Smart Cities Council Podcast

Join us for an insightful discussion with Mike Trovato, Managing Partner, and Sascha Hess, Director, at IIS Partners, as they share their extensive expertise in cybersecurity and privacy. With over 60 years of combined experience, they shed light on critical challenges in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. Learn about Mike and Sascha's professional journeys whilst exploring the challenges encountered by councils and state governments in managing privacy and data security amidst the deployment of technologies like CCTV, with Michael elaborating on complexities and solutions. Sascha delves into the unique vulnerabilities presented by IoT and OT in smart cities, highlighting the obligations of vendors in ensuring security and offering strategies for mitigating risks in this emerging field, and we talk through practical strategies for effective patch management, particularly in the context of emerging technologies. Get a glimpse at how jurisdictional variations impact cybersecurity approaches and how compliance standards serve as guiding principles, especially in incident response and testing, and the challenges faced by councils in maintaining compliance and the role of third-party audits in ensuring consistent adherence to regulatory standards, with Michael offering actionable solutions. Plus, learn about the importance of third-party verification in the private sector, especially in industries like smart cities and critical infrastructure, with insights into how vendors can actively demonstrate compliance, and the evolving legal landscape and its impact on vendor responsibilities, as Mike and Sascha discuss recent legislative developments emphasizing safety by default.

One of the best things about working in the smart cities space is that you have the opportunity to be creative and innovative with solutions but also the ability to make an impact and, if you’re like Pearl Ng, the Head of Smart City Innovation and Improvement at the City of Casey, you get to see the impact of your work first hand. 

Plus, there are learning opportunities every day - new technology, new concepts, and of course, new challenges. 

Grab some coffee and jump into this episode where we cover digital transformation, as well as representation in the space that will ensure we take into account different stakeholders and diversity of thought to help have more robust conversations, and inclusive implementation approaches that are fair and non-biased.

Join us for a riveting episode featuring Michael Healy, Smart Cities Lead at Christchurch City Council, as he shares his 21-year journey shaping Christchurch into a technological beacon. From Ireland to his current pivotal role, Michael talks to integrating a rich history into its modern fabric. Discover Christchurch's environmental initiatives and resilience strategies post-earthquakes. Michael sheds light on mapping disasters, minimising damage, and fostering a sustainable future. Delve into gaps in national digital direction in New Zealand, addressing Infrastructure NZ's insights. Explore challenges in sustaining successful projects like the GIS team's work post-quake and Michael's strategies for sector uplift. Gain insights into the digital twin versus data maturity debate and Michael's tech and data inspirations.

In this episode of the Smart Cities Council podcast, Robyn Francis welcomed Elle Archer, a seasoned professional with 27 years of experience spanning Iwi, Business, Industry, Government, and Community development. With a diverse background in Science, Geospatial Technology, Education, Infrastructure, and Emergency Management, Elle holds various leadership positions regionally, nationally, and globally. Her kaupapa, or guiding principle, revolves around collective leadership, progressive governance, learning futures, non-linear pathways, digital equity, inclusion, integrated ecosystems, strategic foresight, and tactical application.

Elle began by sharing insights from her keynote address at the Smart Cities Council Digital Twin Summit in Auckland, Aotearoa, focusing on the current state and evolution of digital equity in the region and nationally. The conversation delved into key challenges and opportunities on the horizon.

The discussion then shifted to Elle's observations on how collective leadership and progressive governance have impacted digital equity initiatives throughout her career. Specific examples and strategies that stood out in her journey were explored, providing valuable insights for listeners.

Given Elle's emphasis on learning futures and non-linear pathways, the conversation explored how education and skill development can be reimagined to ensure digital equity for all. The role of emerging technologies in creating inclusive pathways was a central theme.

As a long-term smart societies ambassador, Elle shared her perspectives on the intersection of technology and urban development. The episode addressed how smart city initiatives can contribute to digital equity, with lessons applicable to broader contexts of smart societies.

Moving beyond rhetoric, the podcast explored tangible steps and tactical applications for individuals, organizations, and governments to advance digital equity. Elle provided guidance on measuring the impact of initiatives to ensure ongoing progress.

The conversation concluded with a reflection on missing voices in current discussions and actionable steps that every listener can take for collective good, emphasizing sector uplift, collective change, and the importance of meaningful action in the pursuit of digital equity. Elle encouraged individuals to consider their role in advancing this cause and fostering inclusivity.

In this episode, we talked to Karandeep Chadha, Senior Manager and Strategist within the Infrastructure and Place team at Transport for New South Wales. Karandeep brings a wealth of knowledge and an exemplary professional track record, sharing his journey towards his current role, noteworthy tech deployments in the smart cities domain and what we're not talking about enough. Listen in to find out more!

Every digital transaction, every piece of smart infrastructure, every urban IOT device are all contributing to a vast and evolving tapestry of information.  So how do cities decode this language? More importantly, how can they harness it to shape a more responsive, adaptable, and intelligent urban future for residents in an ethical, responsible way?

To help us unpack this, Alby Bocanegra invited London’s first ever Chief Digital Officer, Theo Blackwell, onto the Urban Futurism for Smarter Cities podcast series.

Listen in – and then put it on repeat so you don’t miss any of the great insight Theo shared from his journey since starting his role in 2017. 

Operation Flinders guides youth participants, many of whom experience a life where breakfast isn’t the norm, and sleep is disturbed by fears of physical safety, through a journey in Australia’s breathtaking natural environment, building trust, listening, and developing alternative pathways by climbing physical and metaphorical mountains.  

In this episode of Everyone by Smart Cities Council, President Corey Gray speaks to a long-time mentor and friend, David Wark, CEO of Operation Flinders, on the work his team are doing to help the youth of Australia see past their current circumstances, and look towards a future, all with the Flinders Ranges as a backdrop. The pair walk through the programs on offer by Wark and his team of exceptional humans, how he’s working to develop programs with traditional land owners in South Australia that celebrate the rich history of the land, and how listeners can walk a mile in the shoes of his community.  

In this episode of Everyone by Smart Cities Council, Robyn Francis is joined by Sam Wiffen, Founder of Reveal, for an episode that explores the underground of the spatial sector and how Reveal aims to revolutionize how cities worldwide approach their least understood natural resource, ultimately saving billions in infrastructure spending.

The discussion delves into the challenges of major infrastructure projects, emphasizing the need for accountability as a cultural shift rather than punitive measures, bravery in undertaking progressive projects, and comprehensive case studies to drive positive change in the spatial sector.

"Underneath the footpaths of your city is a spider web of infrastructure of not only utilities that are being used, but the legacy of the people that have been involved with building them over the years. People out there that work night shift for years and years building this phenomenal infrastructure that completely enables these cities to thrive, noted Sam. "And I don't think the legacy of all that effort is really understood."

• Where is the Australian and New Zealand spatial sector in terms of maturity?
• How does one enter the sector and where are there opportunities for new school leavers?
• Which projects are pushing the boundaries of the spatial industry and inspiring progress?
• How is the spatial industry progressing in terms of data standards?
• How can we build capacity and capability within the industry and leave no one behind? 

All this and so much more await you in this episode of Everyone by Smart Cities Council, featuring 1Spatial’s Andrej Mocicka, Country Manager for 1Spatial Australia.

Fanni Melles is a future of cities researcher, an architect by profession, and a project manager by experience, born in Hungary and now living in Melbourne, Australia. Her enthusiasm for the future of cities led her to create the WTF4Cities? podcast (What is The Future for Cities?) where she summarises research articles and interviews people who are actively and consciously working for the better future of our cities, like the SCC director Corey Gray in episode 126. Fanni is completing her PhD studies at Swinburne University of Technology about the future of cities, smart cities, and their operationalisability in practice. Fanni firmly believes that cities are the emergent properties of the people living in them so she is working on helping people to have better urban influence. She is also convinced that each city needs a specific future and she wants to facilitate their transformation.

Host: Robyn Francis | Production: Beatrice Le Pober Corfec

Joining Alby Bocanegra on this episode of Urban Futurism for Smarter Cities is a true change maker Kelly Jin, Vice President for Community and National Initiatives at the Knight Foundation.

Kelly leads a dynamic team that shapes the future of 26 Knight cities, with a remarkable journey that spans from being the chief analytics officer for New York City, where she pioneered initiatives during the COVID-19 recovery to advisory roles in the White House. Kelly is a testament to how data and technology can be harnessed for community transformation. Kelly's insights have also graced platforms like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Forbes. Together, Kelly and Alby chart the interest intricacies of technology, community and philanthropy and their role in shaping the cities of tomorrow.

Host: Alby Bocanegra

Production: Robyn Francis

This is an original Smart Cities Council podcast.

In this episode, joined by Corey Gray, Junaid Islam (XQ Message), Nicole Stephensen (IIS Partners) and Yasin Sanjar (AizOon) we took a deep dive into the big question - who is responsible for data.

At all stages of the data journey, where does the buck stop? Whilst the logical conclusion is at an executive level, we ask whether cybersecurity and data protection is something that everyone within an organisation needs to own? 

Nicole points out that in Australia, all local governments are required to comply with the privacy laws in their jurisdiction (state/ territory), except in the case of WA (no law there) and SA (where there is an 'administrative direction for privacy'). This means that the CEO of the local gov cannot sign off on initiatives involving personal information - including contracting vendors to manage it on the council's behalf - unless the management of personal information/ privacy has been addressed.

But first, we talked about the differences between data privacy and data security - dive in!

This is an original Smart Cities Council podcast series, produced and edited by Robyn Francis.

Storytelling and prompting climate action: The role of digital twins 

Having a climate action plan is important, but knowing where to start and how to leverage the technology and funding available, is critical if we want to collectively hit targets on time.  

Alby Bocanegra dug into the role digital twins can play in storytelling and bringing action plans to life with Siradel’s Umair Surani, with a whole lot of great analogies and practical advice along the way (we’re talking to you, SimCity and Marvel fans). 

In this episode of Urban Futurism for Smarter Cities, a podcast by Smart Cities Council, Alby Bocanegra, Futurist in Residence talks to a truly exceptional guest, Sean Audain. 

Throughout Sean's career, he has been at the forefront of innovation, smart cities, and the strategic transformation of local government. As the strategic planning manager at Wellington City Council, he has played a pivotal role in developing the city's smart initiatives. Sean's exploration of open data, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, data visualization, GIS, and virtual reality has not only enhanced the council's understanding of the city, but has also fostered more effective citizen engagement and better decision making processes with a degree in urban planning from the University of Auckland and his active involvement in various partnership bodies, like Open government partnership, expert advisory panel and digital twin task forces. 

Sean brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His exceptional work has garnered Wellington the recognition as New Zealand's leading smart cities, receiving numerous national and international awards. So, get ready to be inspired as Sean takes us on a captivating journey throughout the world of digital twins and their profound impact on the future of urban planning. 

This podcast series is a monthly round table with cyber security and data privacy experts from across the Smart Cities Council ecosystem. Join us as we move through the fundamental building blocks of a smart place, giving a snapshot of the State of Cyber Security in the process.  

Throughout the series, we'll define what it means to be a smart city and whether smart = safe.

Here's what we covered in this episode:

Episode 1: What is a smart city?

• Question 1: Defining Smart Cities
• Can you provide our listeners with a concise and clear definition of what a "smart city" is?
• What are the key components or technologies that make a city "smart"?
• How do these smart technologies enhance the quality of life for residents and improve urban services?
• Question 2: Smart and Secure - Practical Implications
• When we talk about "smart" in the context of cities, what are some practical examples of how these technologies are being utilized to make cities more efficient and sustainable?
• How does the integration of various smart systems impact cybersecurity and potential vulnerabilities?
• What measures are being taken to ensure that the implementation of smart technologies does not compromise the security and privacy of citizens?
• Question 3: Assessing Smart City Cybersecurity
• In your experience, what are the most common cybersecurity challenges faced by smart cities?
• How can city administrators and cybersecurity experts work together to identify and mitigate potential threats?
• Are there any best practices or frameworks that cities can adopt to enhance their cybersecurity posture while embracing smart technologies?
• Question 4: Smart vs. Safe - Debunking the Myth
• There is a common misconception that being "smart" implies being "safe." Do you believe that smart cities are inherently secure?
• What are the potential risks associated with relying heavily on interconnected smart systems within a city's infrastructure?
• How can cities strike a balance between innovation and security to ensure that smart technologies are leveraged effectively without compromising safety?

Have a question about cyber security for cities, regions and towns? Email engagement@smartcitiescouncil.com or ask it in the Q&A section.

✅ Choosing projects

✅ Keeping employees engaged

✅ Maintaining a competitive edge

✅ Finding the right tech development partners

✅ Finding the right channel partners

✅ Structuring partnerships equitably

✅ Identifying and managing risks

✅ Monitoring a changing market

✅ Pivoting or augmenting operating models.

✅ Raising capital

These are universal issues for businesses, particularly in the technology space, as they start up and scale up. Corey Gray spoke to BoostHigh’s Michal Gasior’s about the current technology development landscape and got his points of wisdom for working with outsourced tech developers following over a decade of serving the smart cities space in Poland. Let's dive in!

In the first episode of this series on Urban Futurism for Smarter Cities where host Alby Bocanegra talks with the amazing individuals who are shaping the future of our cities we have the pleasure of hearing from Josh Breitbart. 

Josh, currently the Senior Vice President at ConnectAll, and Director of the Division of Broadband Access for the great state of New York, is a true champion when it comes to digital equity and broadband access with a whopping $1 billion dollars in public investments under his purview and he's working hard to bridge the digital divide across the state.  

Before his current role, Josh served as Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the City of New York, where he was the mastermind behind the city's groundbreaking broadband strategy, which truly shone through during the COVID 19 pandemic. Thanks to Josh's efforts, the city was able to pilot an incredible broadband plan that secured a whopping $150 million in mayoral commitment. That's the largest allocation ever made by US city for broadband infrastructure. So, buckle up and join us as Josh shares his insights and experience in advancing digital equity, fostering connectivity and finding and harnessing passion to drive innovation. 

“We're fostering existing networks and points of collaboration on a local and regional basis, and we're going to be much stronger for it.” 

“Because broadband is so fundamental, and internet connectivity is so fundamental to so many other aspects of what we do in society and in government, whether it's delivering services, building infrastructure, and enabling new technologies, it gives me the opportunity to work with so many different other parts of government, and it is amazing, and energising to me, the extent to which is that I see people who want to, are always willing to do more, for greater outcome.” 

This podcast series is a monthly round table with cyber security and data privacy experts from across the Smart Cities Council ecosystem. Join us as we move through the fundamental building blocks of a smart place, giving a snapshot of the State of Cyber Security in the process.  

Throughout the series, we'll define what it means to be a smart city and whether smart = safe.

We'll look at who is responsible for data and how security and privacy by design can be incorporated into your strategy. Ransoms, AI, IoT, emerging threats and trends will be covered and finally, how to build resilience in smart cities. Like, subscribe and follow along - this is a series you won't want to miss.

Have a question about cyber security for cities, regions and towns? Email engagement@smartcitiescouncil.com or ask it in the Q&A section.

In this episode, we’re joined by Michael Duce, National Systems & Engineering Manager at Clevertronics. Over the past 20 years, Clevertronics has had a single-minded focus on delivering innovative emergency lighting solutions globally. You can see their innovations in many areas of their work, including luminaire design and functionality, world-class monitoring systems, and how the Clevertronics team supports customers to learn, source, install and manage emergency lighting.

Emergency lighting plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and well-being of workers, visitors and occupants during emergencies or power outages. Evacuation and safe exits during emergencies such as earthquakes, visibility in hazardous situations like construction sites, temporary lighting solutions, during maintenance and inspections on construction sites, and – the hot topic that you will hear frequently in this discussion – compliance.

More than just meeting country or regional regulations, which is essential for legal and insurance purposes, as well as to meet safety standards, compliance can mitigate liability, reduce risk and ultimately lower overall costs.

We talk about emergency lighting and light safety compliance in Australia, some of the common problems with emergency lighting maintenance, systematisation, data and platforms all in a bid to uncover the true cost of compliance.

The journey to being a smart place is complex, fragile, and messy, but with enough people in the room, it can be harmonious.  

Here are a few other takeaways from the latest episode of Everyone by the Smart Cities Council with Alby Bocanegra:  

1. Everything is about access. Places need equitable connectivity and that means inclusion for everyone 
2. Cities need strong open data policies, and clean digestible data  
3. Strong public/private collaboration is vital for capability and capacity building on all sides of the table 
4. With governments as the stewards of private information, data privacy, security and transparency are vital, now.   
5. Residents need to be a part of the process and journey towards smart places.  
6. Smart and sustainable are not mutually exclusive.  
7. Spending time with future leaders will inspire you beyond your expectations 

Dive in!

Craig Lawton, Senior Manager of Solutions Architecture in AWS’s Public Sector team, is well known for being a thought leader on all things cloud. So, how did he go from cloud-skeptic to guiding governments and universities on their journey to the cloud?

In the latest episode of Everyone by the Smart Cities Council, we cover Digital Twins, SimTech, how the cloud can help lower Carbon Footprints plus, what tech has Craig curious at the moment.

In this episode of Everyone by the Smart Cities Council we were joined by Murat Balcioglu, Country Director of Turkey for the Smart Cities Council.

Murat introduces himself to our global smart places ecosystem before sharing insight into the situation in Turkey where he is coordinating efforts to provide relief to those affected by the two devastating 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş.

Murat talks to the current need on the ground, as well as the future work that lies ahead for all stakeholders to create temporary or permanent places for the people affected by this disaster.

At the end, our main target is creating earthquake-safe cities, sustainable, livable, workable, cities in Turkey, something we will collectively drive as the Smart Cities Council, taking direction from Murat and our Safe, Smart, Sustainable Buildings task force.

We then hear from Corey Gray, Global CEO of the Smart Cities Council. As an organisation about people in place and action and impact it is vital that when times are tough, we step up. Corey shares the inspiration that Murat is to so many in our ecosystem and the support we’re seeing from members and organisations we work alongside. So listen in, and join us in putting our money where our mouth is and taking action to deliver impact. If you would like to get involved in the efforts in Turkey on the ground, please get in touch with Murat and you can of course reach out at SmartCitiesCouncil.com

Everyone, by the Smart Cities Council, is a global collective championing the use of science, data, technology, and engineering to enable a safer, more activated, beautiful, sustainable world now for the future.

Join us as we flip the switch and take a stand for our collective future because smart isn’t just for cities, it’s for everyone.