Chris Holder

Chris has over 30 years’ experience working in the technology sector and during that time has helped clients worldwide deal with most of the business and technical issues that they experience when implementing new technology solutions.

From the building of data centres to the implementation of AI solutions, from software and system developments to outsourcing and managed service agreements, Chris has helped clients navigate the numerous legal and commercial issues that they have faced and has worked on some of the largest transactions of their kind, both nationally and internationally.

Career background

Chris worked extensively with the IBM Data Centre Team on the construction and fit out of its data centres in the 1990s, including those in Warwick, London, Perth and Portsmouth. These centres catered not only for IBM UK’s internal requirements but also the needs of its customers who were outsourcing their IT infrastructure to IBM at the time, including General Accident, Pearl Assurance, Scottish Water, Asda and Bradford & Bingley.

After seven years with IBM, Chris returned to private practice with global outsourcing experts Shaw Pittman in 1998, where he helped to establish Shaw Pittman’s London office and turn that into one of the UK’s leading technology practices within a year of opening.

Since then, Chris has been a partner with two major IT law firms for close to 20 years, based in London.

Current focus

He joins the Browne Jacobson commercial technology team to increase its capacity to advise clients in relation to the continuing challenges faced by businesses when dealing with technology change and transformation. This includes both the private and public sectors, with a specialist focus on large, complex digital projects, the procurement and governance of AI solutions and the building out of data centres in London, where he is currently assisting a specialist client who operates in this field.

Recognition and thought leadership

He is a well known speaker in the legal technology sector, is a past chair of the Technology Committee of the International Bar Association and is currently on its Advisory Board, assisting the IBA in its work with the United Nations regarding the legal and ethical development and use of AI.

Chris has been consistently ranked in the top tiers of legal expertise by the leading legal directories for his work in the technology, outsourcing and AI sectors.