the Executives · A Dialogue with Majid
Dmitry Kharchenko: From Startup CTO to Tech Advisor | AI, Cybersecurity & Scaling Teams That Win
With Dmitry Kharchenko
About this episode
In this episode of The Executives, Majid welcomes Dmitry Kharchenko, a global CTO, CDO, and tech advisor with a track record of scaling startups from early stage to acquisition. With experience leading distributed tech teams and guiding product growth across Europe and Asia, Dmitry shares lessons on transitioning from a hands-on builder to a strategic mentor for founders and CTOs.
The conversation begins with Dmitry’s journey through multiple acquisitions and the story behind Tech Biz Global, his platform for advising companies on scaling tech and people. He dives into the evolution of leadership in tech, emphasizing how mindset, communication, and adaptability outweigh pure technical skill in long-term success.
Together, they explore how to build and lead high-performance remote teams, the differences between CTO and CDO roles, and why great tech leadership is ultimately about scaling people. Dmitry also unpacks trends in AI and cybersecurity, the hidden challenges of startup growth, and how founders can avoid common pitfalls when expanding globally.
The episode offers tactical insights into managing tech culture, designing scalable systems, and embracing innovation without losing sight of empathy, trust, and celebration as tools for leadership.
Episode chapters
- 00:58 Introduction: The Journey of Dmitry
- 03:29 Dmitry's leadership style defined in fast food
- 05:37 The Story behind Tech Biz Global
- 08:42 Turnaround time in headhunting
- 11:24 Evolution of Dmitry's leadership style
- 15:19 The Operator-to-Advisor Mindset Shift
- 22:30 Being passionate about work, and business
- 26:36 How does a CTO celebrate Success?
- 29:01 Challenges when Building Distributed Teams the Right Way
- 35:20 How to fight with silos being formed in organizations?
- 38:46 AI, Cybersecurity & The Future of Work
- 45:20 The Evolving Role of CTOs/CDOs
- 50:00 Funniest CTO Moment
- 52:27 Parting Advice for Tech Leaders
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