Maria Vassilakou is an experienced, inspiring urban leader, devoted to open, inclusive, and green cities. She served as Vienna’s Vice Mayor responsible for Urban Planning, Traffic and Transport, Climate Protection, Energy and Public Participation from November 2010 to July 2019.

She envisages cities as open, green, affordable, family friendly and diverse places for life. In her nine years serving as Vice Mayor, she implemented a vast transformation agenda comprising numerous innovative projects, contributing substantially to Vienna’s number one position in all major international livability rankings within the last decade.

She works worldwide as an independent advisor on urban transformation. After leaving office, she founded Vienna Solutions—a network of experienced Viennese urban experts and practitioners, with whom she cooperates building flexible teams to deliver complex urban projects.

Maria Vassilakou was a member of the Academic Body at the Norman Foster Foundation Cities: Affordable Housing Workshop 2022 supported by the Holcim Foundation.