Ricky Burdett is an expert on the design, planning, and governance of cities. He has pioneered a teaching and educational program on cities at the London School of Economics, where he leads LSE Cities and is a professor of Urban Studies. He co-chairs the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative, established in 2025 to improve leadership and management skills amongst mayors and senior leaders in cities across Europe. Burdett advises city governments, philanthropies, and private-sector organizations on architecture, planning, and the built environment, and served as a chief adviser for the London 2012 Olympic Games.