Chris Renaud, born in December 1966, is an American filmmaker, designer, storyboard artist, and voice actor known for his work at Illumination. Notably, Renaud directed the company's animated films such as the Despicable Me franchise, The Lorax, and The Secret Life of Pets. He also lent his voice to the Minions in the first two films in the Despicable Me franchise and Norman in The Secret Life of Pets franchise. In addition to his directorial and voice work, Renaud received nominations for two Academy Awards for the Ice Age short film No Time for Nuts and Despicable Me 2.

Renaud's career journey is fascinating. He started as a graphic designer in the sports entertainment industry, creating logos and mascots for reputable entities such as NFL Properties, the NBA, and Foot Locker. He would later move on to drawing and writing comic books for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Projects under his belt include illustrating Marvel's Starfleet Academy and pitching the story concept for Batman: Cataclysm. In the world of children's television, Renaud made his mark as the production designer on The Book of Pooh for the Disney Channel. He later worked for Blue Sky Studios and Illumination Entertainment, creating beloved characters and receiving several award nominations for his work. Renaud now lives in Paris, where he continues to create incredible works of animation.