Richmond based TMI CEO Tiffany Jana and President Matthew Freeman have returned from Bilbao,
Spain, where they’ve been facilitating at the Bilbao Urban Innovation and Leadership Dialogues (BUILD). Not only did
their presence help put Richmond into sharper focus on the international front, but they helped bring the city to the
table in the person of Richmond Chief Innovation Officer Andreas Addison.
“Matthew and I made Andreas aware of the conference and encouraged him to apply,” says Jana. “He was instrumental
in helping Richmond win the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge, and we knew he would represent Richmond’s innovation
aspirations well.”
Jana and Freeman facilitated panels for 120 participating U.S. and European urban leaders on leading change. Topics
included building a transatlantic community of cities, tensions in urban transformation, global engagement dialogues and
awakening an innovation culture — where Addison was a panelist.
“It’s becoming increasingly important for cities to incorporate practices of equity and inclusion in planning, policy and
implementation of programs,” says Freeman. “BUILD was an opportunity for local leaders to become more attuned to
global issues and be able to see the big picture as they seek new markets to strengthen their local economies.”
The German Marshall Fund of the United States hosted BUILD, in partnership with the Bilbao City Council, to reflect
issues the German Marshall fund has identified that will drive the next generation of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.
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TMI Consulting is a Richmond-based diversity & inclusion strategy consulting firm. TMI helps organizations and
communities shift diversity from a liability to an asset. As the world’s first leadership & diversity Certified B Corp, we
value social and global responsibility. We help our clients maximize profits without marginalizing people.
www.tmiconsultinginc.com • 213 E. Grace St #101 • Richmond, VA 23219 • (804)225-5537
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