Leading with Open Source: A CTO’s Perspective on Technology, Independence, and Innovation
In this interview, we speak with Sourcefabric’s new Chief Technology Officer, Ivan Jelić, about his journey from open-source advocacy in Serbia to leading technology strategy for Europe’s largest developer of open-source tools for news media. Ivan shares insights into his career path and discusses what guides his decision-making within Sourcefabric.
Could you tell me about your career path before and at Sourcefabric, and how you became the Chief Technology Officer?
My first job in IT actually was two jobs. I was working in a small PC shop in my hometown, Kraljevo, fixing and setting up new computers, together with web development – if putting content into HTML tables could be called development. It seems that wearing multiple hats followed me from the very beginning.
Discovering GNU/Linux and free software led me to start an organisation in Serbia focused on free software, and later to the Free Software Foundation Europe, where I led the Serbian chapter and was part of the core team planning the organisation’s activities.
Alongside technology, I’ve always had a passion for media, and I wrote for several tech publications, including Linux World and LWN. In 2007, I joined Serbia’s national broadcaster, B92, as webmaster in the digital department, and later became a technical director, followed by running digital product development for two major digital assets in the group, where I spent over 10 years. I had the privilege to work with talented development, infrastructure and UI/UX teams, which transitioned both media outlets from desktop centric websites to multiplatform digital media environments serving millions of users delivering hundreds of millions pages of content.
I first connected with Sourcefabric while consulting for one of their clients. Later, I joined full-time as a project manager, with a product management role over Superdesk Publisher. My combined technology and a product/project background eventually led to the idea of me taking on the CTO role, which was vacant at the time.
What does being CTO involve day-to-day?
As CTO, I primarily focus on higher-level priorities, such as aligning development, infrastructure and QA operations with our business goals, and acting as a cohesive link between teams.
I’m also focused on people management, ensuring that teams are happy and aligned, while also continuing to support some of the projects I was involved with before stepping into the CTO role.
What are your priorities as CTO?
Unifying our tech stack and, as mentioned, ensuring teams’ operations and outcomes align with our business goals and overall strategy. I’m also looking to create a space for initiatives not directly tied to client or product activities, particularly consolidating our AI efforts, exploring on-prem solutions, agents, integrating these services into Superdesk, and our operations. No matter how busy we are with ongoing work, we must always be looking ahead, which is another practice I’ll try to encourage.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for Sourcefabric in the next few years?
AI is an obvious opportunity, though we’re approaching it cautiously. Another is strengthening our role in digital sovereignty, helping news agencies remain independent through open-source tools, avoiding vendor lock-in, and supporting free, reliable media. What we provide is quite unique in the industry: we enable media organisations to operate while also ensuring their independence.
What does open-source mean to you personally?
Open source shaped me as a person and my career. The idea that you can freely use, contribute to, and redistribute software pulled me in immediately. For me, independent media must be independent by design, and open source is the only way to ensure that from a technology perspective.
What makes Sourcefabric’s approach to open-source tools for media unique?
Our mission. Doing good is the foundation of the organisation, and it shapes our culture, our relationships, and our products. From my perspective, doing good in technology means building open source.
What has been the most exciting part of your new role?
Exploring our large and advanced tech stack and infrastructure is fascinating. I’ve been familiarising myself with the code, the concepts, and the architecture behind projects, while at the same time getting to know the infrastructure, deployment, and operations. I also enjoy bringing activities across the organisation together, which gives a particular sense of accomplishment and joy.