Christopher Young

Principal, Christopher Young Advisory

Montreal, CA

Christopher (Chris) Young, is the principal of Christopher Young Advisory, a business consulting company, and joined the KickStart International Board of Directors in August 2018.    

Chris is recognized as an innovative senior technology executive. Prior to his start in consultancy, he was VP of Entertainment Creation Products at Autodesk. He has more than 25 years of experience in building and leading highly engaged, highly technical global teams who produce market leading software for artistic creators in the media and entertainment industries. 

In his position at Autodesk, a global leader in helping designers and creators Make Anything, Chris oversaw management and strategy for award-winning products that were used in film, television, games and design. Chris has expertise in acquisition integration and cultural transformation, global operations and executive development work. Chris started his career in electronics design for television and has driven innovative 3D, AR/VR and AI technologies in many news, sports and film related projects. 

Chris was moved to join KickStart International so that he could give back to struggling families like those who, while he spent time in Ethiopia and in Kenya, welcomed him and greatly inspired him with their joy and their spirit. KickStart provides a unique and sustainable path to self-sufficiency for the families who raise crops on a continent that is home to 60 percent of the world’s arable land. Chris is highly motivated to work with entrepreneurs who are using design to address important social and environmental challenges. 

Chris holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from McGill University and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He and his family live in Montreal – a city that is a vibrant hub for animation and artificial intelligence organizations and one that is renowned for its dynamic arts and cultural scenes.