Dr Matt Benson, a trained geographer, is the Senior Director at Think City – a specialised urban regeneration and city-making organization headquartered in Penang, Malaysia. He is an experienced analyst, strategic planner, and project manager. Matt has led complex local economic development, mapping, data collection, master planning and public realm improvement projects in inner-city, suburban and remote environments.
In his current role at Think City, he leads a team of urban analysts, designers, and researchers developing and piloting innovative solutions to improve the sustainability and liveability of cities. Matt served as a member of UN-Habitat’s International Advisory Board for the World Cities Report in 2020, 2022, and 2024, and has been a participant in several UN-Habitat Expert Group Meetings, including those dedicated to creating the Global Urban Monitoring Framework.