The rate at which people are moving into our cities is staggering. For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population lives in urban areas.

Consider these staggering statistics:

• Almost 180,000 people move into cities every day
• Cities produce 80 percent of the world’s carbon emissions
• Cities consume nearly 75 percent of the world’s energy
• Cities lose as much as 50 percent of their water supply to leaky infrastructure
• The percentage of city expenditure attributed to public safety is 57 percent

As a result, civic leaders must be prepared to meet the needs of these growing populations across a wide range of services. They need transformative solutions to address new challenges they face in public safety, healthcare and human services, water management, transportation and infrastructure. They need enhanced capabilities to leverage information to make better decisions, to anticipate problems to resolve them proactively, and to coordinate resources and processes to operate effectively.

As partners, we have a tremendous opportunity to help our clients drive innovation to provide sustainable economic growth and enhanced quality of life in municipalities worldwide.

Please join me for the “Road to Smarter Cities” Leadership Exchange at the PartnerWorld Leadership Conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday, February 26 at 4 p.m. for a discussion about how we can work together on a shared agenda that delivers maximum value for our clients. Solutions for Smarter Cities not only represent a remarkable market opportunity, it represents an equally important chance to make a positive impact on the cities in which we live and work.

To find out more about our session schedules and registration details, visit the 2013 PartnerWorld Leadership Conference website.  I look forward to meeting you in Las Vegas on February 26!

Craig Hayman