Dr Christopher Vas

Dr Christopher Vas has over 18 years of experience in business, government and academia across Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore He currently leads the activation of the Western Australian Food Innovation Precinct (WAFIP) as General Manager. The WAFIP – an ecosystem comprising R&D, Innovation and Food Technology Facility - funded by the Australian Government and the State Government as part of the development of the Peel Business Park. The Precinct is further funded by the WA State Government and the Shire of Murray to establish an Enterprise Support Program.

Dr Vas also leads the Shire’s X-Protein Lab program funded by the Australian Government’s Entrepreneur Program. He is the Principal Consultant to FutureSafe Technologies, an edtech startup that digitises safety training using mobile based and virtual reality technologies.

Previously, Dr Vas was Director of Industry Programs at the University of Canterbury and Founding Director of the Singapore Centre for Research in Productivity, Innovation and Technology (SCRIPT) in Singapore. He was also Chief Investigator of the Smart Urban Farm Factories project and Commissioner and Executive Director of the Second Murdoch Commission on Food Security, Trade and Regional Partnerships.

Dr Vas is a Board Director and Advisor to three organisations in Australia including private and not-for-profit organisations. He is a qualified Company Director in Australia and NZ receiving the Graduate Australian Institute of Company Director (GAICD) qualification and Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ (CMInstD).

Dr Vas completed his PhD from the Australian National University (ANU), MBA and Bachelor of Engineering. He also received his Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT Sloan School of Management and completed the Internal Coach Intensive from Columbia University, New York.