Dr. Ahmed Abukhater is the Founder and President of Digital Cities, a globally recognized authority in smart city innovation and strategic urban development. An award-winning author and TED speaker, he is an architect, environmental scientist, and urban and regional planner by trade, renowned for his pioneering contributions to intelligent cities, smart growth, digital twins, geospatial and navigation solutions, sustainable community development, and transboundary water resource management and conflict resolution. His groundbreaking work has been adopted by governments, corporations, and academic institutions across every continent.

With over two decades of experience spanning more than 100 countries, Dr. Abukhater has held senior and executive leadership roles in both governmental and non-governmental organizations. His past positions include Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) at Boeing, Senior Director of Mapping and GIS at Trimble, Global Director of Product Management at Pitney Bowes, Global Industry Manager for Planning and Community Development at Esri, Director of PLACES (Planning, Architecture, Construction, Engineering, and Sustainability), and Senior Technical Advisor at NASA. 

Dr. Abukhater holds a Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin, along with executive education credentials in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School and in Executive Management, Leadership, and Innovation from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He also earned a dual Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering.

A highly sought-after thought leader, Dr. Abukhater has authored numerous publications, served on prominent governing and advisory boards, and received more than 20 prestigious awards for his contributions to the field.