Chris Van der Kuyl

Chris van der Kuyl is an entrepreneur whose expertise combines the start-up, development and market listed business arena in the technology, media and entertainment sectors.

Founder, Owner and Chairman of 4J Studios which is one of the UK’s most successful videogame developers and responsible for the multi-million selling and multi-award winning Minecraft Console editions. Minecraft is a global phenomenon and is currently on track to become the most successful videogame of all time.

Chris is a visiting professor of digital entertainment at University of Abertay Dundee and has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Dundee, an honorary Doctor of Business degree from Edinburgh Napier University and Doctor honoris causa from the University of Edinburgh.  Elected as one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Chris has been convener of the RSE Young People’s Committee and also sits on the boards of TV Squared, brightsolid Online Technology, Scottish Institute for Enterprise, Scottish EDGE Advisory, UK Digital Catapult, Dundee Science Centre, Dundee Museums Trust, High School of Dundee and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Chris is also the founding Chairman of Entrepreneurial Scotland (ES), the organisation recently formed by the coming together of The Entrepreneurial Exchange and The Saltire Foundation. ES represents all Scotland’s Entrepreneurial talent and exists to inspire, connect and develop entrepreneurial behaviour in all Scotland’s people.