OLI is pleased to welcome Chris Butters and Dr. Thomas Evans to its Board of Directors. Their appointments strengthen OLI’s capabilities at the intersection of client-focused delivery, advanced technology and applied AI.
Chris Butters is the Chief Technology Officer at NetApp, where for 18 years he has led and scaled a global technology operation. Grounded and practical, Chris combines deep technical mastery with a passion for team-building and AI. He has the ability to navigate the complexity of large-scale systems while translating them into what matters for a company at OLI’s stage. Chris also brings clear enthusiasm for startups and scaling businesses, along with established relationships across industries.
Commenting on his role, Chris said, “I joined the OLI board because its relevance is enduring. The need for precision in energy, water, and metals will only intensify in the decades ahead. My focus is on helping the company prove value early, scale reliably, and make adoption straightforward for clients and partners.”
Dr. Thomas Evans was recently appointed Chief AI Officer at Lucid Motors. His career spans NASA, Honeywell, Eaton, and several founder-led ventures. At Honeywell, Evans focused on applying AI to robotics and autonomous systems to improve productivity, engineering, and operational efficiency. He subsequently led Honeywell’s company-wide AI Transformation for Generative AI enablement. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and has a proven record of delivering AI products and solutions that drive measurable outcomes across scientific and commercial domains.
Reflecting on his appointment, Thomas said, “OLI operates at the critical intersection of chemistry and operations. This is the right time to transform deep chemical insights into actionable decisions that reduce risk and enable operational efficiency. Industry is accelerating, the technology and tools are at their peak potential, and I aim to focus my effort and expertise at OLI to ensure we move forward with purpose and precision to create value for our customers.”
Andy Rafal, CEO of OLI, shared his perspective “Chris knows how to build durable teams and scalable platforms that can adapt to the pace of today’s technology landscape. Thomas knows how to turn AI into products that work in the real world. Together, they bring the scale and speed we need. Their mandate on the board is simple: help us move faster on our mission to solve the unsolvable and keep us laser-focused on delivering solutions our clients can trust.”
Both Thomas and Chris are already working with OLI teams on product direction and client priorities, shaping how OLI applies AI to deliver long-term outcomes for the industries it serves.