Venture Director Takes on Senior Lecturer Role

Our very own Chris Hill is stepping outside his comfort zone and juggling his role as Venture Director with lecturing in innovation management for the School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences.

Chris joined AUT Ventures in 2023 to lead the commercialisation team as they provide guidance and support to AUT staff and students exploring their commercialisation options. He has an impressive background in product design and R&D management positions, most recently at Navico – a global manufacturer of marine electronics products – where he led the global functions for mechanical design, industrial design, systems engineering, sustainability, and innovation. Teams under his guidance brought over 200 products to market, generated 30 patents and won nine NZ Best Design Awards.

When asked about this new role and responsibility, Chris states “I had never considered lecturing prior to being asked to teach this class in Innovation Management. But my experience in product development and commercialisation appears to be a good fit for the topic, and I’m hoping I can help the students along their paths to be the next generation of innovators.”

Chris graduated from University of Auckland with a BE (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and is looking forward to getting involved in supporting AUT research and IP at a grassroots and institutional level.