Bio
Chris is a senior leader with global experience in co-creating impact initiatives with startups, donors and foundations, development finance institutions, and private sector partners. He is accountable for Caribou’s fund management and advisory work, including Mastercard Strive, a global initiative launched with Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth in 2021 to drive economic growth and boost the financial resilience of more than ten million small businesses worldwide.
Prior to joining Caribou, Chris worked at the UK’s Department for International Development (now FCDO) as a technology and innovation advisor. He designed and ran a £100-million portfolio of research and innovation partnerships with the GSMA, Unilever, and others to test and scale new technologies and inclusive business models across low- and middle-income countries. He also led initiatives to narrow the global digital divide, particularly the digital gender and disability gaps. Prior to his work with FCDO, Chris worked in international trade after leading multimillion-dollar strategic sourcing and supply chain projects at Mars.
Chris combines this blended public-private background with global experience in social innovation, digital and mobile technologies, financial inclusion, and climate-related sectors including energy, agriculture, circular economy, and humanitarian action. Based in the UK, Chris holds a BA in Italian and Spanish from the University of Bristol and an MSc in sustainable development from the University of Sussex.
Digital technologies can disrupt existing practices, boost economies, and transform lives. However, if we’re not careful, they can also exacerbate existing inequalities. I’m interested in the application of digital for development and how, through collective and sustained endeavor, we might unlock its potential to deliver scalable and inclusive social impact.