A CTO’s Perspective - Driving Corporate Innovation Through Technology

The role of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) has completely changed over the years. Once viewed primarily as IT Support, the modern CTO now sits at the center of business strategy. On November 19th, 2025, La French Tech Bangkok brought this conversation to Seven Peaks HQ to discuss how this evolution is playing out in two very different worlds: large-scale enterprise manufacturing and high-growth SaaS.

Guided by moderator Mathieu Verhaeghe, Co-President, La French Tech Bangkok, the session featured a compelling contrast of CTO insights. Eric Delattre, Group Head of Digital at Indorama Ventures, shared insights from the world of heavy industry and global operations, while Yassine Bel Mamoun, CTO of Manatal, offered the agile viewpoint of scaling a fast-moving HR tech platform.

The CTO shift from support to strategy

Technology today is no longer just a back-office function. Today, it serves as the backbone for engineering, finance, and marketing alike. 

To succeed in this new landscape of tech leadership, CTOs must act as strategic partners. The goal is to demystify technology and bridge the gap between complex code and business objectives.

This shift also changes how teams operate. Engineers can no longer be seen as just ticket closers. To encourage true engagement and new ideas, they need to own the problem they are solving, not just roll out solutions.

Yassine Bel Mamoun from Manatal emphasized this cultural shift:

“To keep teams engaged, the most important thing is a strong sense of ownership. We don't want engineers just implementing a solution defined by a Product Manager. We want the team solving the problem together. That ownership generates higher engagement and, ultimately, better results.”

Decision-making and the door framework

How do leaders decide when to move fast and when to slow down? The Door framework is a useful mental model for decision-making: 

• Two-way doors represent low-risk decisions. You can move fast through them because going through them is reversible. If a decision doesn’t produce the desired results, you can easily back out or correct course.
• One-way doors represent high-stakes irreversible decisions. Because there is no turning back, CTOs need to analyze all available data and evidence before going through one.
  

 Eric Delattre from Indorama:

"If you want real innovation, give your teams a safety net. Centralize a protected budget for testing completely separate from your main P&L. When people know that inevitable failures won't blow back on their numbers, they stop playing defense and start exploring. You can't ask for bold thinking while punishing the stumbles that come with it."

Building vs. buying

While the approach differs based on the business model, the core rule for technology acquisition remains the same: standing out. 

When to buy

If a technology isn't your core competitive advantage, buy it. This is standard for enterprise operations like HRIS, accounting, and CRM systems. 

When to build

You should only build domain-specific products that offer unique market differentiation. 

Implementing new technology, especially in heavy industries, can be challenging. To overcome internal resistance, companies can use dedicated testing streams. These act as safe spaces to show value and prove the technology works before a wider rollout.

Growth & the AI revolution

Artificial intelligence has become a catalyst for corporate innovation. By lowering the barrier to entry for SaaS, AI allows smaller teams to build software faster without needing massive capital investment. 

Manatal implemented an AI Interviewer to address the challenges of screening a large volume of candidates. This automation enables recruiters to shift their focus from administrative tasks to nurturing relationships with potential hires.

The panel also contrasted sales strategies between the two sectors:

• The SaaS model relies on product-led growth (PLG) by selling the product itself, often through free trials that yield more than 50% conversion rates. 
• The key in enterprise sales is identifying the internal champion, or the person inside the client company who specifically needs your software, to succeed.

Career advice: "Just do it."

The gap between corporate security and startup risk is narrowing. For aspiring founders the advice is simple: if you have the passion and have done your homework, ignore the naysayers and 

Thailand is an ideal launchpad for this journey. With its affordable costs and a rich pool of technical talent, it offers a strategic advantage for building and scaling new ventures.

Accelerate your digital strategy with Seven Peaks

Corporate innovation in the technology sector requires more than just code. It demands a strategic partner who truly understands your business goals.

At Seven Peaks Software, we bridge the gap between tech leadership strategy and execution. We specialize in guiding companies through their digital journey from customized software development and UX/UI design to QA services, data analytics, cloud solutions, and AI innovation.

Whether you need to modernize legacy systems, build a domain-specific differentiator, or rapidly scale your engineering team with top-tier talent, we have the track record to make it happen.

Discover Seven Peaks services and talk to us.