Mayor of the city of Leuven
Mohamed Ridouani
Mohamed Ridouani is Mayor in the city of Leuven since January 2019 and was previously responsible for Education, Sustainability, Economy and Urban Development. He stands for positive change and aims to turn Leuven into one of the most caring, green and prosperous cities in Europe, in cooperation with the citizens, knowledge institutions, companies and organisations.
He’s the inspirer of Leuven 2030, in which more than 500 companies, organizations and citizens are united to turn Leuven into a sustainable and CO2-neutral city. He also initiated Leuven MindGate, an economic platform with 400 members that will boost Leuven as the world’s hotspot for health, technology and creativity. For this groundbreaking governance model based on innovation and inclusion, Leuven has recently been named European Capital of Innovation by the European Commission.
What will Mohamed talk about?
As a mission-driven city that has implemented inspiring governance models and systems to engage the public in innovation and lateral decision-making processes, Leuven is a key driver of innovative practices in Europe. Mohamed and Katrien Rycken will discuss their ambition to become one of Europe’s Labs of the Future with a focus on multi-level collaboration. The goal – inclusive innovation to take on the complex challenges we face as a society.
OTHER
SPEAKERS
Audrey Tang
TAIWAN’S DIGITAL MINISTER IN CHARGE OF SOCIAL INNOVATION
As an accomplished software programmer, Audrey Tang has become a prominent game changer in the world of open-source software. Audrey will be providing unique insights on open data, open governance, and multi-level collaboration, and – as a self-proclaimed anarchist – open your mind to the disruptive and democratising potential of technology.
Carl Heath
Vice President of Professional Education at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
With an eclectic background and expert insights on the digitisation of education, Carl Heath has been instrumental in developing a national support platform for schools in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden. Carl will be sharing the lessons learned from this project, his thoughts on the uncertain landscape of learning, and his vision for equality in education.
Cecilia Borg
ENGINEERING DIRECTOR AT SPOTIFY
Having worked with development and agile transformation in global corporations and startups for more than twenty years, Cecilia Borg is a change leader at the forefront of her industry. Cecilia will be sharing her expertise in how to make cross-functionality and staff empowerment a driving force in achieving your organisation’s highest goals.
Daniela Chacón Arias
Executive Director of TANDEM Foundation
As an expert in inclusive local public policies and active spokesperson for equity and gender parity, Daniela understands the importance of promoting local development and achieving safe, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities. Having previously served as a city councilor and Vice Mayor in Quito, Ecuador, Daniela will be talking about building trust among citizens themselves and with the local government as step one in engaging communities.
Darja Isaksson
Director General at Vinnova, Sweden’s Innovation Agency
Hailed as one of Sweden’s most impactful agents of change, Darja sees systemic transformation as a necessary step to becoming a sustainable society. Darja will be speaking about collaborative innovation and the resource of human creativity, the potential in data, and how to disrupt old processes and work across disciplines to generate innovative strength.
Hannah Wright
Urban Planner & Knowledge Integrator
With international expertise in child-friendly planning and design, Hannah motivates and advocates for healthy city-making that melds innovation and practice. Hannah will be speaking about the importance of children’s right to play and how cities and placemakers can reclaim places to play in cities for children.
Jean-Eric Paquet
Director-General, DG Research & Innovation, European Commission
As DG for Research and Innovation, Jean-Eric is a key figure in driving the EU Innovation Agenda throughout the region and the transition to a sustainable Europe. Jean-Eric will be sharing his remarkable insights on the role of smart cities in developing resilient societies and the changing face of governance.
Joakim Jardenberg
CEO OF GET AI
Senior advisor, business angel, CEO whisperer – Joakim Jardenberg is an influential presence in the tech world and a driving force in smart city development. Joakim will be getting to the heart of how we can shape our digital future through exploring mindsets and focusing on human needs. What elements go into building the immersive and integrated city of tomorrow?
Katrien Rycken
Directeur at Leuven 2030
Katrien Rycken and Mayor Mohamed Ridouani will be presenting their city and the groundbreaking innovation work that has earned them the title of European Capital of Innovation 2020. They will share their experience of building a city-wide innovation ecosystem and transforming governance models, and how citizen engagement is crucial for mission-driven cities in achieving common sustainability goals.
Louise Thivant-Johannsen
Global CFCI Advisor and Programme Specialist, UNICEF
As a lawyer and child rights advocacy specialist, Louise Thivant-Johannsen has long worked with humanitarian affairs and the promotion of child friendly cities both at a local and global level. Louise will be speaking about the vital inclusion of children and young people in decision-making processes that shape the urban environment and will be providing insights on approaches that can bolster participation in smarter cities.
Michael Lake
President & CEO of Leading Cities
Former White House problem solver, advisor to the World Economic Forum, and acclaimed expert on Smart and Resilient Cities, Michael Lake sees relationship-building across sectors as the path to finding solutions to the challenges of our time. Michael will be talking about the need for a cultural shift in how we work with future-proofing our cities and the crucial role that collaboration plays.
Palle Lundberg
Chief Executive of the City of Helsingborg
Palle’s inspiring leadership has seen Helsingborg transform into an innovation leader and a shining example of how to implement an innovation culture to take on the challenges we face today and in the future. Palle will be sharing his leadership journey and speaking about the importance of trust for agile leadership and engaging residents. And of course, the Dare-Test-Do mindset that has come to represent the Helsingborg way!
Peter MacLeod
PRINCIPAL AND CO-FOUNDER OF MASS LBP
As one of Canada’s leading experts in public engagement and deliberative democracy, Peter MacLeod will be speaking about Democracy's Second Act. Over the past century, we’ve only been working on a small piece of the democratic puzzle. How do we unlock the potential of different social groups and how can governance become truly participatory?
Rebecka Carlsson
SUSTAINABILITY ENTREPRENEUR, CLIMATE ACTIVIST, AND BUSINESS ADVISOR
Rebecka Carlsson is a renowned speaker and expert on sustainable development and exponential tech. Rebecka will be speaking about sustainability as a business disruptor and its role in enabling rapid climate transition. How can cities harness the full power of exponential tech in achieving their goals for climate neutrality?
Umberto Fugiglando
Research Manager & Partnerships Lead at MIT Senseable City Lab
Aside from developing and maintaining global research partnerships, Umberto’s work at the MIT Senseable City Lab involves exploring the interface between data, cities, people, and tech. Umberto will be bringing his cutting-edge expertise to H22 Summit and will speak about the future of smart and connected cities and the ingredients that go into innovative urban technology.
Victoria Escobar
Co-founder of Changers Hub
In her work with the innovation movement Changers Hub, Victoria understands the importance of positive meeting places and tools to enable all young people to bring their ideas and dreams to life. With a background in initiatives to primarily empower young people in marginalised areas, Victoria will be speaking about opportunities for co-creation and how essential role models are in areas that undergo constant change.
