Chris began life in a working-class environment in Newcastle upon-Tyne. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge, where he completed a PhD in Chemistry. He then spent thirteen years as a trader at Goldman Sachs, followed by three years at a hedge fund. His personal life took a tragic turn when he lost his wife to breast cancer, leaving him a single parent to four children. This loss prompted his return to Newcastle, where he chose to focus on his family.