Rapid urbanisation is transforming our cities and communities

Cities are the powerhouses of the world’s economy. With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, business is taking full advantage of the opportunities this creates.

But there are also challenges: How do businesses optimise their operations for each city? How does government shape cities & services to make them more efficient? How can citizens help to create a more livable community?

The solution - data integration and sharing across organisations

Cities and communities are increasingly using data and digital technologies to manage urban congestion, maximise energy efficiency, enhance public security and resilience, allocate resources based on real-time evidence and turn operational data into insight, information and knowledge.

With data businesses, government and citizens can work together to create more livable cities and drive change from the bottom up.

The >How Data Transforms Cities and Communities< event will:

• Showcase past, present and future projects from Scotland and beyond.
• Bring together a series of talks by members of the open data and smart cities community across Scotland
• Be a mix up of talks, Q&A, networking and general good times.

Speakers:

>> Chris Yiu - General Manager > Uber

The future of urban mobility - Using new technology and today's infrastructure to cut congestion, pollution and parking, as well as improving access to transportation, by using private cars for public good.

Chris Yiu is a General Manager at Uber. With the Uber app on their smartphone, people can request a convenient and affordable ride from a fully licensed driver at the tap of a button. A city with Uber has more economic opportunities for its residents, fewer drunk drivers on the streets, and better access to transportation for everyone who lives there.

Chris was previously director of digital participation at SCVO, director of digital government at Policy Exchange, and has also held roles at McKinsey & Company, HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office.

>> Ritchie Somerville - Innovation and Futures Manager > The City of Edinburgh Council

If this is the answer, what was the Question? or Are we creating cultures that are data ready? - As data, and its uses, go through waves of ever increasing maturity, are we developing the culture around data to match the pace of change in the tools, techniques and applications? How do we ensure that the application matches the vision?

Ritchie has worked in a wide range of roles in local government. He was Programme Manager for the Connected Capital Programme, part of the Urban Broadband Fund.

Since 2013 he has worked within the City of Edinburgh Council’s ICT Solutions Team. Originally in the role of Planning, Strategy and Relationship Manager, in 2016 he took on the role of Innovation and Futures Manager.

He developed the Council’s ICT and Digital Strategy for Edinburgh and fosters innovation in the Council and wider city, including establishing the Edinburgh Living Lab. A Board Member of Digital Leaders Scotland and the Cities Standards Institute, he is a BSI Committee Member and has also worked on the Scottish Cities Alliance Digital programme, most recently in the development of the Smart Cites Blueprint.

Ritchie is Member of the Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM) and an Associate of the Association of Project Managers (APM).

>> Brian McGuigan - Commercial Director, Europe, Smart City Solutions > Silver Spring Networks

Lessons to learn from today's Smart Cities

The program:

• Doors open and pizza is delivered: 6:00 pm
• Speakers take the stage: 6:45 pm
• Networking, the consumption of more pizza & drinks commences: 8:00 pm
• Doors close: 9:30 pm

This event is a #DataFest17 fringe event.