We are Evolito.
We have an experienced first-class team of forward thinking, passionate aerospace engineers, working for a new era of urban air mobility.
Dr. Chris Harris
CEOEvolito 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.
Gareth Morris
Chief Operating OfficerGareth has over 35 years’ of engineering, programme and general management experience working for large tier 1 global aerospace companies. Most of his career has centred around the development and industrialisation of more-electric aircraft systems, and from 2012 to 2020 he led the creation of a specialist Centre of Excellence for electric motor drive systems and power electronics at Collins Aerospace. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College.
Ajay Lukha
Chief Commercial OfficerFor the last nine years, Ajay has led YASA’s marketing, global customer development and revenue growth in the automotive and aerospace sectors, managing the Sales and Account Team and scaling the company’s revenues. Ajay has deep commercial awareness, twinned with technical concept-level problem solving, strong communication skills and a proven ability to quickly build networks of influencers within customer organisations from C-suite through to engineering, design and procurement.
In his career, Ajay has serially established novel technologies as mainstream in industrial, consumer and cleantech markets, identifying and matching technology with customers. At YASA, Ajay established YASA’s speciality products revenue, initiating and driving key OEM customer wins and developing a powerful new business pipeline across automotive and aerospace. Prior to joining YASA, Ajay held senior roles at Kingston Technology Company, Intel Corporation and Duerr Group.
John Behrendt
Non-Executive DirectorJohn worked for Eight Roads in an advisory capacity and as Head of Portfolio Management with companies spanning healthcare, technology and renewable energies.
With a background in finance, the majority of Johns career has been spent in the tech sector where he has operated in CEO, COO and CFO positions.
He has successfully exited two venture-backed fabless chip businesses; Alphamosaic Limited in 2004 and Frontier Silicon Limited in 2012.
Stephen Parker
Chair & Non-Executive Director30+ year track record of taking technology from innovation to industrialization, achieving significant returns for investors by scaling up new technology businesses in the automotive and transportation sectors.
Previously Chair of the board of YASA and in this role was instrumental in the sale of the business to Mercedes Benz. Post-acquisition holds the position of Senior Independent Director of YASA under Mercedes ownership.
Joined the board of Evolito at the point of spin out from YASA becoming Chair of the Evolito board.
Pro-Chancellor of Coventry University and formally Chair of the University Board of Governors
Senior Non-Executive Director of The Transport Research Foundation (TRL) a science and technology business focused up future transport and mobility, policy, science and technology
15+ years’ experience of working at partner level in blue chip international professional service firms working with the boards of large international corporations in the aerospace, automotive and technology sectors to develop and implement business strategy, undertake operational performance improvement and business turn around.
Prior industrial experience includes senior executive and business leadership roles in UK, French, US and German companies having been responsible for subsidiary companies in France, Germany, USA, Korea, Japan, China & Sweden.
Cyrus Jilla
Board Member - B-FlexionCyrus joined B-FLEXION (or Waypoint, as then was) as a Partner in March 2020, with a remit to expand the company’s existing businesses and to partner with others to grow or create new asset managers.
Prior to joining B-FLEXION, Cyrus was, most recently, a President and Officer at FIL (Fidelity International Limited), the parent of the global asset management business, where he had primary responsibility for FIL’s proprietary investments. Earlier in his career Cyrus was Managing Partner at Bain & Company, London. He has been a Board Director of numerous companies, including COFRA A.G., Colt Telecom, and Element Six Group. Cyrus began his career at Schroders plc having studied medicine at the University of London.
Alex Hammacher
Board Member - OSEAlex joined Oxford Science Enterprises in October 2019, bringing over two decades of clinical medicine and corporate finance experience.
Alex is responsible for major corporate finance activities at OSE and its later stage companies, including public market transactions, acquisitions and exits. He also manages OSE’s Investment Committee, and leads long-term strategic planning.
Alex began his career as a junior doctor in Oxford before joining investment banking in 2007. He has raised equity and debt capital for both private and public companies, and advised on local and cross-border M&A and partnerships whilst at UBS and Lazard in Europe, US and Australia-Pacific. His experience includes both large cap pharma and medtech, early-stage biotech and digital health, as well as cleantech, utilities and infrastructure.
Alex holds degrees in medicine & surgery and physiological sciences from the University of Oxford.