Mieko is an urban planner and currently serves as Group Director for Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s Corporate Development Group. In this role, Mieko charts the strategic planning and workforce transformation to support URA’s work as Singapore’s land use planning and conservation authority. She oversees Human Resource, Finance, Strategic Communications, Organisation Excellence, Legal and Corporate Services. Prior to this, she has served various roles in URA. In the Physical Planning Group, she headed the Master Plan 2008 Review and public engagement programmes, supported URA’s Government Land Sales programme and developed strategies for interim uses of land and properties. In Development Control Group, she helmed policy reviews including Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High Rises 3.0 to promote skyrise greenery. She also spent time in the Strategic Planning Department of the Ministry of National Development where she had responsibilities in the areas of car-lite, greenery and stakeholder engagement for heritage matters. She was also co-driving the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015 with the then Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR). With Urban Land Institute (ULI), Mieko has served as a committee member in ULI NEXT Singapore in 2020 / 2021. Mieko is currently a ULI Singapore Executive Committee member co-leading the Education sub-committee. She studied geography at the National University of Singapore and has a Master’s in town planning from the University College London.

Jack Backen is an Urban Economist who has been working throughout Asia Pac for the past 15 years. As an economist his focus is on evidence-based design – ensuring that planning for projects reflects the realities of markets and consumer behaviour. In particular, Jack helps optimise the performance of TOD and mixed-use projects from a financial, economic and planning perspective.