Fractional CIO & AI Transformation
I help organisations move from strategy to delivery on AI, digital platforms, and enterprise transformation — with the commercial rigour to make it stick.
David Viney — fractional CIO based in Esher, Surrey. Working across London and nationally, with international engagements by agreement.
David Viney · CITP · ACA
About
I am David Viney — a Fractional CIO and AI Transformation Director with over 30 years of experience leading technology strategy and delivery at the highest level. I have built and run global technology functions at WPP, Heathrow Airport, BSI, Arup, and the BBC, and consulted for some of the world's most recognised organisations.
Most recently, I built WPP Open — the world's first agentic AI operating platform for E2E Marketing — in partnership with Star, NVIDIA, Google Gemini, and IBM Watson. Deployed to 70,000 practitioners across 110 countries, it generated $40m in documented commercial value in its first year.
I am a Chartered Accountant (ACA) as well as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP). That combination — genuine financial rigour alongside deep technical capability — means I build business cases that hold up, and I deliver programmes that generate the outcomes they promise.
Through Alchemy Consulting Services, I work fractionally and on advisory retainer with organisations that are serious about transformation — not just talking about it.
What I Do
Retainer-based technology leadership for organisations that need senior capability without committing to a full-time hire. I own your technology strategy, manage your vendor relationships, and govern your delivery. Most clients engage me as a part-time CIO or virtual CIO, typically one to three days per week.
Digital transformation consulting from strategy through to live production. I have built agentic AI platforms, deployed LLM-based solutions at scale, and delivered the change management that drives genuine adoption. I work with NVIDIA, Azure AI, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot ecosystems.
Technology strategy and enterprise transformation programmes across ERP (SAP, Workday, Oracle, Dynamics), CRM (Salesforce), and enterprise data platforms. I define the roadmap, build the business case, and govern delivery — with a Chartered Accountant's eye on the numbers throughout.
Technology Strategy Advisor for Founders, Startups and Scaleups. Independent technology adviser to Boards, and executive leadership teams. I provide the scrutiny, challenge, and strategic guidance that helps leadership make better technology investment decisions — without the cost of a full-time appointment.
Full-time interim CIO, interim CTO, or interim IT Director for organisations in transition — covering periods of change, vacancy, or accelerated delivery. Experience stabilising teams & technology across infrastructure, operations, platforms, and change. SC cleared and available at short notice.
Cyber security strategy, technology governance, and risk management for organisations strengthening their resilience. I work with leadership teams to define security roadmaps, assess technology risk, and implement governance frameworks aligned to modern regulatory environments.
How I Work
I am not a theorist. I have built the things I advise on, at scale, with real accountability for commercial outcomes. Here is how I typically engage.
A structured 2–4 week technology strategy assessment of your technology landscape, delivery capability, and strategic priorities. Produces a clear, prioritised view of where you are, where you need to be, and what it will take to get there — with a business case attached. This phase is often the starting point for a fractional CIO engagement or a broader digital transformation assignment.
A multi-year transformation roadmap with sequenced workstreams, investment requirements, benefit hypotheses, and risk mitigation. The output is a board-ready investment case, built to withstand scrutiny from executives, investors, and boards. As an experienced technology strategy advisor and interim CIO, I have presented transformation programmes at board level many times and know exactly the questions that will be asked.
Hands-on programme governance: delivery cadence, risk and dependency management, vendor oversight, and stakeholder reporting. As a fractional CIO or interim CIO, I stay close to delivery — not above it. My track record includes 150+ transformation and technology programmes, with over 95% delivered on time and on budget.
I design the change management, adoption, and organisational transformation frameworks required to ensure new technology platforms are embedded successfully across the business. This includes leadership engagement, training programmes, operating model alignment, and measurable digital transformation benefits. Beyond go-live, I track commercial and operational outcomes to demonstrate we are keeping our promises.
Get in Touch
I work with a small number of clients at any one time, so I can give each engagement the attention it deserves. If you are looking for fractional technology leadership, board advisory, or transformation support, I would be glad to have a conversation.
Give me just a week in your business, and I’ll deliver a technology health check to immediately unlock greater value in your business.
Alchemy is the vehicle for my interim, fractional, and freelance consulting work. The name is inspired by the ancient alchemists and their transmutation of base metals into pure gold ☉ — which is precisely what good technology leadership does: it takes raw ambition and turns it into something genuinely valuable.
I also maintain a trusted network of senior associates who can support larger transformation programmes. These are experienced professionals I have worked with previously and whose judgement I trust. Where needed, I can introduce or assemble a small, high-calibre delivery team aligned to the needs of the engagement. Typical roles within my associate network include:
