Smart Cities: Technology and Urban Innovation

Dr. Christopher Vas serves as Associate Professor and MBA Director at the University of Canterbury, bringing over 18 years of experience across business, government, and academia in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. His current role focuses on directing the Connected MBA and Industry Executive Programs, where he teaches Data-informed Strategy. His diverse career includes serving as the Founding Director of the Singapore Centre for Research in Productivity, Innovation and Technology (SCRIPT) and leading significant initiatives like the Smart Cities MOOC on the UCx platform. With a PhD from the Australian National University, an MBA, and executive certifications from MIT Sloan and Columbia University, he combines academic excellence with practical industry experience. Currently, he also leads the Western Australian Food Innovation Precinct as General Manager and serves as Principal Consultant to FutureSafe Technologies, an edtech startup specializing in virtual reality-based safety training. His international experience spans Australia-New Zealand, Singapore, India, and the Middle East, and his research contributions include being Executive Director of the Second Murdoch Commission on Food Security, Trade and Regional Partnerships. He holds qualifications as a Graduate Australian Institute of Company Director and Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ.