Twenty years of turning data into products people pay for.

I'm Chris Royle, founder of Velocity Partners. I work with B2B companies as a fractional Chief Product Officer, helping them turn AI and customer data investments into revenue.

Most recently I was EVP of Product Management & Strategy at FordDirect. There I built a first-of-its-kind cross-tier customer data platform, launched a patent-pending AI natural-language platform on top of it, and scaled a 50-person product organization. Over seven years, I helped grow revenue by more than $100M.

Before that, I led data science and product management at Polk (IHS Markit), where my teams operationalized more than 800 machine learning models. I built a new vertical business from zero as SVP at Wiland, and worked at Covisint. I started at General Motors, with international assignments in the UK and Germany.

I went fractional because the problems I enjoy most are the ones where product is the bottleneck, and many companies need that leadership before they need a full-time CPO. I'm based in Detroit and work with clients across the US and UK.

I also practice what I write about: see The AI Range for how I build skill with AI tools, including prototypes I've built myself.

Career at a glance