August 2025 was the start of a new chapter.
The trajectory of Chris Smith’s career has been heading in this direction for years, without him having time to recognise it.
In his own words, it has been, and even continues to be, a whirlwind. One that keeps him locked in.
His journey to the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Wayland Additive has seen him transition out of academia and into the world of industry; up the career ladder into a seat in the C-suite. It has taken him just ten years.
A penchant for research and development set the wheels in motion, but a deep interest in getting additive manufacturing (AM) technology to a point where it can make real-world impact has accelerated his progression.
“With AM, the potential of it has always been known. It can do some really cool stuff,” Smith tells TCT. “But getting traction in industry, using it to tackle real problems and push the boundaries of manufacturing, that’s taken a bit more time to develop, and that’s the thing that really interests me.”
