Let's build technology your business can grow with, powered by people.
With deep experience at Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein (PVH Corp.), I know what good looks like and what it takes to get there. Running technology operations across billion-euro businesses, building teams that deliver, and making sure leadership always has the full picture. Now I bring that to businesses like yours, as a fractional Technology Leader. On your terms, without the complexity. Real accountability, from week one.
The leadership gap
Technology decisions are business decisions. They always were. AI just makes the cost of pretending otherwise higher.
Flatter organisations move faster, until something breaks and nobody knows who owns the decision. That is why governance is not the enemy of speed. Good governance is what makes speed sustainable.
The real constraint is not only technology. It is human absorption. Companies are adopting AI faster than people can build the judgment to supervise it, challenge it and know when not to use it. That gap does not close by itself.
Mid-market companies face the same questions as large enterprises, but without the same internal capacity to think them through. That is where I work best: helping leadership teams connect technology, operations and business outcomes.
Your technology executive. On your terms.
Barend Kuperus, founder of Samoan Technology Services, is a battle-tested technology executive with deep experience at Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein (PVH Corp.). Fluent in both boardroom strategy and engineering execution, he has led complex transformations across international businesses and knows what good looks like and what it costs when it isn't.
His track record spans running technology operations across complex, international business models, building teams that deliver, and making sure leadership always has the full picture. That experience is now available to businesses like yours, whether you are scaling fast or finding your footing, as a fractional Technology Leader. On your terms, without the complexity. Real accountability, from week one.
What we do
How it works
Intake call
We map your situation, ambitions and gaps. Free, no obligation.
Tailored proposal
A clear engagement model: retainer, project or interim. Fit to your context and budget.
Embedded partnership
We get to work as part of your leadership team from day one.
Case studies
A selection of engagements and results.
Proven impact
About
Barend Kuperus, Founder
For 20+ years I held C-level and VP technology roles at Nike and PVH,leading global retail engineering, large-scale digital transformation, and building high-performing tech organisations across Europe and the US. I founded Samoan Technology Services because senior technology leadership shouldn't be reserved for the largest companies. Mid-market and enterprise businesses deserve the same strategic depth,without the full-time overhead.
CIO of the Year 2022 (Nominee) · AWS re:Invent Speaker · Featured in Vogue Business
Frequently asked questions
A fractional CIO or CTO is a senior technology executive who works with your company on a part-time or retainer basis,typically a set number of days per month. You get the strategic leadership, board-level credibility and organisational depth of a seasoned CIO or CTO, without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. Think of it as executive capacity that scales to fit your actual need.
A consultant typically comes in with a predefined methodology, delivers a report and leaves. An interim manager fills a vacant seat for a fixed period. A fractional CIO or CTO does something different: we become part of your leadership team, present in your steering meetings, accountable to your outcomes, and continuously aligned to your strategy,not just for a project, but as a trusted partner for as long as it creates value.
Engagements typically run between 4 and 12 days per month, depending on the scope and pace of your agenda. We agree on a rhythm at the start and adjust as your needs evolve. Most clients find that 6–8 days per month provides the right balance of strategic depth and operational presence.
Hybrid is the default. Regular on-site time,for leadership meetings, team sessions and stakeholder alignment,is valuable and built into every engagement. Day-to-day work happens remotely. For clients outside the Netherlands, we agree on a travel rhythm that makes sense. The priority is being present when it matters most.
The sweet spot is mid-market and enterprise: typically companies with €20M to €500M in revenue, 100 to 2,000 employees, and technology teams of 5 to 100 people. These are organisations where technology is strategically important but a full-time CIO or CTO at market rate is hard to justify,or where the right permanent hire is still months away.
Retail, e-commerce and professional services are where the experience runs deepest,built over two decades leading technology at Nike and PVH across Europe and the US. That includes omnichannel platforms, supply chain systems, ERP, digital commerce, and large-scale enterprise architecture. Adjacent sectors with similar dynamics,consumer goods, fashion, logistics,are also well within scope.
In most cases, we can begin within two to three weeks of signing an engagement agreement. The first priority is always a rapid but thorough intake,understanding your situation, your team, your technology landscape and your most pressing priorities. Speed matters, but starting well matters more.
Start the conversation
No sales pitch. Just a frank conversation about where you are and whether I can help.
Book a call
Free, no-obligation. Pick a time that works for you.