Mauricio Rodas is an urban leader and policy innovator who served as Mayor of Quito, Ecuador (2014–2019). During his tenure he led the construction of the country’s first metro line—the city’s largest infrastructure project—advanced initiatives on sustainability and social equity, and hosted the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III). He also held prominent roles in global city networks, including World Co-President of UCLG, Vice-Chair of C40 Cities, and board member of the Global Covenant of Mayors and ICLEI.

Rodas is currently a Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches climate-resilient urban infrastructure finance; a Senior Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Sustainable Investment; a Senior Advisor to the Atlantic Council’s Climate Resilience Center; and a member of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration. He serves as Executive Secretary of the SDSN Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance—co-chaired by the mayors of Paris and Rio de Janeiro with Professor Jeffrey Sachs—which convenes more than 80 mayors, financiers, and private-sector leaders to expand innovative mechanisms for city infrastructure.