TheBridge profile: Chris Shaw
Name: Chris Shaw
Current city: Sydney, Australia
Current job: CEO and co-founder, Advanced Navigation
Q. How are you currently bridging the gap between innovation and regulation? Collaborative initiatives between government agencies, academic institutions, and industry leaders are propelling innovation and knowledge exchange.
Advanced Navigation works with diverse stakeholders dedicated to advancing manufacturing excellence. These joint efforts serve as incubators for cutting-edge technologies, fostering cooperation among engineers, scientists, and industry experts to overcome complex manufacturing challenges.
Q. Job advice in three words? Listen. Communicate. Adapt.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? By taking note of the latest policies, engineers and innovators can build greater understanding of global standards, and subsequently design adaptable technologies that meet international requirements, while remaining future-proof.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? The ability to take calculated risks and move at speed. This is crucial to driving innovation.
Q. Can you describe a skill you have carried throughout your career that has always proved to be valuable? Time management. It’s a valuable skill not just for my career, but personal life as well. Having a good schedule allows me to lead with focus and maximize productivity.
Q. What is the best job interview question you have ever been asked? Interestingly, I’ve never had a job interview. My co-founder and I started Advanced Navigation quite early in our careers.
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Directly in front of the coffee machine - this place never fails to spark spontaneous conversations among our team. It’s fair to say, some of the best (and worst) ideas are born in that exact spot.
Q. Favorite podcast you recommend? If You're Listening podcast by Matt Bevan.
Q. Why are you part of TheBridge community? Or, why do you think it's important this community exists for tech, policy and political professionals? Bringing together leaders from tech, policy, and politics is an excellent way to break down silos, collaborate and ultimately solve problems. TheBridge creates a community where knowledge exchange can help cutting-edge technology align with policy and public interest to drive impactful change in society.
Q. Each day is probably different, but are there certain skills you think are essential to your job? Prioritization, time management, communication, and listening attentively.
Q. Favorite under the radar company? Perhaps not under the radar… RØDE Microphones is an excellent example that we take inspiration from. They design and manufacture their complete product range in-house in Australia while exporting globally, proving Australia can be a key driver in manufacturing.
Q. Favorite app? Google News is the most opened app on my phone, as I enjoy reading news tailored to my interests.
Q. If you had to live in another city, which would it be? New York.
Q. Embarrassing work moment? An engineer recently told me their favorite fruit is persimmon. Until then, I had no idea what a persimmon was.