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Inspired by recent events threatening the well-being of Europe’s cities, more than 60 leaders from the public and private sectors gathered in Istanbul in September to discuss issues surrounding city resilience during a forum titled “Resilient Cities: Surviving in a Brave New World.” Read what was on people’s minds at the event, presented as part of ULI’s Urban Investment Network initiative.

The development of megacities will characterize the next evolution of urbanization, global strategist and author Parag Khanna told those attending the 2016 ULI Asia Pacific Summit in Shanghai in June.

The urgency for organizations to transform themselves in the face of technology-fueled disruption has been a key challenge in many industries. In the banking sector, incumbent players are dealing with the emergence of financial technology, or fintech, firms that threaten them in a range of business segments. In her keynote address at a ULI Singapore event, Tan Su Shan, managing director and group head, institutional banking, DBS, shared with the audience some insights and lessons learned from the journey so far.

According to the most recent Trepp survey, spreads widened as much as 15 basis points, marking the end—for the moment—of the “incredible shrinking” cost of securitized mortgage debt as compared to rates quoted by commercial banks and insurance companies.

Monday’s Numbers

The Trepp, LLC survey showed commercial mortgage spreads coming unchanged during the survey period. Plus, a few themes from last week’s ULI Fall Meeting.

Greg Clark is Senior Fellow, ULI, Europe. He combines this role with being a global advisor on urban development through roles that include: Chairman of the OECD Development Agencies and Investment Strategies Forum, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, Metropolitan Programme, Advisor to the World Bank on Urbanisation Knowledge Platform, Chairman of British BIDs (Business Improvement Districts), Member of the Advisory Board of the Oxford Future of Cities Programme, and Visiting Professor, City Leadership, Cass Business School, City of London. He has led and moderated more than 100 conferences and strategic events for ULI, City Governments, EuroCities, OECD, World Bank, The Financial Times, The EIB, MIPIM, LSE, Brookings Institution, and the EU Council. Selected as a Harkness Fellow in 1995, he reviewed 12 North American cites/regions from a base as a fellow at Columbia University in New York City. As Chairman of the European Urban Development Forum from 1996 to 2000 he oversaw reviews of 24 European Cities/Regions. Since 1998 has undertaken OECD reviews in 27 cities around the world. He has directed comparative studies and assessments of London and New York, British & Spanish Cities, UK & Canadian Cities, and UK & Chinese Cities. He has been a strategy advisor to more than 20 cities in 5 continents and has led international city networks & projects on city leadership, openness and migration, urban investment, long term strategic planning, economic strategy, and city branding. Trained as an Economist, Political Scientist, Facilitator, and Mentor. Cambridge University, UK, Columbia University, NYC, London School of Economics, UK.

Four district councils have received grants to support creative placemaking projects that will use arts-based placemaking strategies and programming to strengthen the connection between the built environment and human health.

Callie Persic is a development manager with the Belfast City Council, leading Belfast’s Connectivity Programme and city center project, “A Bolder Vision for Belfast.”

The pressing need for inclusivity to be part of urban revitalization was a key topic at ULI’s recent Mid-Winter meeting in Washington, D.C., attended by the Institute’s global trustees, with former ULI visiting fellow Richard Florida and ULI trustee Edward Glaeser leading a discussion on the future of cities.

A look at what is helping rejuvenate a New York City apple--outside the Big Apple.