Richard Florida
Renowned Economist | Bestselling Author
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 his most recent book, The New Urban Crisis. He is also co-founder of CityLab, the leading publication devoted to cities and urbanism. 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.”
Florida is also the founder of the Creative Class Group, which works closely with cities, nations, and companies worldwide. He also works as a researcher and professor, serving as University Professor at University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management, and a Faculty Chair at NYU’s Schack School of Real Estate. He has previously taught at Carnegie Mellon University, and has been a visiting professor at Harvard and MIT. Florida holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers College and a PhD from Columbia University.