1 year ago
Envisioning London 2050
At Here East, we have our sights set firmly on the horizon. Our campus’ ecosystem of innovators, disruptors, and visionaries is pushing the boundaries of possibility, driven by the power of innovation, community and technology to shape the future. But in a world that’s increasingly uncertain yet teeming with opportunity – we ponder what London will look like in decades to come.
This, as well as several other captivating questions on the future of our capital, were explored on our campus on Tuesday evening as industry leaders and futurologists convened in Plexal for the third instalment of our Future Talks series: ‘Envisioning London 2050: Paving the Way for a Global Smart City’.
“At Here East, we are known for our convening power. Our campus has become a go-to destination for leaders across business, academia, and government, and it’s this power to convene that leads to future collaborations,” said Here East CEO, Gavin Poole in his opening remarks at the event.
The event saw experts and business leaders dive deeper into what constitutes a smart city, why London is a leading smart city globally, how it can retain this reputation, and what role the government must play to ensure the city’s future remains bright.
“These are fundamental questions for those of us who live, work and grow businesses here in the capital, and we want to make sure Here East is at the forefront of growing this smart city,” said Gavin in his opening speech.
Leading London futurist, Amelia Kallman, delivered a keynote address on how emerging technologies will change the future of the capital, and striking predictions on how London may evolve in the next 30 years.
As Amelia stated, by 2050 nearly 80% of the world's population is expected to live in cities. Additionally, she noted that the Mayor of London aims to increase biodiversity from the current 18% to 50% by 2050 to reduce overheating and add moisture to the air.
We also heard from Sandeep Arora, Co-Head of TLA Future Cities working group, TLA Smart Cities, Pru Ashby, Head of Sustainability at London and Partners, and our incredible moderator, Jimmy McLoughlin OBE, host of Jimmy's Jobs, in a lively panel discussion on the capital’s future and what we might expect to see more of in the years ahead.
This captivating evening of conversation on Envisioning London in 2050 – as well as how we can harness the power of technology to shape it – once again underscored the value of bringing the best and brightest minds together at Here East.
We’re proud to be at the forefront of these exciting and insightful discussions, navigating the intersection of innovation, sustainability, technology, and community – all of which are vital pillars of our ethos.
We’re committed to nurturing innovation to future-proof businesses, communities and the economy – and as Gavin underscored in his opening speech: “Our campus shows what a vision can deliver.”
Read more about our previous Future Talk series on Artificial Intelligence and the Metaverse.
