Richard Florida is one of the world’s leading urbanists and a sought-after speaker. Named one of Esquire’s “Best and Brightest,” alongside luminaries such as Bill Clinton and Bill Gates, Florida has fascinated audiences all over the world with his insightful presentations on subjects ranging from the future of cities to understanding demographic shifts to deciphering global economic trends.
Florida is a writer and journalist, having penned several global bestsellers, including the award-winning The Rise of the Creative Class and The New Urban Crisis. His writing frequently appears in major publications, he’s a regular guest commenter on CNN and other international media outlets, and Time magazine recognized his Twitter feed as one of the “140 Most Influential in the World.”
An entrepreneur, Florida is the co-founder of CityLab, the world’s leading publication for cities and urbanism, and the founder of the Creative Class Group, which provides strategic advice to companies, foundations, and governments worldwide. He also serves on the boards of several real estate development firms, venture capital firms, and investment funds.
In addition, Florida is a researcher and professor at University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management. He has previously taught at Carnegie Mellon University and been a visiting professor at Harvard and MIT.