Thomas Coopman steps up as CEO of Aardling

By handing over the reins, Mathias returns to what drove him to start Aardling in the first place. "I can spend more time helping Aardling's clients as a consultant again," he says, "and work on new ideas and experiments in the company's pipeline. Outside of Aardling, I'll work as a Fractional CTO and executive consultant, and participate more in activism.”

"Thomas Coopman has been with Aardling since day one. He’s a keen observer; he can pinpoint the issues and create lasting improvements. Our clients love his no-nonsense leadership style. Thomas is a seasoned architect and a pragmatist. He believes in making the right trade-offs for the client, based on a deep insight into their needs. He’s also a passionate educator, and has created some of our flagship courses, including the wildly popular DDD in Your Favourite Language course. I couldn't think of a better person to lead Aardling into its next stage."

Creating software is changing because of AI, and Thomas believes that knowing what to build will be the real differentiator. Thomas: "Mathias and I share a belief that the intersection of business strategy and software delivery is only going to become more critical," says Thomas. "My focus is on growing the quality and excellence Aardling is known for, helping our clients navigate complex challenges to build truly successful software. Luckily, I'm not doing this alone — Mathias built an amazing team to help me. I’m incredibly honoured to carry this mission forward."