Laia Gasch Casals

Laia is Director of World Cities Culture Forum, the leading global network of civic leaders from over 40 creative cities across six continents who share ideas and solutions to build a world where culture is at the heart of thriving cities.

She was previously Senior Advisor for Culture at the Mayor of London’s office, where she played a central role in creating innovative policies including: the world’s first Creative Enterprise Zones, a new Culture at Risk Office protecting grassroots venues and London’s most pro-culture urban plan with the first ever Cultural Infrastructure Plan. Laia shaped the development of East Bank in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the most ambitious culture and education district in London for over 150 years and led the establishment of the UK’s first Night Czar and a new London Borough of Culture Award.

Previously, Laia led high profile and award-winning creative programmes including for the BBC, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Tate Modern.