Tim Mutlow is Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at Operance; he oversees everything to do with technology at Operance – from software development to security and making sure we have the best technology there is to serve our customers.
We caught up with Tim to find out more about his background and vision for the future of construction tech.
What does your role as CTO involve?
Chief Technology Officer is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It covers every aspect of technology in the company.
My main role is software development, but as we’ve grown, there are other areas I’m responsible for, such as cybersecurity, infrastructure and general IT.
We have a growing software development team and we’re looking for a Senior Developer to take on some of the work I am doing so I can concentrate on other areas of the business.
Recently, we’ve been working with two interns, which has been fantastic – it’s our ambition to develop our people and we regularly work with universities and colleges to find and develop the best talent.
We’re a small and growing company so I’m wearing a lot of hats at the moment, but it’s great to be in a role where I can bring everything I enjoy under one umbrella.
What’s your background, and how did this lead to working with Operance?
I have broad experience in technology and digital in lots of industries. For example, one of my first roles was in a banking environment – I helped developed internet banking, web services and secure mobile apps for two big international banks. It was a wide-ranging role, and I believe this has given me a good foundation working in construction when it is becoming more regulated and digitised.
I’ve also had experience running a small business – I founded Happy Goon with a friend based in New York – and even lived overseas for a time. Happy Goon merged Augmented Reality (AR) and greetings cards, which on the surface sounds vastly different from what we’re doing at Operance. However, AR has a lot of scope in the construction industry – overlaying data on real-world objects.
It was around this time when I started freelancing – web development and any software that touches the internet. I began working with Operance CEO Ian Yeo and CPO Scott Pilgrim, and this led to a full-time position as my role grew and grew.
Ian Yeo (CEO), Scott Pilgrim (CPO) and Tim Mutlow (CTO). Photo: Shaun Flannery
Why is digital transformation so important for construction?
Construction is already undergoing a digital transformation – Building Information Modelling (BIM) makes the design and construction process a lot more efficient, saving companies a lot of money.
At Operance, we’re taking this to the next level and also focusing on building safety.
There’s an incredible amount of data required in Operations and Maintenance files before a building’s handover. However, this information is rarely looked at again beyond handover. We’re building a product around this problem, making sure people have the confidence in O&M information – creating something trackable, searchable, useable and enforceable.
As I mentioned, the industry is becoming more regulated and more compliance is required by building owners, contractors and designers. For example, the new Building Safety Bill requires a Golden Thread of information that spans the entire lifecycle of a building.
It shouldn’t be a stick to hit people with; instead, we’re creating something that unlocks a lot of potential for a building – more insights into your data = operations efficiencies, cost savings and a reduction in environmental impact.
What’s your favourite part about being CTO at Operance?
The fact that I can put my stamp on everything. It’s been a totally blank canvas and that’s been great.
On top of this, there are so many bits to enjoy – the data transparency we’re trying to create is good for the environment, for tenants, communities and for landlords and builders.
Get in touch with Tim via tim.mutlow@operance.app or via LinkedIn.
It’s free to upload your own BIM models and helps operatives access, search, share edit and update their information, utilising it for simple planned and preventative maintenance:
