AI and process advice, built on years of hands-on technology leadership
I'm Mark Grice, an independent AI and business process consultant based in Cornwall, working with small and medium-sized businesses across the South West and the wider UK. I spend my time finding where AI, automation and better processes can genuinely help an organisation run more smoothly, then stay involved from strategy through to delivery and training. There is no sales team and no software to sell, just one person, working independently, focused on what will actually help your business.
What I do now
Today, my work is AI consultancy and business process improvement. I help small and medium-sized businesses work out where AI and automation can genuinely save time, cut out repetitive work and make day-to-day operations run better, rather than adopting technology for its own sake.
That starts with understanding how a business actually works: what takes up staff time, what gets duplicated, what causes friction between teams. From there, I help set a practical AI and automation strategy, then support implementation, staff training and ongoing support so that changes stick. I also continue to offer fractional CTO support to businesses that need experienced, independent technology leadership on an ongoing basis, without hiring a full-time executive.
What I built
Before advising, I built things. I spent 13 years as CTO of a security software company whose products are used by police forces and government organisations in the UK and internationally. I founded that business, led its technology from the ground up, and was there through to a successful exit.
That role meant designing and running software used in genuinely high-stakes environments, where reliability, security and accountability mattered every day. I also hold a certified penetration testing background, which shaped how I think about security and risk in any system I work on. Altogether, that is more than 20 years of hands-on technology leadership, most of it spent building and running real software, not just advising on it.
Why I now advise
After building and exiting a software company, I could see how much of what actually helps a business is not more software, it is clearer thinking about process, and honest advice about where technology genuinely helps.
Running a technology business teaches you where projects go right and where they quietly go wrong: unclear requirements, technology bought before the problem was understood, staff left to work around systems that do not fit how they actually work. I wanted to bring that experience directly to smaller businesses that do not have an in-house CTO, without any pressure to sell software or hit a vendor’s targets. Working independently means my advice is not tied to any product, so it stays focused on what will actually help.
Who I work with
I work with small and medium-sized businesses across Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Exeter, Somerset, Dorset and Bristol, and increasingly with businesses further afield across the UK, mostly remotely, with in-person visits where they are useful. Clients range from independent operators and family businesses to established organisations with settled teams and processes, including Nancarrow Farm, St Eval Candle Company, InAcoustic and Uneeka.
I also work with public sector and emergency services teams, including organisations such as the RNLI and Bleed Control UK, where independence, security awareness and a clear understanding of accountability matter as much as the technology itself. You can read more about that work under case studies.
How I work
I keep things practical and plain-English: no jargon, no unnecessary complexity. Most engagements start with a short discovery conversation, followed, where it is useful, by a more structured assessment of where AI, automation or process changes could help.
From there, I set out a clear, honestly scoped plan: what is worth doing first, what can wait, and what is not worth doing at all. I stay involved through implementation and training, and I am upfront when something is outside what I would recommend, or outside my own experience. I do not promise instant results, and I will not tell you that AI is the answer to every problem; some things are better solved with a process change or a conversation between teams than with new technology.
When something needs building
Sometimes a project needs hands-on development work: a custom AI agent, an integration, a piece of software built from scratch. When that happens, I work with FullyCoded, a related delivery partner I also run, for the build itself.
Using FullyCoded is always the client’s choice, never an assumption. I will tell you honestly when build work is needed, recommend FullyCoded if it is a good fit, and support you in finding someone else if it is not. My advice comes first; who builds it is entirely up to you.
What I value
- Start with the process, not the technology. I look at how work actually happens before recommending any tool.
- Support staff, not replace them. Good AI and automation should make people’s jobs easier, not put them at risk.
- Independent by design. I do not resell software, take commission, or have vendor targets to hit.
- Practical over hype. If AI is not the right answer for a problem, I will say so.
Frequently asked questions
Are you the person I will actually work with?
Yes. When you contact CTOMark, you are getting me, Mark Grice, directly, not a sales team or a junior consultant. If a project needs hands-on build work, I will be clear about that and introduce FullyCoded, but the advice and strategy work is mine.
Do you work outside Cornwall and the South West?
Yes. My initial focus is Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Exeter, Somerset, Dorset and Bristol, but I work with businesses across the UK. Most work is remote, with in-person visits arranged where they add real value.
What is your background?
I have more than 20 years of hands-on technology leadership experience, including 13 years as CTO of a security software company used by police forces and government organisations in the UK and internationally. I founded and exited that business, and hold a certified penetration testing background.
What is FullyCoded and how does it relate to CTOMark?
FullyCoded is a related delivery partner I run for hands-on build work, such as custom AI agents, integrations or software development. CTOMark provides the independent advice and strategy; FullyCoded is only ever used if and when a client chooses it.
Do you only work with businesses that are already using AI?
No. Many clients are just starting to explore what AI and automation could mean for their business. A first conversation is often about finding out whether there is a genuine opportunity at all, not about implementing something you have already decided on.