Founder - African School of Economics
Professor Leonard Wantchekon is the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at Princeton University, as well as Professor of Politics and International Affairs. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a member of the Executive Committee of the International Economic Association, and has served as Secretary of the American Political Science Association and on the Executive Committee of the Afrobarometer Network. Wantchekon is also the Founder and President of the African School of Economics, which opened in Benin in 2014 (and has since added a second campus in Cote d’Ivoire), and the Founder and President of the Pan-African Scientific Research Council. He previously served as professor at New York University and at Yale University, and holds a PhD in Economics from Northwestern University.
As cities compete to attract talent, tourism, and investment, entertainment and hospitality are emerging as core drivers of urban growth—not just add-ons. This session explores how music, nightlife, sports, and culture are reshaping the economic and spatial logic of new cities. From lifestyle-led developments to creative economy zones, we’ll examine how experience and place-making are becoming strategic tools in the new urban economy.
As the digital economy reshapes global development, world-class universities are emerging as critical anchors for new city ecosystems. This session explores how the convergence of higher education, research, and technology can drive urban growth—positioning university-centered developments as launchpads for innovation, entrepreneurship, and digitally-enabled industries. From attracting top talent to fostering startup ecosystems, these hybrid hubs are redefining what it means to build a city around knowledge.