Fractional CTO & technical lead Experienced leader who turns vision into working software.
I’m a hands-on technology leader with 11+ years of experience helping organisations turn complex business goals into scalable, reliable, and maintainable software. I combine strategic direction with practical engineering execution and can step in across the full technical scope, from roadmap planning and team growth to code review and architectural guidance.
- Software development
- Agile
- Git
- Product collaboration
- REST APIs
- Coaching
- Java
- Node.js
- Queueing
- TypeScript
- Vue
- PostgreSQL
- Product engineering
- Software architecture
- IT strategy
- Project management
- Docker
- Engineering management
- React
- React Native
- Technical leadership
- Stakeholder management
- Angular
- AWS
- Azure
How I can help From strategy to shipped code, without the gap in between.
I combine strategic direction with practical engineering execution, and step in wherever your team needs it most.
Freelance CTO
Technical direction for your organisation: IT strategy, roadmap planning, scalability and compliance — as part of your management team.
More about my work as CTOTechnical lead
Hands-on architecture, code review and delivery together with your team, in Node.js, TypeScript, React (Native) and Vue.
Team growth
Team composition, hiring and ways of working — so your engineers deliver on their own, long after I’ve left.
About me Developer at heart, leader by choice.
I currently work as Fractional CTO & Technical Lead through my own company, Max van de Laar B.V., and I’m co-founding a stealth start-up. In my spare time I work on home automation and the renovation of our house. I’m based in Echt-Susteren, Limburg, the Netherlands.
But the most important thing for me is being a great parent to my daughter and son.
Interests
- Politics
- Hiking
- Home DIY
- Technology
- Home Automation
Experience Eleven years, six teams, one thread.
From custom software projects to leading an engineering department.
Aug 2026 – Present · Echt-Susteren
Fractional CTO & Technical Lead · Max van de Laar B.V.
Through my own company I work for clients as a fractional CTO and technical lead. For my first client, the Province of Zuid-Holland, I work as a software consultant: I am restructuring the software stack, building a shared component library, and setting up an IT vision and a shared way of developing software, alongside web applications for the Water, Climate, Nature and Agriculture department. I am also co-founding a stealth start-up.
Nov 2022 – Aug 2026 · Rotterdam
Head of Software Development · UTURN (opens in a new tab)
At UTURN, I led the software engineering department and helped standardise technologies and delivery processes across teams. I was responsible for IT strategy, scalability, compliance, and team effectiveness, experience that now allows me to support clients as a fractional CTO or technical lead.
Oct 2021 – Oct 2022 · Rotterdam
Senior Front-end Engineer · Superscript (opens in a new tab)
At Superscript, I was responsible for the user interface of internal and customer-facing software products, working closely with stakeholders, UX, and back-end engineers. This strengthened my ability to align product, design, and engineering in fast-moving client environments.
Jan 2020 – Jun 2023 · Echt-Susteren
Founder · Homey Community Store
I founded and developed the Homey Community Store, an alternative app store for the Homey automation platform. The project combined product thinking, platform ownership, technical decision-making, and community-driven execution.
Apr 2019 – Oct 2021 · Eindhoven
Software Consultant/Business Developer · Luminis (opens in a new tab)
As a software consultant, I helped customers shape and build tailored software solutions that matched their business case. I combined requirements discovery, product development, and commercial awareness, which is directly relevant in freelance and advisory roles.
Jan 2015 – Apr 2019 · Maastricht
Software Engineer · NLcom (opens in a new tab)
At NLcom, I worked end-to-end on custom software projects, from pre-sales and requirements discovery to roadmap definition, delivery, and ongoing customer collaboration. This built a strong foundation for working independently with clients and taking ownership from strategy to implementation.
Highlighted projects Work I’m proud of.
Other activities
Citizen councilor Environment · GroenLinks (opens in a new tab), Echt-Susteren · Nov 2017 – Mar 2021
As a citizen councilor Environment, I reviewed plans before they reached the council, asking critical questions about zoning, sustainability, sewerage, and other local policy topics.
Ad-interim Chairman · GroenLinks (opens in a new tab), Echt-Susteren · Jun 2019 – Mar 2021
I temporarily filled the chairman role to help guide the local department through a smooth transition during its merger with the department of a neighbouring municipality, including highly emotional internal discussions about the department’s future.
Secretary · GroenLinks (opens in a new tab), Echt-Susteren · May 2018 – Mar 2021
As secretary, I prepared agendas and invites for department meetings, handled contact with outside media, and ensured the bylaws were followed during official processes.
Publications
- “Developers create their own community store for Homey” (opens in a new tab) — Tweakers, May 15, 2020
- “Homey app store made for and by the community” (opens in a new tab) — FWD Magazine, May 16, 2020
Contact Interested in working together?
Tell me where your team is today and where you want to be.