Robert Muggah is a globally recognized specialist in smart and green cities, geopolitics, public safety, cyber security, and the digital economy. He is the co-founder and principal of the SecDev Group, a digital risk firm that utilizes data-driven analytics to tackle complex challenges. The firm’s clients include Facebook and Eurasia Group. Additionally, he co-founded the Igarapé Institute, which was ranked the top social policy think tank in the world by Prospect in 2019. The institute focuses on data-driven security, justice, digital rights, and climate action.
Robert is also a senior adviser to McKinsey & Company, as well as various international organizations including the European Union (EU), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations (UN) agencies, and the World Bank. He serves on the boards of several technology start-ups and designs big data analytics solutions for a diverse range of clients.
With over two decades of experience, Robert has advised national and municipal governments, technology companies, and international organizations across more than 50 countries. His expertise includes data-driven crime prevention, urban renewal, supply chain risk management, and cyber threat mitigation.
Robert is a fellow at Princeton University and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and he is on the faculty at Singularity University. He also serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Future Council on Cities and contributes to the annual Global Risk Report. Additionally, he co-chairs the Global Parliament of Mayors and is frequently invited by the UN Secretary-General to participate in high-level panels and reports.
In terms of publications, Robert has authored eight books, including Terra Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years (2020, Penguin/Random House), and has written numerous articles for peer-reviewed journals. He is a regular contributor to prominent media outlets such as The Atlantic, BBC, CNN, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Economist, The New York Times, Newsweek, USA Today, and Wired, among others. He has also given TED talks in 2015, 2017, and 2019, and has delivered numerous live presentations utilizing advanced data visualization platforms and remote sensing techniques.
Robert received his PhD from the University of Oxford.
