Bold ideas, built with rigour

Chris is Managing Partner at Avion, bringing a multidisciplinary background across biotechnology, technology, design, institutional investment, M&A, and sustainable development. A published scientist and product engineer, she has worked with organizations including Eli Lilly, aTyr Pharma, J&J, Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi, Merck, and UC San Diego Health, where she helped build and manage a public-private purchasing platform spanning major pharma partners. Her broader work has included product, innovation, and strategic leadership across companies such as Stadium Goods, Heyday, YG Entertainment, and Sony Music, with experience spanning biotechnology, real estate, fintech, consumer tech, e-commerce, and healthcare. Chris combines scientific rigor, systems thinking, technical design, and investment discipline to build commercially scalable operating models. She has also contributed to sustainable development initiatives across Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean.

Gabriel is Partner and Head of Infrastructure at Avion, bringing more than two decades of experience across systems architecture, cloud infrastructure, engineering leadership, and scalable technology platforms. He has designed and led infrastructure for organizations including Warby Parker, Luminary, and Toptal, serving in roles ranging from CTO to Director of Engineering across high-growth startups and enterprise environments. His work spans cloud-native architecture, DevOps, site reliability, CI/CD, Kubernetes, distributed systems, and multi-platform integration. Gabriel is known for building technical foundations that can scale with the business—combining immediate execution with long-term architectural discipline. His experience includes leading distributed engineering teams, modernizing infrastructure, and advising product and executive teams across media, commerce, finance, SaaS, and consumer technology.

Andrey is Partner and Head of Technology at Avion with a deep foundation in mathematics, computer science, and large-scale systems engineering. He has held engineering leadership roles at Warby Parker, Luminary Media, and Jet.com/Walmart, where he led platform modernization, distributed systems development, and enterprise engineering initiatives across retail, media, healthcare, and e-commerce environments. His work spans high-throughput architecture, functional programming, search and recommendation systems, legacy modernization, and developer enablement. At Warby Parker, engineering initiatives under his leadership contributed more than $30 million in incremental revenue while supporting critical customer, retail, discovery, and eye care platforms. Andrey combines technical rigor with operational discipline, building resilient systems and high-performing teams designed to scale with increasing complexity.

Richard Walden is a Senior Advisor at Avion with more than four decades of experience across humanitarian development, public policy, law, philanthropy, and institutional leadership. As Co-Founder and CEO of Operation USA, he has helped mobilize more than $400 million in relief and development support across more than 100 countries, working at the intersection of crisis response, sustainable development, and cross-sector partnership. His career spans nonprofit leadership, public service, legal practice, and board advisory roles across health, infrastructure, and mission-driven ventures. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton, and Penn Law, Richard brings a multidisciplinary perspective across governance, capital deployment, international development, and policy. At Avion, he advises on sustainable development and institutional strategy, helping connect public priorities, private capital, and scalable models for long-term impact.

Qaisar Dar is Head of Enterprise Engagement at Avion. He is a senior technology leader with more than 26 years of experience across digital transformation, IT, cloud migration, and enterprise solution delivery. His career includes leadership roles with Halliburton and BP, where he managed complex programs spanning cloud applications, mobility, automation, real-time systems, and operational transformation. His work spans program management, solution architecture, vendor selection, service delivery, and technology modernization across energy and enterprise environments. At Halliburton, he led one of the company's major digital transformation initiatives and was recognized through Landmark’s Experts and Innovators program. At Avion, Qaisar advises on technology transformation, program execution, and infrastructure strategy—aligning complex technical systems with operational priorities and long-term business value.

Ferdinand Los is Head of Biotechnology at Avion, bringing a background across molecular biology, genetics, translational research, and scientific entrepreneurship. He trained at Utrecht University, UC San Diego, and Columbia University, and later co-founded Hudson River Biotechnology, where he led the development and commercialization of genome-engineering technologies across agriculture and bio-industry applications. His work spans CRISPR, plant biology, metabolic pathway optimization, translational R&D, and biotechnology commercialization. Ferdinand has built multidisciplinary scientific teams, developed international partnerships, and advised biotechnology and agritech ventures across European and Gulf markets. At Avion, he connects advanced life-science research with commercial strategy, helping transform scientific breakthroughs into scalable platforms, products, and industries.

Yannick Lecomte is Head of Entertainment at Avion. He is a producer, composer, and creative strategist working across music, fashion, luxury, and contemporary culture. His career spans electronic music, live performance, sound design, and brand collaboration, with releases including There Was a Day, Pretty Ashes, and Fragment, alongside performances across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. His work has been featured across campaigns and productions for Yves Saint Laurent, Nina Ricci, Giorgio Armani, NARS, Vogue, and Balenciaga, as well as television projects including Mytho and Emily in Paris. Yannick has also collaborated with artists including Allie X and Violet Chachki. At Avion, he advises on cultural strategy, sonic identity, creative ecosystems, and cross-industry collaborations spanning fashion, entertainment, technology, and emerging cultural platforms.

Marx is a Principal Advisor at Avion with more than a decade of experience across music direction, entertainment production, education, and creative leadership. His career includes work with the Los Angeles Lakers, Blizzard Entertainment, Walt Disney, and YG Entertainment, alongside collaborations with artists including Demi Lovato, G-Dragon, Shawn Mendes, and Lil Wayne. His work spans live production, composition, sound design, talent development, and cross-platform brand experiences across sports, gaming, and entertainment. Marx has also taught and developed programs at institutions including USC, Chapman University, and the Los Angeles College of Music. At Avion, he advises on cultural engagement, creative strategy, and education initiatives—connecting artistic direction with scalable experiences, talent development, and institutional programming.

Ken “Pooch” Van Druten is Principal Advisorat Avion, bringing decades of experience across live production, studio engineering, touring operations, and entertainment strategy. A Berklee College of Music graduate, he has worked with major global artists including Linkin Park, KISS, and Iron Maiden, building a career at the intersection of technical production and large-scale live performance. His work spans front-of-house engineering, venue technology, production workflows, tour operations, and entertainment business strategy. Ken has also developed educational programs and masterclasses around professional mixing and production, extending his expertise into training and advisory. At Avion, he advises on entertainment infrastructure, operational strategy, and experience-based business models—connecting technical excellence with scalable systems, monetization, and long-term platform growth.

Jonathan Tan is a Senior Advisor at Avion with more than 25 years of experience across brand strategy, experiential marketing, retail, and market development in Asia-Pacific. His career includes leadership roles with Publicis, Ogilvy, McCann, Leo Burnett, Far East Organization, and Soo Kee Jewellery, where he led major brand, property, and consumer initiatives across luxury and lifestyle markets. His work spans prestige positioning, cross-border expansion, experiential campaigns, retail strategy, and go-to-market execution across markets including Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan. Jonathan has helped build and scale high-value consumer platforms, including Far East Organization’s INESSENCE brand, and has led regional campaigns for global companies such as Mastercard. At Avion, he advises on brand architecture, consumer strategy, and market activation across Asia, the Gulf, and emerging markets.

Gil Smith II is a Principal Advisor at Avion with experience spanning global music direction, live production, sonic branding, and entertainment infrastructure. His career includes work with artists such as Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, BIGBANG, and 2NE1, alongside major broadcast and production platforms including The Grammys, MTV, and NBC. His work spans touring systems, live performance architecture, broadcast production, talent development, and immersive entertainment across the U.S., Asia, and the Middle East. Through SAGA Entertainment, Gil has also developed end-to-end sonic and production solutions for global events, brands, and cultural platforms. At Avion, he advises on creative ecosystems, entertainment strategy, and culture-led infrastructure—connecting music, technology, and experience design to scalable platforms and long-term cultural value.

Lincoln Yeo is a Principal Advisor at Avion with experience spanning biomedical innovation, consumer health, sustainability, and environmental technologies. His career includes leadership at Alphacel Singapore and The Eco Trading Company, where he has worked across longevity science, health technology, sustainable materials, and green infrastructure in Asia-Pacific markets. His work spans translational commercialization, market access, ESG strategy, product development, and cross-border growth. Lincoln has helped bring emerging biomedical and sustainability technologies into commercial settings, including telomere-focused health platforms and environmentally oriented industrial solutions. At Avion, he advises on biotechnology, wellness innovation, and sustainable enterprise development—connecting scientific opportunity with market strategy, regulatory pathways, and scalable commercial execution.

Krenée Tolson is a Principal Advisor at Avion, bringing experience across acting, production, creative leadership, and strategic advisory in media and entertainment. Her background includes training at DePaul University’s Theatre School, performance work across stage, film, and television, and credits including Chicago P.D. and Finding Phoebe. Her work spans creative strategy, production, talent development, content ecosystems, and entertainment business models. Krenée has also worked across theatre and production environments including Steppenwolf Theatre Company, while expanding into consulting and operational leadership for creative ventures. At Avion, she advises on entertainment strategy, storytelling platforms, and experience-driven business models—connecting creative vision with scalable operations, partnerships, and long-term commercial value.

Asad is Principal AI Engineer at Avion Advisors, bringing more than 13 years of experience in software engineering, artificial intelligence, and enterprise systems development. He has held engineering leadership and architecture roles at Tribe Consulting, VIDIZMO, and innRoad, delivering production-grade solutions across healthcare, industrial technology, enterprise software, and digital infrastructure. His expertise spans agentic AI, large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, distributed systems, and cloud-native architecture. At Tribe Consulting, he led the development of AI-powered operational agents, enterprise knowledge intelligence platforms, and real-time speech AI applications. Asad combines hands-on engineering expertise with practical execution, translating complex technical requirements into scalable, intelligent systems that improve operational efficiency and enterprise capabilities.