Chris Oliver

Chris Oliver is senior vice president of engineering and safety at Universal Creative. A respected industry leader, he has worked on theme parks and attractions in Singapore, Japan, Beijing, Paris and Orlando. Oliver’s work combines guest safety, innovative technology and immersive storytelling. Currently, he oversees a team of nearly 400 engineers developing Universal attractions around the world.

He also co-founded the Universal Creative Lab at the University of Central Florida (UCF), which brings UCF students into Universal Creative offices and onto the construction sites to teach them about building theme park attractions. Most recently, he led a team of more than 200 engineers to create Epic Universe in Orlando.

Oliver started his theme park career at Disney World and has held leadership roles at Disney and Universal. His projects for Universal include Mario Kart: Bower’s Challenge and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, while his Disney work includes Splash Mountain in Florida and Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris.

One nomination says his “ability to balance safety, creativity and strategy” has “elevated Universal Creative to a global brand and inspired a new generation of leaders in the industry”.

It adds, “He has constantly pushed the engineering boundaries of what is possible, blending innovative technology with immersive design to create experiences that captivate audiences and set new industry standards. Whether it is developing new ride systems or integrating advanced show systems, Chris approaches every challenge with clarity, precision, and a collaborative spirit.”