#972 Stop Ripping Out Your Legacy Code with Alan Williamson, CTO

Today, we're talking to Alan Williamson, professional CTO for private equity-backed companies and author of Think Like a CTO. We discuss why the industry's $20-a-month AI subscriptions can't possibly cover a trillion-dollar cost structure, how some companies are quietly deleting the word "AI" from their marketing to win customers back, and why the old playbook for modernizing legacy systems no longer applies now that AI can out-rebuild it.

All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!

To learn more about Alan Williamson, check out his website here

About Alan Williamson

ALAN WILLIAMSON has over 25 years of data and technology experience, with contributions to the core server-side Java API specification, creating the world’s first CFML engine written in Java, which powered MySpace. He was the first UK Java Champion and has published several books in the Java space covering Enterprise Java, Servlets, JavaMail, and database access.

He has worked with and for private equity firms for over 15 years, building and growing teams, as well as serving as CTO for a number of portfolio companies. Alan served as Chief Technology Officer and Partner of MacLaurin Group, supporting portfolio company operations through CTO and Architectural Advisory. He has provided CTO executive team leadership for multiple private equity-backed organizations.

He is currently serving as Partner of Portfolio Operations Group for New Harbor Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on midmarket founderled companies, providing interim CTO and mentoring services.

Alan holds a degree in computer science with a specialization in digital control from the University of Paisley, Scotland.