The 90 Day Tech Leader: Why the Gulf’s best CTO’s Are Being Poached Before They Even Start 

Dots We Connect 
The first 90 days of a CTO in the Gulf show that success comes from connecting strategy, culture, talent, and execution. Aligning organizational goals with leadership vision, empowering teams, and translating AI and data initiatives into measurable results turns early potential into lasting impact. When these dots are connected, CTOs lead confidently, companies accelerate transformation, and technology becomes a true driver of growth and innovation. 

What if the hardest part of hiring a senior tech leader isn’t finding the right candidate? 
 
Hiring a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) may feel like a victory, but the real challenge begins the moment they step through the door and escalates over the critical first 90 days. 
 
These early weeks are critical. They’re not just about getting to know the org chart, they’re about building trust, setting direction, and showing impact quickly. Miss the mark here, and even the most talented CTO can get frustrated, disengage, or be wooed away by a competitor. 

Why Hiring a CTO in the Gulf Is Just the Start 

So why is the Gulf different? Here, technology isn’t a support function, it’s a strategic lever for national growth and corporate competitiveness. Governments and companies are betting big on AI, cloud infrastructure, and digital transformation. 

A CTO in the Gulf isn’t just a tech lead. They’re an innovator, a business strategist, and a transformation driver. They influence commercial decisions, launch new markets, and turn data and AI into tangible business value. 

And it’s not just hype. Since early 2024, 76% of Fortune 500 companies appointing a CTO also added them to the executive committee, up from 69% historically. Technology leadership has become central to long-term business success, not a back-office function. 

The 90-Day Test: Retaining Your CTO in the Gulf 

Why the first 90 days? Because this is the period where expectations, culture, and strategy collide. CTOs must quickly understand the organization, assess capabilities, build credibility, and start delivering wins.  

Meanwhile, boards and executives are watching closely, every decision, every delay, every missed opportunity gets noticed. 

In the Gulf, the stakes are particularly high. AI policies, mega-data centers, and ambitious digital transformation projects mean the margin for error is small, and the visibility of the CTO is huge. Companies that fail to support their leaders here risk losing them and their momentum before they’ve barely started. 

 Why the Gulf Is Attracting Global CTO Talent 

Let’s be honest: the Gulf is a magnet for tech talent. Big budgets, ambitious AI initiatives, and projects like massive data center builds in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are drawing CTOs from Europe, North America, and Asia. 

But it’s not an easy ride. Cultural expectations, risk tolerance, and execution pace differ from Silicon Valley or Europe. While experimentation is celebrated in many global tech centers, Gulf organizations often take a more measured approach, balancing ambition with accountability and risk management. Companies wanting global talent must cultivate cultures that encourage experimentation, flatten hierarchies, and reward smart risk-taking.  

Internal Challenges That Can Make or Break a CTO in the Gulf 

Even the most attractive Gulf opportunities won’t guarantee a CTO stays. There are several internal and external factors that make the first 90 days tricky: 

• Role clarity: Is the CTO expected to lead strategy or just fix daily problems? 
• Team alignment: Are tech teams ready to support transformation? 
• Organizational culture: Does the company support innovation, cross-functional collaboration, and agile decision-making? 
• Onboarding structure: Is there a clear plan for the first 90 days, or does the CTO need to figure everything out themselves? 
• Retention incentives: Competitive pay, equity, and growth opportunities are essential in a market where poaching is real. 

CTOs in the Gulf need T-shaped capabilities: deep expertise in their core technical domain, along with the ability to work across functions, influence stakeholders, and commercialize AI and analytics. 

 Designing the First 90 Days for Success 

Here’s what companies can do to set their CTOs up for success: 

1. Structured onboarding: Give clear milestones for early wins while introducing the culture. 
2. Executive alignment: Clarify KPIs, decision-making authority, and board expectations from day one. 
3. Cultural integration: Encourage experimentation, collaboration, and open communication. 
4. Greenfield projects: Give CTOs a sandbox to test ideas without legacy constraints. 
5. Succession planning: Develop local talent alongside the new hire for long-term continuity. 
6. AI leadership integration: If hiring a Chief AI Officer, define reporting and collaboration to maximize impact. 

With this approach, companies reduce early attrition, accelerate impact, and ensure CTOs are driving transformation rather than just navigating politics. 

The Opportunity for Gulf Tech Leadership 

The Gulf is a unique environment for ambitious CTOs. They can lead high-impact projects, influence national technology agendas, and shape world-class tech organizations. But hiring is only the start. Supporting your CTO through the first 90 days is what turns potential into performance. 

The first three months can make or break tenure, transformation goals, and your competitive advantage. Get it right, and you’ve not just hired a leader, you’ve secured a strategic driver for growth and innovation. 

Meeting Gulf CTO Challenges in 2026 with Dot& 

Dot& helps Gulf organizations turn the promise of a new CTO into measurable results. By combining deep market insights with rigorous assessment, Dot& identifies leaders who bring both technical expertise and strategic vision to the role. 

From the moment they step in, Dot& ensures the CTO is positioned to succeed, aligning expectations, cultural fit, and operational priorities so they can deliver early wins, earn credibility across teams, and drive digital transformation with confidence.