Chris Underhill McIis

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT CHRIS UNDERHILL MCIIS

I’m an AI-focused CTO and experienced CISO with over 25 years’ experience in software development, cyber security, and large-scale systems design — now leading JammJar, where we’re redefining how the UK mortgage industry approaches compliance, automation, and intelligent decisioning through AI.My work sits at the intersection of AI systems architecture, language models, agentic workflows, and process automation — designing context-aware AI systems that can reason, act, and adapt securely within regulated environments. At JammJar, we build tools that allow mortgage brokers and lenders to work faster, stay compliant, and operate intelligently, with AI that understands every document, decision, and dependency in real time.Before co-founding JammJar, I delivered technology and security leadership for some of the world’s most recognisable brands — including Google, Microsoft, BBC, Virgin, O₂, and eBay — and supported elite performance teams from the 2003 England Rugby World Cup winners, the 2007 Springboks, and the British Olympic Association for London 2012, delivering resilient, secure IT infrastructure for world-class operations.As a qualified ethical hacker and penetration tester, I’ve helped secure internet-facing architectures for platforms like Citrix, Trello, and Steam, and I continue to drive secure-by-design thinking in AI systems. I’m also highly experienced in implementing ISO 27001, SOC-2, and data protection frameworks — helping startups and scale-ups achieve enterprise-grade security and compliance maturity.I’ve led global engineering teams, grown businesses from seed to acquisition, and now focus on embedding safe, explainable, and compliant AI into the operational heart of financial services.Featured in The Times, The Raconteur, BBC Radio 4, Management Weekly, and the Daily Mail for expert commentary on AI risk, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.Outside of tech, I’ve climbed two of the world’s Seven Summits — and plan to conquer a third (assuming I can get a strong enough Wi-Fi signal at base camp).