summit 2023
Thank you for your participation!
We hope you enjoyed the experience. See you next year in Lausanne, 11-13 November, 2024!
reaching new summits
Since 2014, the smartcities & sport summit has been building a solid reputation and has become a highly anticipated event among sport cities and within the international sports ecosystem. Every year, more than 300 participants from all over the world come together to learn, think and debate on how best to use sport in cities.
The ascent of the summit takes place over two days of high-level conferences, networking time and social events that allow participants to enjoy exchanges in more informal settings. The strength of this event is that it not only provides cities with a shot of motivation and inspiration that enhances and reveals the potential of sport in their activities – but also enables them to develop new connections with international sports federations eager to discuss their hosting ambitions.
The next edition of the smartcities & sport summit will take place in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital, 11-13 November 2024.
summit 2023 in paris, france!
The smartcities & sport summit 2023 took place November 27-29 in Paris, France, the host city for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games!
With just a few months to go before the opening ceremony of the XXXIII Olympiad, the City of Light welcomed sports cities from all over the world as well as representatives of international sports federations.
It was a unique opportunity to experience the Olympic Games before anyone else, to go behind the scenes and have a sneak peek of the summer of 2024 when 10,500 athletes will put on a show.
summit programme
The organisation of sports events creates momentum and for host cities, is an opportunity to take stock of the existing facilities, to assess the short and long-term solutions, to evaluate economic, urban and societal challenges and to plan events that contribute to the transformation of the city in a way that meets local needs, both for the community and the individuals.
ioc president thomas bach at the opening session of the smartcities & sport summit
IOC President Thomas Bach was the Keynote Speaker for the opening of the smartcities & sport summit 2023 in Paris 28-29 November. This edition marked the 10th anniversary of the smartcities & sport summit and was dedicated to sports events as catalysts for city transformation.
Séverine Laugier
Project director in social innovation - Sodexo Group
Séverine Laugier is project director in social innovation for Sodexo Group. She is working with the social innovation team on the way to implement Sodexo’s engagements towards inclusion and impact. She has worked on new models on employement and health in disadvantaged areas. Lawyer in European law, she began her career within the European Institutions in 2002. In 2011, she joined the Sodexo Group, as External Relations Manager. In 2018, she became Project Director to develop projects with strong social impacts for the territories, in the Social Innovation Department.
Elisa Yavchitz
General Manager - Les Canaux
Elisa Yavchitz is the General Manager of Les Canaux, the Social and Innovative Business Organization of Paris. Les Canaux is a dedicated organisation for all collaborative and inclusive actors that aims to place solidarity and the environment in the core of their projects. Les Canaux promotes and develops social business in France and abroad and also hosts International Organizations events such as C40 Cities or the Yunus Centre in Europe.
Elisa Yavchitz is convinced that social business can generate job offers, increase solidarity, effective change for the most impoverished and enable environmental and social innovations."
Marie Barsacq
executive director - impact and legacy for the organising committee for the olympic and paralympic games - paris 2024
A lawyer by training, Marie Barsacq worked for ten years for the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF), devoting her energies to employment, training and qualification in the sporting movement. She then joined the French Football Federation (FFF). Since 2018, she is a member of the Executive Committee of the French Football Federation. Marie Barsacq then took up position as the Director of Impact and Legacy for the Paris 2024 Bid Committee, and then Executive Director within the Organising Committee.
Eddy Fehri
Head of Marketing France - ASICS
Eddy Ferhi is the Head of Marketing for ASICS, the market leader in France for footwear Running, Tennis, and Indoor sports.
Former international athlete, sport has always played a big part in his life. And much like ASICS - whose name comes from the acronym for Anima Sana In Corpore Sano - he is deeply convinced that physical activity can make a difference in how you feel in your body, but also in your mind.
Since its creation in Japan in 1977, ASICS has indeed been deeply involved in promoting inclusivity in all areas of sports, to make sure that the physical and mental benefits of moving truly become accessible to all.
Andrew Parsons
President - international paralympic committee
Andrew Parsons is serving his second successive term as President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) having originally been elected in 2017. Before this he served as IPC Vice President and IPC Governing Member. He was the President of the Americas Paralympic Committee from 2005-2009 and between 2009- 2017, He was President of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee after previously being Secretary General.
Gabriele Freytag
head of the directorate for sport - senate department, berlin
Gabriele Freytag graduated in Sport and Business Administration at the University of Bayreuth. She started her professional career as a sports marketing consultant, worked as a researcher and acted from 2008-2015 as managing director at the Executive Academy of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). In 2015 she assumed responsibility for sports development and marketing in the Sports Metropolis Berlin. Since 2019 she is head of the Directorate for Sport at the Senat Department. Since working for many years in the field of sport in rather key positions she has a comprehensive knowledge regarding sport innovation and sport development.
Nicolas Ferrand
Chief Executive Officer - SOLIDEO "société de livraison des ouvrages olympiques"
Nicolas Ferrand is a graduate engineer from École Polytechnique and École des Ponts ParisTech. He also holds a Masters degree in City Planning from the
Massachusetts lnstitute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. He is CEO of the Société de Livraison des ouvrages Olympiques SOLIDEO, the public body
responsible for delivering the venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
Tayomara Gama
Region Sport Lead - Gensler Sports Europe
Passionate about the transformative power of design and that architecture can create a future that promotes equity, resilience, and well-being for everyone. Tayo believes Sports are an effective way to diversify and energise the modern lifestyle. An architect and urban planner by training, she solves problems for large infrastructure projects, focused on how sports venues evolve and can be integrated successfully into their environment and communities. Her portfolio includes sports venues for all major events all around the world. Based in London, she is Gensler Regional Sport Lead in Europe.
Jana Janotova
Engagement Officer, Sports for Nature, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
In her role of Engagement Officer, Jana is responsible for building and managing relations with and between the wider sports and nature conservation communities and helping develop sports’ capacity to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration. Jana came into the role with a rich sustainability-and-sports experience having worked on sustainability strategies, public affairs and diplomacy in the Olympic movement for the last decade.
Peter Van Veen
Director of Sports, Municipality of The Hague, The Netherlands
Peter van Veen is responsible for the sports policy of the municipality of The Hague for 3 years. This includes the management and operation of sports venues and the development of new venues, the top sports policy, the national top sports programs in The Hague and the acquisition of Elite Sport events. He previously held this position at the municipality of Rotterdam from 2008 to 2020.
Amadou Fall Ba
director of festa2hvp, project manager dakar en jeux festival, manager, Maison des cultures urbaines - Dakar
Amadou Fall Ba has been the Director of Festa2H (international Hip Hop and urban culture festival) for 15 years. In 2017 he was elevated to the rank of Knight of Arts and Letters of the French Republic. Since March 2014, Amadou has been in charge of urban culture under the Mayor of Dakar as well as MCU manager (Dakar house of urban culture). In 2016, he oversaw the construction of Dakar's first public Skatepark, to be inaugurated in October 2023. He has been the Dakar en Jeux festival project manager since 2022, as a prelude to Dakar 2026.
Erin Bromaghim
Deputy Mayor of International Affairs - Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass
Erin Bromaghim serves as the Deputy Mayor of International Affairs in the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, focused on bringing global opportunities to Angelenos and connecting Los Angeles to economic and cultural partners around the world. Most recently, Erin served as the Mayor’s Director of Olympic and Paralympic Development ahead of the 2028 Games and concurrently as the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Fellow for the Sustainable Development Goals and as a Visiting Senior Fellow on City and State Diplomacy with the Truman Center for National Policy. Erin previously spent 14 years as a senior civilian with the U.S. Department of Defense.
Akiko Nagano
director for International Relations - Comprehensive Sports Promotion Division, Bureau of Citizens, Culture and Sports, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
As a civil servant of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Akiko Nagano works for the promotion of sports. She was part of the Tokyo 2020 bid project, and in 2014 seconded to the Organising Committee, where she served as the head of planning and coordination throughout the seven and a half year journey. After her return to the TMG in 2021, she was tasked with the TMG’s sports vision development, and is currently in charge of international relations.
Daniel Casas Valle
Urban Designer and Planner - Urban Dynamics & the Future Design of Streets association
Daniel Casas-Valle is an urbanist with a broad experience based on urban planning practices and academic activities. He is for more than two decades connected to urbanism, as a designer and researcher. Currently, he is working on various urban design projects and planning studies at his office Urban Dynamics in Porto/Amsterdam, at the MDT/CEAU/FAUP as a researcher, and is director at the Future Design of Streets association as well as co-author of The Future Design of Streets (Sept. 2023). Daniel is also involved in several strategic, policy and design projects where urbanism and sport/physical activity connectés and are interrelated.
Arnaud Breton
Head of "Impact, Héritage & Famille du Rugby - Rugby World Cup France 2023"
After around ten years spent as a consultant (Deloitte / Ineum Consulting / Kurt Salmon), Arnaud Breton created his own consulting company: Invictus Consulting, specializing in culture, entertainment and sport. Following the victorious France 2023 bid that he supported, he became Planning & Steering Director in 2018 then Impact, Legacy & Family Director from 2022 at Rugby World Cup France 2023.
Jaime McKeown
Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion Manager - World Rugby
Jaime McKeown is the Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at World Rugby, the global governing body for rugby union. With over 15 years experience working in international sport relations and development, previous roles prior to joining the international federation included event management and government administration. A keen interest in social and environmental sustainability, collaboration and the transformative power of sports, particularly rugby, has helped motivate Jaime across a wide range of professional and personal objectives and achievements.
Emmeline Ndongue
Manager Education - OCOG Paris 2024
Emmeline Ndongue is the Education Manager in the Impact and Legacy department of the Paris 2024 Organizing Comity. After being a professional basketball player for 15 years and winning a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games with the French national team, she has been analyzing and commentating for French TV. She then has been one of the first ambassador for the Paris 2024 bid committee. Always engaged for gender equality, inclusion, health and education, particularly through the prism of sport, she is thrilled to have built and to develop Generation 2024, the Games education program since April 2018.
Diandra Tchatchouang
Team Go Girls project manager with the French National Sports Agency and Nike, founder of Take Your Shot and member of the Paris 2024 Athletes' Commission
With a 17-year sporting career in basketball at the highest international level behind her, Diandra has embarked on her career change in the best possible way by becoming project manager in charge of the Team Go Girls programme supported by the French National Sports Agency and Nike. Member of the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Commission, she has positioned herself as a true ambassador for Seine-Saint-Denis, her home region. A social entrepreneur since the age of 24, Diandra created the Take Your Shot event in 2017 in partnership with Nike to promote sporting activities for young girls in working-class neighbourhoods and to highlight female paths to excellence.
Martin Gibbs
Managing Director - SportAccord
Martin has been Managing Director at SportAccord since 2022. He has held several positions in international and national sport, including Director General at the Union Cycliste Internationale and Policy and Legal Affairs Director at British Cycling. He is also a non-executive director at Sport Resolutions.
Martin did PPE at Oxford and then went to the College of Law in London. He qualified as a solicitor with Slaughter & May and spent ten years in the City of London working in corporate finance.
Caroline Flaissier
CEO - French Tennis Federation
For over 20 years, Caroline Flaissier has been driven by a constant quest for performance, staying close to the field, by a passion for innovation and teamwork, and by a strong commitment to promote diversity. After twenty years at TotalEnergies, ENGIE, and Korn Ferry, she was appointed as CEO of the French Tennis Federation (July 2022). Caroline Flaissier’s mission is the operational management of the Federation and of its international tournaments (Roland-Garros, Rolex Paris Masters, Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major). She puts her creative, results-oriented approach, her knowledge of transformation within complex environments, and her relentless energy, at the service of a long-term vision for the development of tennis, padel, urban tennis and wheelchair tennis.
Tania Braga
Head Of Olympic Games Impact And Legacy - International Olympic Committee
Tania Braga is Head of Olympic Games Impact and Legacy at the International Olympic Committee. She oversees the implementation of the IOC Legacy Strategic Approach. She works with cities and other local organisations to maximize the positive impact of hosting the Olympic Games, before, during and after the largest world sport event. Before joining the IOC, she has held the position of Sustainability, Accessibility and Legacy Head of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. Her background combines a PhD in applied economics with hands-on experience with private corporations, local and national governments, research institutions and NGOs in the areas of sustainability and corporate responsibility.
Thierry Huguenin
Head Of Sponsorship - Française des Jeux Foundation
In charge of sport sponsorship at the French national lottery (FDJ) for 25 years, Thierry Huguenin successively managed the FDJ men's professional cycling team, the FDJ Foundation, the partnership with UEFA Euro 2016 football, before leading the activations of the partnership with Paris 2024. As a historic “biker to work”, and committed to the climate, he has set up a cycling plan for FDJ employees and promotes active design in the company to encourage physical and sporting activity.
Emmanuel Grégoire
first deputy mayor of paris - in charge of urban planning, architecture and Greater Paris
Emmanuel Grégoire graduated from the Institut d'Études Politiques in Bordeaux and has a degree in Philosophy. He began his career in a consulting firm, then moved on to the new technologies and health sectors before becoming involved in city affairs with various left-wing figures.
In 2018 Emmanuel Grégoire became First Deputy Mayor of Paris with the portfolios of urban planning, architecture, Greater Paris, relations with the arrondissements and the transformation of public policies.
Simone Etna
Co-Director - Association Kabubu, Friendship through sport
Simone Etna is the co-director of Kabubu, an association building social ties between displaced people and the host community through sports.
Its mission is to accelerate the inclusion process in France while bringing about a change in the way people look at migration.
Since 2018, Simone has directed the Kabubu training center, designing programmes for the inclusion of displaced people through the powerful combination of vocational training and sports.
He is the co-leader of the Terrains d'Avenir programme, a pioneering project in Europe empowering displaced young people through sport.
Florence Du Buit
Diversity and Inclusion Manager - Carrefour Group
For 11 years at Carrefour, Florence Du Buit is now responsible for the Carrefour group's Disability policy for both its employees and its customers, all over the world.
Viviane Fraisse
Head of Sustainability - French Tennis Federation
After a long experience within the French Tennis Federation communication department, Viviane became FFT Head of Sustainability in 2014, with the aim to integrate sustainability inside FFT at all levels in the federation: headquarters, regional leagues and events.
She is also managed the ISO 20121 certification of the Roland-Garros international tennis tournament since that year, and of the Yellow Balls Operation, that recycles millions of tennis balls into sports grounds offered to institutes for disabled children.
She owns a double master degree in public and international law (Paris II) and is graduated from the French Press Institute.
Maryse Ewanjé-Epée
Specialist speaker, author and sports journalist - Master of Ceremony
Former international track and field athlete and holder of the French high jump record for 21 years, Maryse Ewanjé-Epée is now a specialized speaker, author, and sports journalist. She has also participated twice in the Olympics. Currently serving as the president of the Groupe Athlétique de Noisy-le-Grand, the second-largest club in Seine-Saint-Denis, Maryse is deeply committed to leveraging the power of sports to address social issues. She is the author of four works, including "Révolte," which explores the activism of top athletes in the service of inclusion, equal opportunities, and diversity.
Charles Ollivier
Head Of Mobility And Partnerships For Paris 2024 - Toyota Motor Europe
Charles Ollivier graduated from Kedge Business School and Uppsala University then from INSEAD Executive programs. He worked all his career in Automotive industry, mainly working on Long Term Strategy and Mobility solutions for which he developed the European strategy for KINTO Mobility brand. Since 2020, Charles has overseen the development of Mobility strategies for Paris 2024 games on behalf of Toyota who is a global partner of IOC and IPC. One of the main challenges to be addressed for the upcoming games is the inclusivity level of mobility solutions and the legacy that should be secured for Paris and the Ile-de-France Region.
Deepa Malik
President of Paralympic Commitee - India
Dr. Deepa Malik is the President of Paralympic Committee of India. She is the first Indian woman to have won a Paralympic Medal. She was conferred ‘Asian Order’ by Asian Paralympic Committee and IPC Women’s Day Recognition. She is a disability inclusion policy activist and has received 5 distinctive honors from the President of India. She has also founded an NGO for underserved people with disabilities and served as an Expert Consultant for Disability Inclusive Infrastructure with Indian Ministry of Urban Affairs’ Smart Cities Project.
Benjamin Raigneau
Director - Cleanliness and Water at the City of Paris
After studying at Sciences Po and ENA, two top French administration schools, Benjamin Raigneau began his professional career in 2009 at the French Ministry of Labour. He was then appointed advisor on employment, labour and social dialogue in the French Prime Minister’s cabinet. He worked briefly for the SAFRAN group and spent 5 years at the SNCF (French National Railway Company). Since 2020, Benjamin Raigneau has been the Director of the Cleanliness and Water department at the City of Paris. He is responsible for the city's water policy, the supervision of “Eau de Paris” (Public Water company of Paris), the operation of the network and overseeing investments for the “baignade en Seine” project.
Olivier Mairot
Co-Founder - We are Etendart
Olivier Mairot is the co-founder of We Are Etendart, a non-profit movement that aims at empowering kids through sport and creative arts.” He worked for more than ten years in strategy consulting, mainly with impact startups.
Assia Hamdi
Journalist Sports & Society
Assia Hamdi has been a French freelance sports journalist in written press since 2012. Through her stories in France and overseas, she reports mainly on the role of sport in society, sport and innovation, gender and discrimination issues in sport, sport and youth… She works mostly with l’Equipe, Marie-Claire, Le Monde, and Phosphore. Assia has also written several books about sport and teaches journalism in secondary schools.
Eric Desbonnets
VP Operations & Sustainability, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games - Coca-Cola
Graduated in Food and Agriculture from ISA Lille Engineering School, Eric Desbonnets is in charge of Operations and Sustainability for the Paris 2024 Games for Coca-Cola in France. His previous role was VP Supply-Chain, accountable for manufacturing, logistics and customer service in France. He has started his career with Coca-Cola 30 years ago. He has European experience as Group Operations Director, having led 6 plants across UK, Belgium and France. Eric is also Non Executive Director of Infineo, a PET bottle recycling center in Beaune (France), joint-venture between Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Plastipak.
Pierre Rabadan
Deputy Mayor, City of Paris - in charge of sports, olympic and paralympic games and the seine
Pierre Rabadan is a former professional rugby player and has been the successful captain of Stade Français, an iconic Parisian club. In 2015, he retired from his sporting career and joined Anne Hidalgo’s office as sports advisor to participate in Paris‘ bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and to promote the organisation of major international sporting events in Paris. In 2020, he has been elected Paris councillor and appointed Deputy Mayor in charge of Sport, Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Grégoire Junod
Mayor - City of Lausanne President of the World Union of Olympic Cities
Mayor of the City of Lausanne since July 1st, 2016, Grégoire Junod is also in charge of the Culture and Urban Development Department. At the head of the Olympic capital’s major urban projects, he focuses his mandate on developing the city’s housing, sport facilities, transport, culture and the prestige of its universities and educational programmes. His vision for Lausanne is one of a cosmopolitan city open to international trade.