2026 CTO Salary Benchmarking report for a PE-backed UK Software business
As part of a Chief Technology Officer search for a PE-backed software company undergoing technology modernisation and AI transformation, we collected anonymised salary and market insights from CTOs across UK-based SaaS and software businesses with revenues between £20m and £200m.
Inside the benchmarking report
- Base salary ranges, bonus structures, and equity participation
- Technology leadership priorities across UK software and SaaS businesses, including the impact of PE ownership
- Reporting lines and notice periods
Key takeaways
- Over a third of CTOs are prioritising AI enablement as their main focus area, signalling a shift from experimentation to practical business application.
- Compensation packages vary significantly across the market, with equity participation increasingly being used as a key differentiator alongside base salary and bonus opportunity.
- The role of the CTO continues to expand beyond technology delivery, with increasing involvement in value creation, operational efficiency and investment-cycle planning.
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Access the full Salary Benchmarking Report 2026 for CTO insights across PE-backed and high-growth UK SaaS and software businesses.