GIL PENALOSA
Founder and Chair | 8 80 Cities

Gil Penalosa is a globally respected advocate for cities that work for everyone. He focuses on making healthy, happy living the easy choice through practical policies, infrastructure, and programs—because good intentions are not enough. With a rare blend of passion, pragmatism, and experience, Gil is widely sought after to inspire and advise city leaders and organizations around the world, having worked in more than 350 cities across all continents.

He is the Founder and Chair of the award‑winning Canadian non‑profit 8 80 Cities, and founder of Cities for Everyone and Gil Penalosa & Associates, through which he delivers keynote presentations and strategic advice to decision‑makers and communities. In 2022, Gil ran for Mayor of Toronto, earning 100,000 votes in 100 days and finishing second among 31 candidates, with a platform focused on affordability, equity, and sustainability—helping shift the city’s public conversation.

Gil’s career began in Bogotá, Colombia, where he led the creation of over 200 parks and helped transform the world‑renowned Ciclovía/Open Streets program, now used by over a million people each week. He has twice served as Chair of World Urban Parks, holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson, and has received numerous international honors, including a Doctorate Honoris Causa from SLU in Sweden and Australia’s World Urban Parks Distinguished Individual Award. He is consistently recognised as one of the world’s most influential urban thinkers.