Chris Harris

Evolito CEO and co-founder, Dr. Chris Harris, has over 25 years’ experience building and leading high-tech, high-growth businesses in the UK, Europe and US. He is passionate about building world-class British manufacturing companies, the transition to electric mobility and the importance of growing a diverse pipeline of UK engineering talent.

Chris joined YASA in 2012 when it was a nascent company focused on the motorsports sector, revising the business plan, restructuring the Senior Management Team and commercialising the technology. While CEO at YASA, he grew the team to over 300 and negotiated long term development and supply agreements with customers including Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. Spinning out YASA’s aerospace division as Evolito Ltd to exclusively commercialise YASA’s electric motor technology and IP in the electric aerospace market. Chris also lead the acquisition of YASA by Mercedes-Benz in August 2021, taking the YASA’s axial flux technology into mass production.

Chris left YASA in September 2022, on his departure, Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management and Chief Technology Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG said, “Chris has been key to YASA’s development, and we would like to thank him warmly for all his achievements, especially his role in supporting YASA’s successful transition to becoming a fully-integrated subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz.”

Prior to joining YASA, Chris held senior roles in companies including VG Elemental, Perkin Elmer, PA Consulting and was President of Plasmon.