I've spent 25 years building B2B companies. I work directly with a small number of founders and CEOs.
As COO, as CMO, as founder. I've scaled teams from 15 to 100. Built a company and sold it. Run the GTM function for a UK unicorn. Launched a product, watched it fail, and shut it down fast when the market didn't show up. I've been in those rooms.
Most advisors have depth in one function. Some understand the technology but are still learning how businesses actually work. My background runs across both — engineering degree from UCL, MBA from Bayes, and 25 years of operating B2B companies at every stage from zero to exit.
I work with a small number of B2B founders and CEOs at any one time. If you're facing a decision that requires someone who has been there — not just studied it — that's the conversation I have.
Companies I've advised
How I help
Most people start with Advisory — a focused sprint to understand your business properly and tell you what I see. Some continue as monthly clients from there. When the work points to full AI implementation across the business, that's what Connected Paths does.
Four ways to work together — depending on where you are and what you need.
Advisory
Three sessions to understand your business and give you a clear view of where the opportunities are, what's getting in the way, and what to do first.
Learn moreFractional COO / CMO
Embedded leadership for a function — owning outcomes, not just advising on them. Available for 1–2 engagements at a time.
Learn moreMentoring
1:1 guidance for founders and senior leaders on technology decisions, product direction, and go-to-market.
Learn moreSpeaking
Conference talks and corporate sessions on AI, B2B growth, and practical strategy for non-technical leaders.
Learn moreWhere I focus
B2B Growth
Pipeline, positioning, GTM strategy, international expansion
Operations
Operating models, OKRs, cross-functional execution, workflow design
AI & Automation
High-leverage AI applications, agentic workflows, practical implementation
Featured thinking
The web is dying
Unbelievably, the web has been around for three decades. We are at the start of a new journey that will see the web as we know it disappear.
Read more
The Simple Company Operating System Most Founders Need (Before Scale Makes the Decision for You)
Design a simple operating system for your 10–100 person company. Learn what OKRs get right, where they fall short, and how EOS creates traction with cadence, scorecards, quarterly priorities, and issue-solving.
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Talking about AI with boards (without the "left behind" spiral)
How to discuss AI with boards: move from hype to business decisions. Define the bet, ROI timeframe, risks, guardrails and signals that prove value.
Read moreBackground
I started my career as an engineer — MEng in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from UCL — which means I've always understood the technology from the inside, not just as a user of it.
"Co-founded and built multiple B2B companies, scaled teams from 15 to 100, expanded internationally, and exited — including Digital Oxygen, sold to Silverpop, later acquired by IBM."
I've operated as a COO, CEO, and CMO across data science, martech, and AI SaaS. I understand the growth mechanics and the operational foundations — and increasingly, how AI changes both.
I founded Connected Paths to bring that experience to established businesses who want AI to create measurable commercial results. The advisory work here is different: smaller, more personal, and focused on clarity before commitment.
What clients say
"When I started working with Riaz, I was scaling my agency and needed help thinking through the strategic side — when to bring people on, what to prioritise, and how to build systems that could support real growth. What shifted was my ability to see what actually mattered and approach problems differently. Riaz works with you to achieve the goals you identify together. He's not prescriptive — he tailors his approach to what you need to achieve."Kate Barrett Founder, eFocus Marketing
"Riaz helped me make sense of competing priorities and provided insightful advice and feedback. I'd recommend him as a mentor to any business leader."Igor Volzhanin Founder/CEO, Datasine
Ready to have a straight conversation about your business?
Book a free 20-minute call. No pitch, no obligation — just a conversation about where you are and whether I can help.