ability to translate between business and technology in both directions, a real track record of delivery and team scaling, and the competence to decide what to build, what to buy and what to discard. We contrast every career with first-rate technical references.
- What is the difference between a CTO, a CIO and a Chief AI Officer?
- The CTO leads product- and business-oriented technology; the CIO, the systems and infrastructure that sustain operations; and the Chief AI Officer, the artificial intelligence strategy across the whole organisation. In mid-sized companies one profile may cover several roles; part of our work is helping define which one each organisation needs.
- What is Klevo and how does it relate to Ad hoc?
- Klevo is Ad hoc’s firm specialising in digital and technology talent. Ad hoc leads technology leadership searches (C-level and director level) and Klevo answers the demand for specialised technical profiles in technology, product, data and artificial intelligence.