Navigating a Diverse Career Path: Insights from Cashrewards CPTO Ciaran Forde
Adaptability and a willingness to embrace new challenges are key attributes for success as a technology leader. And it’s these attributes that have propelled Ciaran Forde’s diverse and impressive career journey from defence contracting to public broadcasting, and from startups to major financial institutions.
Appointed Chief Technology Officer at Cashrewards in late 2023 by Jake Rose, Associate Director at Allura Partners, he is a leader who derives as much professional satisfaction from strategic planning as he does from hands-on project execution and people management.
A Journey Across Industries
Ciaran Forde’s career began in the United States, working for a defence contractor based in Boston. This experience provided him with a solid foundation in “deep, deep coding,” as he described it. After a stint in consultancy in his homeland of Ireland, Forde made his way to Australia, where he took on roles in telecommunications with Optus and Singtel.
His next move was to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where he led the team responsible for the technology behind ABC News, iView and ABC listen. Under his leadership, the team grew from a small team of four to over 150 people. Forde reflects fondly on this experience, describing the ABC as “just a great bunch of people… such an interesting place, such a family atmosphere”.
Following his time at the ABC, Forde ventured into the startup world, founding his own real estate startup before transitioning to the finance sector. He held a technology leadership position at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) before joining Beem It as Chief Technology Officer, tasked with scaling the data and web development capabilities.
An opportunity presented itself, and Forde stepped into the role of interim CEO at Beem It.
As CEO, he said, “The role had a lot of different components and responsibilities, and at the time, we were also in the process of selling the business, which was an incredible experience to be part of. It was hugely valuable in helping me understand how all the parts of a company fit and move together. That experience really sparked my interest in taking a more strategic, technology-led leadership role. It inspired me to pursue the CTO position at Cashrewards, where that broader perspective has been critical, not just in driving technology initiatives, but in aligning them with the overall business strategy.”
These experiences culminated in his current role as CTO at Cashrewards, where he now also oversees product development.
Keys to Success in Diverse Environments
When asked about the key to his success in diverse businesses, Forde said flexibility is an imperative.
“You have to move with it. You have to understand the environment you're in; context is so important. What you can do in a five-person startup versus a 200-person company versus an institutional bank are very different. So, that context is super important to understand and work with, while nudging the boundaries. As a leader, recognising those differences shapes how you build and lead your team — the structures you put in place, the way you empower people, and even how you pace change all need to be adapted. It’s about being flexible enough to meet the environment where it is but also setting the right conditions to help your team grow and succeed within it.”
Forde’s adaptability is complemented by his recognition that many technical skills are transferable across industries. He estimates that “over 50% of the skills acquired have been transferable between industries,” citing examples like building scalable system architectures and leading cross-functional teams, which allows him to quickly acclimate to new sectors while enjoying the process of learning industry-specific knowledge.
Leadership Style and Team Building
As a leader, Forde described himself as hands-on and deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of his team. At Cashrewards, he said he “maintains a visible presence and engages with various aspects of the business” guiding teams as they tackle challenging tasks.
Cashrewards has fostered an established hybrid and remote work environment, which Forde said comes with many more opportunities than challenges. He noted that as more companies mandate returns to the office, Cashrewards has been able to tap into a talent pool of individuals who have adapted their lives to remote work. To foster team cohesion, he’s found the first few weeks for new hires are critical, as are opportunities to bring the team together in person, several times throughout the year.
Lessons Learned and Future Outlook
Reflecting on his career, Forde said that learning to be self-aware in different contexts has been one of his most significant learnings.
“There’s definitely a steep learning curve when you move between different industries. So, it’s about coming up to speed on the different languages, the different acronyms in use – it takes a few weeks, but once you’ve done it a few times, it becomes easier.”
Throughout his career, he has worked with mentors and continues to do so, although “I've probably relied more on the informal gatherings of contacts and people rather than the more formal one-to-one mentoring”.
And asked whether he has any regrets, he’s quick to say “no”.
“There have been ups and downs over time, but I have no regrets. Everything has a purpose, and you learn from it and go from there… so I have no regrets about any of it.”
Looking to the future, Forde said he’s enthusiastic about the possibilities presented by his role at Cashrewards and its connection to the broader financial technology landscape.
“Cashrewards is owned by 1835i, the innovation and investment partner for ANZ, so the possibilities are endless. I enjoy looking at the bigger picture of what's happening in banking and exploring its future.”