It is with great sadness that that we announce that Chris Vulovic, the former REA Group CIO and co-founder of Property Portal Watch has passed away at just 44 years of age.
I had the honour and privilege of not only working with Chris, but of also having her as a close friend; she was an amazing person with a huge heart and for whom nothing was too much to ask.
I first met Chris back in 2000 when I was working for a start-up in the US and she was a consultant leading the technology roll out. What struck me most about her was how she approached the task at hand. She was extremely professional, clear in what had to be done, and most of all, very smart.
Back in 2002 we were looking for a CTO at realestate.com.au (now the REA Group) and it was clear that she would be a great choice for the role. I offered her the role and fortunately she accepted, and happily moved from the US to Melbourne.
It was under her leadership that the technology platform at the REA Group moved from the “garage” to the mainstream. During her 6-year tenure at the REA Group, the company grew from around AUD 30 million in market cap to AUD 1 billion – all of which would not have been possible without the technology platform that she and her team put in place.
After leaving the REA Group in late 2008, she joined me at Classified Ad Ventures and we started on a series of new businesses including ListGlobally, a web design business, Transmit and Property Portal Watch.
She was an amazing person to work with – always challenging, always passionate about what we were doing, and always making sure we got things done with a minimum of fuss.
Chris was much more than a great work colleague – she was fun to be around. She enjoyed life and a quiet glass or two of chardonnay. She followed her passion for food by writing cookbooks, opening a café, and exploring the world.
She will be very much missed.
Simon Baker, former CEO of the REA Group and Co-Founder of Property Portal Watch
