Shaping major cities – the challenge of being a mayor

Running and shaping cities is among the most complex and challenging areas of public policy. What is it like to be a mayor?

What lessons are there about how to represent, lead and shape a city? How difficult is it to balance short-term priorities with long-term vision and strategy? And what does central government need to learn about public policy and city services from the sharp end? Join us as we host Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, to address this and more.

Meet our speaker and chair

Marvin Rees OBE (@MarvinJRees) is the Mayor of Bristol. When he was first elected in May 2016, he became the first directly elected mayor of Black African heritage of any major European city. Before taking office, Rees worked at the international development agency Tearfund, was a broadcast journalist at the BBC and a program manager for the National Health Service. He was re-elected as mayor in 2021.

Alexander Evans (@aiaevans) is Professor in Practice of Public Policy and Programme Director of the MPA in Data Science, LSE School of Public Policy. He is a former adviser to the Prime Minister in 10 Downing Street and Director Cyber at the Foreign Office where he was the U.K.’s chief international cyber policy negotiator. He has served as Strategy Director in the Cabinet Office which included overseeing the Government Strategic Management Office responsible for data analytics.

More about this event

This event will be available to watch on LSE Live. LSE Live is the new home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

(@LSECities) is an international centre that investigates the complexities of the contemporary city. It carries out research, graduate and executive education, outreach and advisory activities in London and abroad.

The LSE School of Public Policy (@LSEPublicPolicy) equips you with the skills and ideas to transform people and societies. It is an international community where ideas and practice meet. Their approach creates professionals with the ability to analyse, understand and resolve the challenges of contemporary governance.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEBristol

Podcast & Video

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LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.