Theo Blackwell, CDO, City of London (Moderator)
Francine Bennett, Founder and CEO, Mastodon C, UK
Jan Vapaavuori, Mayor of Helsinki, Finland
Philippe Wahl, Chairman, Groupe La Poste
Jean-Louis Missika, Deputy Mayor of Paris
60% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050. As a result of this major demographic shift, cities are becoming increasingly important centres of localised action and innovation. Indeed, hundreds of cities across Europe now not only have their own governments, but also have teams dedicated to promoting innovation and digitisation. The scope for applying new technologies to create fully connected, joined-up urban centres is truly vast. From AI-enabled autonomous traffic management, to data-driven public transport systems, to embedded sensors for monitoring air quality, to demand-responsive waste collection, technology is transforming how our cities operate. In this panel, we discuss the future of cities as drivers of innovation, as well as strategies for encouraging greater collaboration and data-sharing between European cities.
