Reimagining Urban Futures through Smart City Therapy
Welcome to Smart City Therapy, the digital space of Dr. Houssam Al Masri, a visionary in Smart City and Mobility Planning, currently serving as Design Director at Jeddah Central Development (JCDC) — one of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious PIF-backed urban regeneration projects. With over three decades of experience across government, private sector, and global consulting, Dr. Al Masri’s mission is clear: to heal cities through human-centric design, ethical AI, and sustainable infrastructure.
From Systems Engineer to Urban Strategist
With a PhD from MIT in Smart Cities & IoT Analytics, and a background in Electrical and Communication Engineering, Dr. Al Masri’s career spans leadership roles at:
- JCDC: Leading the Smart City, Smart Mobility, and Digital Infrastructure vision across 5.7M m² of transformative urban development.
- Khatib & Alami (K&A): Championing upstream smart city strategy and integrating ESG, digital twins, and AI governance across giga-projects in the MENA region.
- Saudi Oger & Alpinada Telematics: Delivering FTTH, ELV, and smart building systems for ministries and municipalities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
His global footprint includes projects across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Lebanon, Iraq, and Central Africa, working with clients like STC, QNBN, Cisco, and Abu Dhabi Municipality.
Why Smart City Therapy?
Cities, like people, carry trauma — from climate shocks to infrastructural neglect to digital fragmentation. Smart City Therapy is Dr. Al Masri’s personal framework for diagnosing systemic urban pain points and delivering regenerative, ethical, and inclusive solutions rooted in:
- 🧠 AI for Urban Resilience
- 🌱 ESG-integrated Design
- 🛰️ Data-Driven Mobility
- 🏙️ Digital Infrastructure & Governance
- 🧬 Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
Roles Beyond Projects
Dr. Al Masri is not only a strategist but a policy advocate, mentor, and ecosystem builder:
Chair – Smart City Optics & Applications Committee, Fiber Connect Council MENA
Co-Leader – U4SSC DPI Toolkit (UN-ITU)
Technical Committee Member – ISO/TC 268 (Smart & Sustainable Cities)
Member – IEEE IT Society, ESRI GIS Professionals, Green Buildings Association
He is also a frequent keynote speaker, invited to global platforms such as ITU Geneva, Dubai World Congress on Self-Driving Transport, and OECD Smart Cities Forums.
Let’s collaborate
Dr. Al Masri is currently open to:
- 🌍 Visiting Professorships / Research Fellowships
- 🤝 Strategic Advisory Engagements
- 🧪 Smart City Innovation Partnerships
- 🎤 Speaking Engagements
Whether you’re building a city, shaping policy, or exploring future-proof solutions, this space is for urban therapists, technologists, planners, and visionaries alike.
“Urban futures are not built—they’re healed.”
Let ‘s Collaborate
Dr. Al Masri is currently open to:
- 🌍 Visiting Professorships / Research Fellowships
- 🤝 Strategic Advisory Engagements
- 🧪 Smart City Innovation Partnerships
- 🎤 Speaking Engagements
Whether you’re building a city, shaping policy, or exploring future-proof solutions, this space is for urban therapists, technologists, planners, and visionaries alike.
“Urban futures are not built—they’re healed.”
