matrix

There are 2 posts tagged matrix (this is page 1 of 1).

What is a CEngO?

Firstly, some personal news, I was recently promoted to Chief Engineering Officer (CEngO) at Element, after serving as Element’s VP Engineering for the past seven years. I’m hugely proud of this step, and even more proud to be part of Element and the wider Matrix community.

So what does a CEngO do?

CEngO is a relatively rare title, so it’s worth explaining what it means and how it fits alongside other engineering leadership roles.

The CEngO is a core member of the CxO leadership team responsible for helping steer the company as a whole. While the role is rooted in engineering, its focus is cross-functional: aligning technology with business strategy and ensuring engineering is a force multiplier across the company.

A CEngO typically:

  • Works with fellow CxOs to define and drive company strategy.
  • Translates strategy into high-performing, consistent engineering delivery – ideally with smiles along the way.
  • Builds and scales the engineering organisation, focusing on team structure, culture, and performance.
  • Defines and continuously improves engineering processes – covering everything from testing and release workflows to incident response and cross-org collaboration.

CEngO vs CTO: What’s the difference?

Both roles are executive-level technical leaders, but they emphasise different things. The CTO is typically focused on long-term technology direction, innovation, and architecture. The CEngO focuses on engineering delivery, operational excellence, and building a scalable, effective engineering organization.

At Element, we have both roles by design. Our CEO (and CTO), Matthew, brings deep technical insight and vision as the technical co-founder of the Matrix protocol. This dual role makes sense for our mission, and by having a dedicated CEngO, we ensure that engineering execution remains strong and closely aligned with company goals. It’s a complementary structure – one that plays to our strengths.

CEngO vs VP Engineering: What changes? 

There’s natural overlap, but the key difference is scope. A VP Engineering focuses on engineering leadership, with influence across the organization. A CEngO carries broader executive responsibility, contributing to company-wide decisions while still being accountable for the success of engineering.

How’s it all going to work out? 

So far so good, I’ll keep you posted. 

Matrix Foundation Governing Board Nomination.

I’ve spent the past 10 years involved in a project called Matrix, an open standard for secure, decentralised communication. Starting out as a community member, I’ve worked professionally in the Matrix eco-system since ~2017.

Initially, Element (my employer) was founded to hire the Matrix core team to further the protocol. As Matrix has matured and given rise to a thriving ecosystem, it has gradually been building a governance system independent of Element in the form of the Matrix Foundation. 

With Josh Simmons joining as full-time managing director of the foundation in 2023, Matrix is now at the point where it can appoint a governing board. This is a crucial step in ensuring the long-term resilience and durability of the project, independent of any specific supporting organisation. 

You can read more about the governing board here.

I am a nominee for the governing board as the Element representative under the Platinum Member constituency.

I thought it would be good to share my nominee application so that folks have some idea of what I hope to bring to the board. 

“Element wants to see Matrix have the same impact on the world in the next 50 years as email has had on the previous 50.

In the early days, out of pragmatism, there was a high level of overlap between Matrix and Element. Element was formed from the Matrix founding team, and even today 90%+ of github.com/matrix-org is attributable to Element staff. However, in the long run, it is essential for Matrix to have a strong Foundation independent of any specific organisation. Which is why the Governing Board is so important.

To achieve the long-term goals of Matrix, we need not only a strong Foundation, a vibrant ecosystem, and a protocol that continues to evolve and innovate but also for Matrix to become a mainstream technology for the benefit of all.

Element should continue to try to help make Matrix the best it can be, contributing to its evolution from promising but niche technology to something truly mainstream.

Speaking personally, my experience at Element has given me first-hand practical insight into delivering large-scale Matrix projects benefiting millions of people, essential for the broader adoption of Matrix in the wild.

I have dedicated my professional life to furthering Matrix, and it would be an honour to serve on the governing board.”

Additionally, I am personally interested in finding ways to make it easier for members of the community to contribute to the core of Matrix. Would a working group model seen by projects such as Python or Rust work for Matrix? Relatedly, what would it take to make it easy and rewarding to contribute to enabling projects that help improve Matrix implementations across the board? I’m thinking specifically about things like Complement or Traffic Light, but it could apply to a range of projects.

If anyone from the Matrix community would like to ask me questions about the above, please feel free to ping me in the Platinum Nominee room or via DM.