Dr Chris Downs

Director of Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator.

Dr Chris Downs is Director of Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator, where he oversees the development and delivery of innovations that add value to the food and beverage sector.

Chris has more than 30 years’ experience in the agrifood industry as a scientist, innovation leader and executive with a focus on science and innovations that support the development of crops, foods and beverages that are healthy, safe and sustainably produced. He is passionate about seeing researchers adding value and impacting the sector.

Chris is a Past President of IFT (Institute of Food Technologists), USA, which has more than 12,000 members. He was formerly the General Manager, Crop and Food Science at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and has worked as the Research Director (Food Innovation) for CSIRO.