Kevin Carlson is a seasoned technology executive with extensive experience as a four-time Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) across various industries in North America and Europe. At TechCXO, he leads the Product and Technology group’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) practice. Notably, he is an inventor of two AI patents developed for a client in the media and entertainment sector.
In his fractional CTO and CISO roles, Kevin assists companies in proactively improving security or addressing post-incident scenarios. His expertise encompasses developing technology strategies and overseeing their implementation. He specializes in big data, data lakes, data warehouses, advanced analytics, predictive analytics, machine learning (ML), AI model design and development, and complex algorithms tailored to company-specific data. Additionally, he has a strong background in designing and implementing software and hardware systems. As a CISO, Kevin helps organizations develop appropriate security strategies and implementation and also guides organizations through compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR.
Kevin Carlson has been recognized as one of the 2021 & 2022 Top 50 Information Security professionals in the world. He was honored alongside other CISO and Global Security Officers from organizations like City of Tucson, Equifax, Harley-Davidson, The Hershey Company, Kraft Heinz, Oracle, and the US Secret Service. Additionally, he was named a top 50 CTO in 2023.
As a trained executive coach, Kevin focuses on developing leadership within technology companies, both existing and emerging. His coaching leverages over 40 years of experience navigating challenges professionals face in technology-related roles. 
Among Kevin’s career highlights, he is serving or has served as:
Board of Advisors, ChartSpan Medical Technologies – As an advisor to Chartspan, whose flagship product is a first-of-its-kind, fully automated personal healthcare record management system that operates on a mobile platform. Chartspan allows an individual to take ownership of their personal health information, manage the information for an individual or entire family, and control which healthcare providers receive the information.
Vice President of Development, DataFinch Technologies – Led and managed development teams for three products, mentoring and fostering collaboration between team members in the development, user experience, quality assurance, project management, and technical writing. Responsible for helping set technology strategy, working with product management to prioritize effort, and ensuring the timely delivery of quality software.
CTO/CSO, Optaros – Set technology direction and strategy for a world-class digital agency focused on eCommerce for B2C and B2B. Responsible for global technical resource pool and for working with partners and clients to set eCommerce technology strategy.
CTO, Verteris – Chief Technology Officer for a firm that provides software and information services to legal and financial services organizations.
CTO, Delivery Services, Viant – Responsible for technical strategy and direction for Viant in all areas of the company. Key responsibilities include business development, enterprise marketing, recruiting, service model development, and other broad-ranging managerial duties within the technology community. Responsible for the management of over 500 technology staff members in 8 offices worldwide.
Founder & Managing Partner, Advanced Systems Group – Founded and managed a technology-focused consulting firm that provided focused services to companies developing software either for internal use or the retail market. Flagship clients include IBM, Peachtree Software, and Equifax.
In addition, Kevin is a published writer, songwriter, blogger, and speaker. When he isn’t busy helping his clients, he is active in the music industry and a voting member of NARAS. Several of his original songs have been licensed for TV shows, and he actively writes and records new music.
Kevin received his Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University; and completed executive education studies in Leadership in Professional Services Firms from the Harvard Business School.
Read more of Kevin’s insight at his blog: FractionalCTO, and on Twitter @thatcarlson.
Kevin’s Awards
Top 50 Information Security Professional
TechCXO’s Kevin Carlson has been recognized as one of the 2021 Top 50 Information Security professionals in the world. He was honored alongside other CiSO and Global Security Officers from organizations like City of Tucson, Equifax, Harley-Davidson, The Hershey Company, Kraft Heinz, Oracle, and the US Secret Service. The 2021 OnCon Icon Awards recognize the top information security professionals and information security vendors in the entire world. Finalists were voted on by peers to determine the winners.
