Vinay Kapoor, CPO and Interim CTO at Espana, discusses splitting product and technology for sustainable growth

In the latest episode of our podcast, Lucas Hendrich, CTO at Forte Group, sat down with Vinay Kapoor, Chief Product Officer and interim CTO at Expana, to explore the evolving landscape of technology leadership. They covered the growing intersection of product and engineering, how to approach AI realistically, and why financial fluency is the next superpower for product teams. Here’s a recap of their discussion.

1. Navigating the CPO/CTO Hybrid Role

Lucas Hendrich: You’ve taken on the dual role of Chief Product Officer and interim CTO. What has that been like for you?

Vinay Kapoor: This is actually my second time holding both roles, and while there are benefits to combining them—especially at an early stage—I believe that at scale, it's essential to split them. A CTO brings a strategic view of architecture, scale, compliance, and security—elements that can get lost when the focus is purely product-driven. The roles are complementary, but distinct.

2. When to Bring in a Full-Time CTO

LH: Where do you see the CPO/CTO dynamic going for companies that are growing quickly?

VK: At Espana, we’re a very data-heavy company with a lot of engineering behind our product. That means tech is a differentiator for us, not just an enabler. Eventually, we’ll need a full-time CTO—not just someone to manage delivery, but someone to set a long-term technical vision that supports growth, acquisition readiness, and scale.

3. Cutting Through the AI Hype

LH: What’s your take on where companies are right now in terms of AI adoption?

VK: AI is powerful, no doubt. But there’s a disconnect. People are launching prototypes without investing in clean data, governance, or ethical frameworks. That’s a recipe for failure. In one of my Medium posts, I called it out bluntly: Your AI strategy will fail if you skip the fundamentals. You need to know your “why,” have quality data, and build with intent—otherwise, it’s just hype.

4. Financial Fluency as a Product Superpower

LH: You’ve talked about product people needing to connect their work to business metrics. Can you unpack that?

VK: Absolutely. It’s not enough to track product metrics. You need to link those to revenue, margin, and even EBITDA. I tell my team—build a simple ROI model. It can take just an hour, but it turns your pitch from “we want to build this feature” to “this is how it impacts the business.” It makes a huge difference in how leadership sees product.

5. The Role of the CTO in Mitigating Tech Debt

LH: One of the biggest challenges in fast-paced product teams is tech debt. How do you balance speed with long-term health?

VK: That’s exactly where an independent CTO becomes invaluable. Product teams are wired to chase value fast. But without someone looking at scalability and architectural integrity, you accumulate invisible risk. A good CTO can raise the flag, push back when necessary, and ensure the tech foundation stays healthy.

6. Organizational Design as a Strategic Advantage

LH: What role does org structure play in scaling technology?

VK: It’s huge. A CTO who’s seen multiple growth stages can spot patterns: when to form platform teams, when to stay vertical, how to keep velocity without losing cohesion. Organizational patterns matter just as much as tech stack decisions.

7. Leadership Lessons from Fencing

LH: Your sons are national-level fencers. What has that taught you about leadership?

VK: So much. One key lesson is learning how to reset quickly. In fencing, if you lose a bout, you have to move on immediately. As a leader, you’re going to hit setbacks—what matters is how fast you can recover, stay focused, and lead with optimism. Another lesson is around craft: the more you invest in your skill, the more confident and effective you become.

8. Closing Thoughts

LH: This has been a phenomenal conversation. Any final advice you’d offer to tech leaders listening in?

VK: Focus on the fundamentals. Invest in your people. And don’t underestimate the power of clarity—whether it’s in your data, your org structure, or your roadmap. That’s what drives real transformation.

Stay tuned for more conversations at the intersection of technology, product, and growth on CTO2CTO.