The 5 Smartest Women in Smart Cities

A five-of-a-kind of vision, talent, and work well done, to which we could add many more women, all committed to building a better world

In the Smart City world, where I have now spent fifteen years, I have encountered figures and personalities of enormous value, with great capabilities and a forward-looking vision that have provided me with many and better perspectives on a world that is especially polarized and self-destructive.

I am a strong advocate of municipalism, and I believe that The Smart City Journal (www.thesmartcityjournal.com) is today the world’s leading journalistic reference in the sector. Taking advantage of the one million readers we currently have, I would like to pay tribute to the women who, in my view, have stood out the most in this field—without this ranking meaning anything special or implying any intentional hierarchy.

A list of five true “cracks” that could easily be many more, and for that reason I invite you to respond to this small tribute by adding any names you wish.

These are my personal muses:

1.- KARUNA GOPAL (The Visionary) – Futuristic Cities

Undoubtedly the great pioneer. From Futuristic Cities, Karuna Gopal from India was able to envision and promote a Smart world. As early as 2012, she was already advocating this vision in our publication:
“Smart cities must focus on improving the personal experience of residents.”
(https://www.karunagopal.com/assets/images/interviews/interviews_big2.pdf)

A highly sought-after speaker at all forums, an unrepentant innovator and an exemplary mother, no one more than Karuna deserved to top this ranking.
www.karunagopal.com

2.- SAMIRA AL-DAHIYAT (Solidarity) – Arab Smart Cities Forum

If municipalism has a proper name, it is Samira’s. An admirable fighter who, from her office as the top executive of the Municipality of Amman, has spread her extensive knowledge first across the Middle East and later throughout the world, leading the Arab Smart City Forum—an organization with strong international recognition.
https://www.itcat.org/AboutUsEN.aspx

3.- LUCÍA BELLOCCHIO (The Future) – Trend Smart Cities

The Latin heroine of Smart Cities, working from her base in São Paulo while always keeping her Argentine heart alive. Tireless, empathetic, an avid consumer of information, resilient and brave, Lucía represents—more than any of the others—the future of Smart Cities, something she had already anticipated in her book “Cities of the Future – Smart, Sustainable and Human.”
https://www.trend-smartcities.com/

4.- BERRIN BENLI (A Job Well Done) – Novusens Institute

Berrin Benli is the Founder of Novusens Smart City Institute at Novusens Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, a leading think tank focused on smart and sustainable city solutions. With extensive experience in urban innovation, digital transformation, and strategic consulting, Benli has worked on numerous local and international projects that integrate technology and sustainability into city planning and development. She actively contributes to global initiatives on smart cities, resilience, and inclusive urban development, and is recognized for her thought leadership in shaping future-ready urban ecosystems.

Prior to building up Novusens, she held several local and Multinational leadership (Oracle, Intel) roles: Held regional and global executive roles (EMEA -Europe Middle East Africa &  US & APAC-Asia Pacific Countries) at Oracle and led innovation programs at Intel’s Istanbul Innovation Centre, managing large‑scale digital transformation and technology adoption projects.

https://www.novusens.com/en/

5.- PILAR CONESA (The Example) – Smart City Expo & World Congress

Placed last purely as a courtesy of local ties, this unique woman from Barcelona could perfectly well occupy the first position.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cercle d’Economia, President of the Barcelona BITHabitat Business Council, and a member of the Board of Trustees of EADA Business School, the Supervisory Board of Barcelona Global, the General Council of the Consortium of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA), and the Council of C’ Landscape Architects and Conservators of Italy.

But above all, she is the fairy godmother of the Smart City Expo World Congress and President of Anteverti. Without her, the Smart world would be playing in a different league.
www.anteverti.com

With all my admiration,

Manuel Tarín Alonso
www.thesmartcityjournal.com

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO CONTRIBUTE PROFILES OF GREAT SMART WOMEN IS WELCOME TO COMMENT AT THIS LINK:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/75891038/