In May of this year, we hosted our first ever all-digital iKEN live event: ‘Innovating in a Crisis: How our response to COVID-19 will shape our future’.

With the speed of the COVID-19 outbreak taking many cities by surprise, we explored how cities are implementing innovative solutions, harnessing new technologies and embracing new working cultures in order to tackle COVID-19 and mitigate its human and economic impact.

We also looked at how innovations could have a long-lasting impact, helping us to repair, rebuild and re-design a hopeful post-lockdown future for our cities, communities and people.

The event brought together three of the world’s most innovative nations:

Liora Shechter – CIO and smart city Director – Tel Aviv Municipality

Liora is the CIO and smart city Director of Tel Aviv Municipality, for the past 9 years. She developed the ‘Tel Aviv – Jaffo smart city vision’ that focuses on improving the quality of the residents life, via a unique residents club that focuses on giving personal and proactive service.

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Arturo de la Vega, Business Support Agency – City of Dortmund

Arturo has over 15 years of experience in companies and political institutions in Düsseldorf, Berlin and Brussels. He also maintains working contacts with regional, national and international administrative and political institutions on behalf of the Dortmund Economic Development Agency.

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Dr Duncan Booker, COP26 Stakeholder Manager – Glasgow City Council

Dr Duncan Booker manages the sustainability and resilience agenda for Glasgow City Council. He is responsible for ensuring that the city both reduces its carbon emissions and plans for the local weather impacts of global climate change. Duncan also leads on Glasgow’s membership of the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities network.