Masterclass Hong Kong - Building Smart Cities: Are the tech giants taking over as our city development leaders?

IE is one of the leading European higher education institutions, whose belief in innovation, diversity with more than (92% of international students) and entrepreneurship is an integral part of its drive towards academic excellence. Our learning model puts students at the centre, is eminently practical and ensures that they acquire not only the technical know-how but also the mindset and interpersonal skills that are essential for a successful future leader. With its centrally located Madrid campus, international student community, and dynamic learning environment, IE is the perfect place to develop your career. 

We would love for you to join us in Hong Kong for our Master Class in Building Smart Cities: Are the tech giants taking over as our city development leaders? by Cristina Mateo.  

Global tech players such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon – the so-called GAFA, and the Asian version: BAT, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, as well as Samsung, are redefining work, mobility, leisure, and our everyday.  
Given that almost half of Asia’s population lives in cities, in the presentation, we will discuss how daily urban experience is being affected by this, and how our cities are increasingly being used as laboratories for countless innovations.   

About the Speaker: 

Cristina Mateo is Executive Director at IE School of Architecture and Design and teaches “Digital Transformation” in the Master in Strategic Design and in the Master in Architectural Management and Design.  She is a specialist in urban ethnography, branding, communication, and E-Transformation & New Business Models. 

Prior to joining IE, she headed Strategic Planning at Fundación Siglo, The Department of Culture & Tourism for Castile and Leon, implementing the e-tourism strategy for the region.  At Madrid City Council Cristina managed the city brand through a strategy of participation in large events such as the Olympics and World Expos. Her experience in Madrid and London also includes working for VisitBritain, AT Kearney, marchFirst and Razorfish.   

Cristina Mateo trained as a journalist and holds a Ph.D. in Sociology, from Goldsmiths College, University of London and an Executive MBA from IE Business School. She has written extensively on culture consumption and the role of ethnic identity in a global city.