Jordi Vaquer Email & Phone Number

Since 2022 I am the Secretary General of Metropolis, the global network of major cities and metropolitan areas, an association of local authorities of urban agglomerations of more than 1M inhabitants and capitals. The position entails a triple role: institutional (responsible for the smooth running of statutory affairs and membership and external representation), strategic (overseeing the contents, priorities, plans and activities) and managerial (heading the professional team in Barcelona and the delegated activities in other cities). Based in Barcelona, often on the move. My professional background is in the broader area of international affairs. This was my academic area (PhD in International Relations from LSE), and I have continued to publish and provide media commentary. I worked in international relations for the regional government of Catalonia for five years. After that, I was a researcher and then the Director of CIDOB, the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, one of southern Europe's most prominent institution in this field. In 2013 I became the Regional Director for Europe, and in 2020 Director of Global Foresight and Analysis, of the Open Society Foundations, dealing from philanthropy with issues related to the defense of human rights and civil liberties, and good democratic governance. I am a member of the Editorial Board of Afers Internacionals, a Journal in Spanish devoted to international affairs.