The Influence Issue

Across the world, cities are turning into megacities at lightning pace, and in turn compromises are being made in terms of living space and conditions, zoning and infrastructure. To avoid a dystopian urban nightmare, what forms of leadership do we need in cities … and where will this leadership come from?

In this month’s cover feature, we ask a select panel of expert urbanists to consider what constitutes successful city leadership. What are the strengths and weaknesses of city mayors? How do you make long-term infrastructure plans without losing direction? And what role can city administrations play in responding to housing trends and macro-economic forces?

Also in this month’s edition:

• How the UK’s housing associations need to evolve in an era of reduced funding and increasing demand.
• We meet the young leaders of five successful property start-ups to ask what’s the secret of their success?
• Real estate is one of the most exposed sectors to money laundering. What do surveyors need to do to avoid becoming complicit in criminal activity?