The Future of the COO in Ecommerce & Retail

Tech is reshaping how we do business—automation, data analytics, and AI are all making things quicker and more efficient.

The Challenge of Rapid Change

The rapid pace of change often leaves operations teams in the dark. They don’t know what’s out there or what to ask for, risking missing crucial solutions that could make a real difference.

The Gap in Leadership

In a time when citizen development and agile operations are becoming the norm, a lack of tech-savvy leadership creates a gap between what’s possible and what’s currently in play.

The Case Against a Traditional CTO

Most ecommerce brands don't have a CTO, and they don't need one either—not in the traditional sense. Many brands lack in-house developers for a CTO to manage, and those that do often focus on front-end development.

Fragmented Decision-Making

Reassigning people from a front-end background to back-end roles rarely works well. This misalignment slows new tech adoption and forces operations to rely on outdated systems—think Google Sheets and Excel files—while waiting for solutions that never seem to come.

The Power of a Tech-Enabled COO

Combining the roles of CTO and COO into one tech-enabled leader allows quicker, more effective decision-making that aligns innovation with everyday operations.

Creating Operational Leverage

A tech-savvy COO can spot and implement automation, allowing the business to scale without a huge cost increase. This creates operational leverage and gives the company the agility to respond to market changes faster than competitors.

Capitalising on Opportunities

When leaders understand the tech landscape, they can identify opportunities that might not be on everyone’s radar, ensuring the business capitalises on every advantage.

The Elite Operators

The most elite operators are tech-enabled. Whether you're a CTO or COO, the magic sauce is being right in the middle regarding ecommerce.

A Note on Larger Brands

Brands £200M+ will likely have a CTO or Head of Technology, which makes sense. Some CTOs will be called CTOs, but many already operate in this hybrid role. Likewise, some COOs are already performing this function. That’s why this observation is valid—it’s already happening.