Christopher Couch

Christopher Couch has a diverse work experience spanning over several industries. Christopher is currently serving as the SVP, Chief Technology and Procurement Officer for Cooper Standard, a position they have held since July 2021. Prior to this role, they were the SVP and Chief Technology Officer at the same company, responsible for the development of technologies across various areas of the business. Christopher also played a key role in commercializing key innovations through the Applied Materials Science business unit. Before joining Cooper Standard, Christopher held the position of VP Innovation and Global Product Lines from July 2016 to January 2019.

In addition to their role at Cooper Standard, Christopher has had entrepreneurial ventures as well. Christopher founded and served as the CEO of Liveline Technologies since February 2020. Christopher also co-founded the Midwest Materials Innovation Consortium (MMIC) in January 2020, which aims to accelerate the adoption of novel materials science.

Christopher has been actively involved with Techstars, a global accelerator program, as a Techstars All-Star Mentor since January 2018. Christopher has been recognized for their exceptional mentorship and serves as an ambassador for Techstars.

Moreover, Christopher has been an Angel Investor with the Michigan Angel Fund since October 2016.

Their previous experience includes serving as the Chief Technology Officer at Lear Corporation from February 2013 to July 2016. Prior to that, they held the role of JCI Group Vice President, Asia Pacific at Johnson Controls Inc. from November 2012 to February 2013. Before joining Johnson Controls, Christopher was the President & CEO of Johnson Controls Automotive Japan from June 2007 to November 2012, where they led a USD 1.4 billion global business.

To start their career, Christopher worked at Toyota Motor Corporation in various managerial and engineering roles, including Manager (Body Weld Plant), Manager (Corporate Strategy), and Engineer (Powertrain), among others.

Throughout their career, Christopher has showcased their expertise in technology development, product design, manufacturing process technology, and innovation. Christopher has strong experience in various leadership positions and has been actively involved in the growth and success of multiple companies.

Christopher Couch earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992. Christopher then went on to obtain a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Japanese in 1993 from the same institution. Christopher furthered their education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where they earned a PhD in Operations Management with a specialization in Finance in 1998.