People

Our network of contributors

Johan Björkstén

Feb 23, 2018

Johan has spent more than 20 years in China, is fluent in Chinese and has worked for eight years as a radio and TV host. Throughout his media career he has built a strong network with key Chinese media and has deep expertise in creatively engaging with Chinese audiences. In 1994, he founded Eastwei Relations,…

Jacob Bennett

Feb 23, 2018

Jacob brings over 15 years of construction and real estate experience. Since 2011, in his position as Skolkovo Deputy City Manager, has overseen the planning of Skolkovo City. Prior to Skolkovo he headed the Marbleton Real Estate Private Equity Fund which focused on investments in Russia. Jacob also worked for nine years at Intel Corporation.…

Stephen Barrett

Feb 23, 2018

Stephen joined Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners in 1993 and has been an Associate since 2004. Stephen has been the project leader for the RSHP-led multi-disciplinary team with the Urban Age (London School of Economics) and Arup participating in the international consultancy on the future of metropolitan Paris – “Le Grand Pari(s)” – and is…

Stephen Baker

Feb 23, 2018

Stephen Baker, is author most recently of Final Jeopardy: Man vs. Machine and the Quest to Know Everything (2011). It’s the “biography” of IBM’s Jeopardy computer, Watson. His previous book, The Numerati (2008), detailed the emergence of the data economy. It has been translated into 20 languages. For more than a decade, Baker covered technology…

Vivek Badrinath

Feb 23, 2018

Vivek Badrinath, heads Orange Business Services, the Enterprise Division of the France Telecom Group, since April 2010. Prior to his current role, Vivek held a number of other senior management roles within the France Telecom Group including Executive Vice President for Networks, Carriers, Platforms and Infrastructure. In this role he was responsible for developing the…

Mariana Alegre Escorza

Feb 23, 2018

Born in Lima, Perú in 1981. With Law studies she has a Master in Human Rights for Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Author of the thesis: “We all are pedestrians. A human rights approach for the urban mobility treatment in Metropolitan Lima” with outstanding grade (the highest grade). She worked in Transparencia, a civil association…

Hugh Aldridge

Feb 22, 2018

Hugh is Director of Development at the University of California’s Center for Information Technology Research in the Interests of Society (CITRIS). Hugh leads the Center’s strategic engagement with corporate sponsors and manages research initiatives related to water and cities. From 2008 – 2010, Hugh was Director of Business Relations at the University of Manchester and…

Jorge Luiz Numa Abrahão

Feb 22, 2018

Engineer; Entrepreneur, President of Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility; Member of the Global Compact Board; Board Member of Sociotec Engineer; Member of World Social Forum’s International Council; Member of the Network Nossa São Paulo; Former member of the Presidential Board of Food and Nutritional Safety (Consea), Former General Coordinator of Fórum Empresarial de…

Sébastien Turbot

Dec 05, 2017

Sébastien Turbot is the Former Executive Director at the NewCities Foundation where he oversees all aspects of the Foundation’s mission, activities, events and outreach. He has also been the Curator of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), the leading global event on education organized by the Qatar Foundation. Sébastien was also Editor-in-Chief of TEDxParis…

Yann Leriche

Nov 06, 2017

Yann Leriche is CEO of Transdev North America, the largest multi-modal operator of public transportation, with contracts in over 200 cities, as well as B2C and B2B businesses, including airport shuttles, crew transfers and corporate transportation services. He also leads the company’s global on-demand (B2C) business lines and its autonomous vehicle strategy and activities. He…

Dick Alexander

Nov 06, 2017

Dick oversees business development efforts for Transdev North America and has helped the business grow to $1.6 billion in revenues over his 15-year tenure. He is responsible for developing partnerships with over 200 cities, counties and transit agencies where Transdev manages and operates public transit systems. He is a strong advocate for better mobility in…

Pascal Mittermaier

Sep 21, 2017

Pascal Mittermaier is the Managing Director of Global Cities at The Nature Conservancy. Explore the Conservancy’s latest thinking, science and recommendations on nature and cities at Global Solutions.