We help build better cities through knowledge, networks and leadership
For more than a decade, Future of London has offered its cross-sector urban network independent, timely, practical content in a convivial atmosphere that supports diversity and next-wave leadership. More than 5,000 people engage directly with FoL across its live and online platforms; as of 2020, 500+ increasingly influential city leaders will have graduated from our professional development programmes.
Future of London is now expanding that offer beyond its core network of built environment practitioners – and beyond London and the UK – via a new podcast, CityBites. The ingredients are all here: a trusted platform; a track record in intelligent, objective analysis; a broad, mixed-level network; an online audience growing rapidly through webinars and social media; and the capacity to connect diverse groups and ideas.
This is a peer-driven podcast: FoL staff, associates and members of the alumni network invite guests from different sectors and roles to share stories, insights and ideas. The main aim is to support and inspire the next wave of city leaders. As other city lovers join the conversation, all the better.
“Leading through crisis” (May to August 2020)
A special run of FoL alumni-led interviews on staying resilient and effective during the Covid-19 crisis. In these five episodes, decision-makers from the public, private and third sectors share their views on how the sector is adapting and what the future may hold for cities, and leadership, post-crisis. This series ties to FoL’s multi-media Learning from Crisis programme.
“Connections” (August to December 2020)
Moving on from the kick-off series, we next explore how the pandemic is changing our relationship to shared space, community engagement, negotiation, connectivity and culture as the lockdown eases and we enter the recovery phase. We talk with a spectrum of frontline workers, analysts and strategic-level influencers charged with restarting the UK economy in an era of unpredictability and eroded public and business confidence.
“Leading the way for cities” (April to September 2021)
Part of an alumni-led series of events, podcasts and blog posts that engage with city-makers in their aspirations for the future of our cities, drawing on their collective experience, ideas, resilience and leadership as we emerge from the pandemic. The series seeks to re-appraise the status quo, bring fresh thinking to tricky issues, and help us to challenge ourselves on ways to be more ambitious for our cities, through our work.
Further content (Ongoing)
As Covid-19 impacts unfold, the podcast will feature housing, economy and place related issues, as well as leadership topics. As a recognised leader in network-building and responsive, engaging content, FoL is poised to deliver a programme of themes and formats that will appeal to both its growing core membership and to new global audiences. The podcast is hosted on universally available and user-friendly Anchor and distributed through Spotify, Google and similar platforms, plus FoL’s website and social media channels.
We’re looking for partners interested in helping FoL shape content around sector priorities, gaining profile and connection with FoL’s cross-sector, mixed-level network and reaching a potential global audience of prospective partners. To find out how you can get involved and support the podcast – or a mini-series of episodes – get in touch with Oli Pinch.
Episode 2 of Leading the way for cities with Alumni Rep Katie Randall talking with Adam Cossey, Partner at Hawkins\Brown, about how councils are transforming their historic civic centres to create new mixed-use spaces and meet modern demand from their communities.
Episode 1 of the alumni-led Leading the way for cities series with Arthur Kay, chair of the £100m Key Worker Homes Fund and Founder and CEO of Skyroom – an award-winning technology and urban development company which delivers precision-manufactured homes in the airspace above existing buildings.
Interested in ways to green your town centre? Check out the video of this great Proposal for GM and get-it-done discussion. Got a Proposal to deliver yourself? Catch the six-minute behind-the-scenes interview for tips and inspiration.
This ‘Connections’ episode focuses on the creative and progressive use of public-sector assets to achieve greater local impact. Local authorities are increasingly asking how they can deliver more social and economic value through the properties that they own, control and influence.
Need some New Year’s inspiration? Try this City Bites interview with Urbancanda’s Miffa Salter, including great tips on leading and learning virtually, plus a snapshot at how FoL took its Leaders programmes online.
Been urged to ‘pivot’ your career, shift from B2B to B2C, commute digitally or “Unmute!” lately? Join guests from LOTI, Firefly Learning and OneTech as we unpick terms and trends in the evolving relationship between digital & small business.
This episode explores how Covid-19 has affected children, young people and families – and the impact this is having on women’s careers, children’s education and wellbeing, and our use of public space – particularly green space.
In this podcast we ask Bethan Harris from The Loneliness Lab and Stephanie Goldberg from the GLA: how can we build community within the context of Covid-19?
Hear about the shifting connections between culture and place in this lively conversation with cultural strategist Aida Esposito, Southbank Centre’s Gillian Moore CBE and placemaking strategist and FoL alum Paul Augarde.
This episode is the third in our Learning from Crisis ‘Connections’ series, and is about how we’re getting back to work in the recovery phase. Featured image credit: Elliot Brown on Flickr. Licence (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
This podcast episode revisits community engagement with three guests working at its heart: Jenna Goldberg, Jamal Miah and Sib Trigg. Hear helpful tips plus a debate that will evolve over time.
Rounding off our series of alumni interviews with sector leaders on Covid resilience, Peter O’Brien talks to One Housing’s Ria Bailes about the need for empathy and other ‘soft’ skills for really effective crisis leadership.
In the first of our City Bites “Connections” series, Westminster Council’s Barbara Brownlee and LSE Prof Tony Travers debate how UK government tiers must interact for economic recovery.
Covid-19 has hit local authorities hard, but they’re rising to the challenge. FoL Alumna Laura Davy talks with Nazeya Hussain, RB Kingston Executive Director of Place about resilience, leadership and priorities.
How has the third sector continued to deliver community services during the Covid crisis? How have priorities changed and what role will charities play in recovery? These questions and more were the focus of our latest City Bites podcast.
City Bites podcast with FoL alumni board member Nnenna Urum-Eke talking to Lendlease’s Bek Seeley on the development outlook post Covid-19 and how developers have adapted their approaches to construction and public consultation.
City Bites podcast with alumni board director Lucy Webb interviewing David Lunts, Executive Director at the GLA Housing & Land and interim CEO at OPDC about the public sector in lockdown and how London could change in the long term.
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