FRACTIONAL CIO · M&A TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
IT leadership that works from the top down.
Start the conversationWhat 11 transactions teaches you about technology decisions.
When a deal is on the horizon, the state of your IT infrastructure becomes everyone's business. Van Murray has been in that room 11 times. He knows what acquirers look for — and what cleans up before they see it.
M&A transactions completed on the technology side
Years of IT leadership across enterprise to SMB
Companies built, scaled, and sold
Who we do it for.
The Pre-Transaction Leader
A deal is on the horizon — 6 to 18 months out. You've heard 'technology due diligence' from your banker or PE sponsor. You need someone who has been in that room before and knows what acquirers actually find.
See the engagement model →The Scaling Founder
You've outgrown intuition-driven IT. Vendors are pitching. The MSP sends invoices. Someone on the leadership team needs to evaluate what they're recommending — and it's not the MSP.
How we work together →The Thoughtful Delegator
IT is delegated, but something's missing. The MSP manages what exists. No one is making the call when a strategic decision surfaces — platform migration, vendor evaluation, security investment.
How we work together →What we do.
Strategy first. Roadmap second. Execution third.
Every engagement starts at the top and works down.
M&A Technology Advisory
Due diligence, integration planning, and post-close. For leaders approaching or navigating a transaction who need a technology partner who's been in that room before.
IT Strategy & Roadmap
Where is your business going, and what does your technology need to do to get there? Aeolus builds the roadmap that connects IT to business goals.
Vendor Evaluation & Management
An independent voice with no commission on the outcome. Aeolus evaluates vendor recommendations, manages relationships, and sources through the Marketplace at terms you won't negotiate alone.
Security & Compliance
Email authentication, MFA, DKIM/DMARC/SPF, IT compliance frameworks. The foundation that protects the business and satisfies the auditor — before you need to explain why it wasn't in place.
Cloud & Infrastructure
Platform selection, migration planning, and cloud architecture review. Strategy before the stack — no migration without a reason tied to the business roadmap.
Fractional CIO Engagement
Ongoing technology leadership. One monthly fee. No ticket numbers. Van attends your leadership meetings, knows your business, and reaches out before problems surface.
11 transactions. 20 years. One practice.
Van Murray has been the technology leader in 11 M&A transactions — due diligence, integration planning, and post-close — for companies across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and media. Before building Aeolus, he spent 20 years leading IT at companies from startup scale to enterprise, and built three companies of his own.
Aeolus was built on a specific insight: the businesses that need strategic technology leadership most are exactly the ones that can't yet justify a full-time CIO. One monthly fee. No long-term contracts. The same person from day one through deal close.
About Van →
From the Insights.
Schedule a 15-minute call.
No pitch. No slides. Just a direct conversation about where you are and whether Aeolus makes sense for what's coming next.
Schedule a 15-minute call