Helping businesses objectively and pragmatically.
I'm Jaco Vermeulen, an interim/fractional CTO/CIO and M&A specialist focused on technology in business reality.
I have spent much of my career working at the intersection of technology, operations, transformation and organisational change, often within complex, high-pressure environments where the realities on the ground matter far more than presentation slides or theoretical models.
I help businesses simplify complexity, improve operations and make sensible technology and transformation decisions
Over the past two decades I have worked across:
- Operational transformation
- M&A technology due diligence and integration
- Technology modernisation
- AI and data initiatives
- Process improvement
- Operational scaling
- Business change
My background combines operations, transformation, technology and commercial leadership across enterprise and mid-market businesses.
I grew up in South Africa and started my career close to operational environments where practical outcomes mattered far more than technology buzzwords. That shaped how I work today:
My experience spans:
- Practical rather than theoretical
- Business first, not tech for tech sake
- focused on making complexity more manageable
- Small and medium founder led and family owned businesses
- Mid-market and large private equity portfolio companies
- Large enterprises and listed organisations
- Corporate subsidiaries
- Public sector organisations
- Not-for-profits
- and Start-ups
Across the board, my focus has always been the same; helping business make practical progress with sensible technology investment to create sustainable value.
Twenty-five years of delivering practical outcomes.
25+ years' experience
Spanning 10+ industries
Clients in 12+ countries
50+ M&A transactions
200+ solutions delivered
Over £1billion value created
£50million + EBITDA savings
Operational leadership
Transformation delivery
M&A and integration
Led operations and technology in mid market business across traditional industries like manufacturing, distribution, hospitality, and healthcare . Not just from the exec office, but from the warehouse and shop floor.
Delivered transformation programmes valuable change that actually stuck. From ERP implementations, process overhauls, operational turnarounds. The common thread: Objectivity and pragmatic change management; nothing grandiose or hype fuelled.
Supported growth through acquisition, integration, and organic expansion. Helped businesses navigate the operational reality of getting bigger from systems, data, people, processes, and the friction that comes with scaling with minimal disruption.
Most businesses do not need:
- the latest technology
- the most sophisticated solutions
- isolated change
- another transformation programme
My approach focuses on:
- technology objectivity and pragmatism
- simplifying complexity
- reducing friction
- Interwoven business and technology
- practical decisions that create real value
They need:
- clear priorities and decisions
- pragmatic solutions
- aligned operations
- sensible solutions
- non disruptive progress
My Approach
Beyond Work
There is a normal human behind the work. I live a healthy and active lifestyle spending time outdoors. A road cyclist, mountain biker, trail runner, snowboarder, lego builder, rugby supporter, a father, husband and dog lover.
I grew up in South Africa, and it is home even though I live in the Surrey hills. The country has a significant influence to my approach to life and what I do, avoiding the unnecessary glitz, hype, and buzzwords, and in all cases consider the wider impacts and focus on delivering sustainable outcomes.