Jean-Marc OFFNER, urbanist, was managing director of the a-urba (agency of town planning Bordeaux metropolis Aquitaine) from 2009 to 2022. At first researcher at the Research institute of Transport, he managed the Laboratory Technologies-Territories-Companies (Latts) from 2000 till 2008, the Department Planning-Transport-Environment of the École des Ponts from 1996 till 2000 and the Network Research association of the CNRS(National Center for Scientific Research) from 1993 till 2000.

He taught at the French national school of civil engineering, at Sciences Po and in the institutes of town planning. There is or were a member of editorial committees of Espaces et Sociétés, Flux, Métropolis and Urbanism. He manages the Cahiers de la Métropole Bordelaise and participates in the orientation committee of the Forum Mobile Lives. Finally, he chairs the strategic council of the Urban School as well as that of the research program POPSU (Observation platform of the projects and the urban strategies).

His main themes for reflection and of study concern the local public action and the metropolitan governance, the role of the expertise in the processes of decision, the socioeconomics of the technical networks and the urban services, the relations between politics of travels and territorial transfers, the innovations for the planning and the sustainable mobility, the procedures of planning, the metropolitan dynamics.

References and publications:

• Offner J-M. (2022, August), ZAN, contre-enquête De l’impasse légaliste de l’arithmétique foncière à l’ambition régulatrice de la gouvernance des sols (FR), Revue Urbanisme
• Offner J-M., Anachronismes urbains, Presses de Sciences Po, 2020
• Presse box in Le Monde, 25 May 2018
• Entrevue "To rethink the daily mobilities", La Fabrique de la Cité, 2017
• Gilli. F & Offner J-M., Paris, métropole hors les murs : aménager et gouverner le Grand Paris, Presses de Sciences Po, 2009
• Offner J.-M., Politiques de transport : prospective et outils, La documentation française, 2009
• Offner J.-M., Les plans de déplacements urbains, La documentation française, 2006
• Offner J.-M., Réseaux et territoires : Significations croisées, Editions de l'Aube, 1997

Former student of the ENSAE (National School of Statistics and Economic Administration), Frédéric GILLI is an economist specialized in urban issues. He received the Young Planner Award in 2010. He is the Associate Director of the Grand Public Agency, specialized in change management.

He is the author of papers and books on the organization of productive systems and the geography of employment. He worked on the geography of industrial sectors and value chains in the Parisian basin, on the organization of the Parisian metropolis and on the governance of Greater Paris. It also considers how to boost economic and urban projects through more efficient participatory processes.

References and publications:

• Gilli F., La promesse démocratique - Place aux citoyens ! (FR), Armand Colin, 2022
• Delpirou A. & Gilli F., 50 cartes à voir avant d'aller voter (FR), Autrement, 2022
• His agency Grand public is partner of the MOOC Searching for the Grand Paris, 2017 
• Podcasts on France Culture (FR) (2009 to 2017)
• Gilli F., Grand Paris. L'émergence d'une métropole, Presses de Sciences Po, 2014
• Cordoba V., Desforges M. & Gilli F., Territoires et Innovation, La Documentation française, 2013
• Gilli F. & Offner J.-M., Paris, métropole hors les murs : aménager et gouverner le Grand Paris, Presses de Sciences Po, 2009 
• Chemetov P. & Gilli F., Une région de projets : l’avenir de Paris, La Documentation française, 2006

Jérôme BARATIER is the Director of the Tours urban planning agency. 

References and publications:

• Baratier J., Le confinement va-t-il profondément changer l’urbanisme ? Envies de ville, avril 2020
• Baratier J., Quels seraient les ressorts d'un urbanisme des transitions ?, Revue urbanisme, janvier 2020
• Baratier J., Transitions, Chronique d’une nouvelle grammaire de l’action locale, Planète SCoT, juin 2019
• Baratier J., Petit guide de survie pour futurs urbanistes, Revue Urbanisme, avril 2016

Champaka RAJAGOPAL has worked on numerous urban renewal, planning and transportation projects in major Indian metropolises, Macau, Shanghai, cities in the United States, regions in Sri Lanka, Libya, Vietnam and Indonesia. She has worked as an urban planner and project manager for infrastructure companies, public authorities, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

She trained in architecture at CEPT University in Ahmedabad, in Urban Design at the University of California in Berkeley and recently obtained a PhD in Urban Planning and International Development at the University of Amsterdam. She created and leads "Open to TRANSITION Network". She is visiting faculty at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, where she is coordinator of the Law and Policy Hub, focused on experiential learning and educating in field practice and research.

Since 2014, Champaka teaches at the Urban School a course on the real politics of urban planning practice and governance related to digital issues and ownership within the master Governing the Large Metropolis. In September 2021, she gave the inaugural lecture of the Urban School in duo with Emmanuelle Cosse.

Watch her video presentation 

References and publications:

• Kothari, J. & Rajagopal, C. (2021, June). The Central Vista Project and the Loss of the Public-Trust Doctrine. Article 14
• Krishnaswamy, S., Rajagopal, C., & Idiculla, M. (2018, January). BDA’s master plan goes from compact to urban sprawl. Deccan Herald
• Krishnaswamy, S., Rajagopal, C., & Idiculla, M. (2017, March). Planning for Bengaluru; A five part Series. The Hindu
• Rajagopal, C. & Krishnankutty. (2016, July). What it Means to Reduce Planning Norms for Amenities, M, The Hindu
• Mohan, A. & Rajagopal, C. (2011). Outsourcing Governance? Revised Master Plan for Bangalore 2015. ISOCARP
• Ghosh, A. & Rajagopal, C. (2005). Bangalore’s Deluge. The Hindu, Survey of the Environment

Isabelle Baraud-Serfaty is a graduate of the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris and the Cycle d'Urbanisme at Sciences Po. She worked for over 15 years in various public and private organisations before founding ibicity in 2010, a consultancy specialising in urban economics. In 2023, she published ‘Trottoirs! Une approche économique, historique et flâneuse’ (Editions Apogée). In 2024, Isabelle Baraud-Serfaty was one of three nominees for the Grand Prix de l'urbanisme, reflecting her expertise in reshaping the game of players and new urban economic models. 

Isabelle has been involved for over twenty years with the Urban School and the Master Stratégies Territoriales et Urbaines, where she teaches a key course on the private players in the city.

Nicolas PORTIER is a graduate of Sciences Po and holds a degree in sociology. He also has a master's degree in business law. During his professional career, he worked as an advisor to DATAR (the French government agency responsible for regional development) on the preparation and implementation of the 1995 and 1999 regional development laws. He was the General Delegate of the Association of Intercommunalities of France (formerly AdCF) between 2004 and 2022. He contributed to various reforms of French regional organisation, local taxation and planning tools. Nicolas Portier is now independent (Stratee) and undertakes research, consulting, and training assignments. Since 2023, he has chaired the Cercle pour l'aménagement du territoire (CPAT).
Nicolas has been a lecturer on the Master's programme in Urban Studies at the Urban School since its inception. His courses and research focus on regional economic strategies in the era of ecological and energy transitions. He is developing a research programme on environmental planning at Sciences Po.

Patricia PELLOUX is deputy director of Apur (Atelier parisien d'urbanisme). An urban engineer by training, she was previously director of metropolitan studies at Apur, then joined the bid committee of the French public interest group Paris 2024 as head of sites and infrastructure. As deputy director, she is currently responsible for developing the annual partnership work programme and coordinating project teams. She is co-director of the publication of the Atelier's studies. She focuses particularly on the adaptation of cities to climate change, urban transformations, and the evolution of public spaces.
Patricia has been involved with the Sciences Po Urban School for over twenty years, where she teaches courses in urban analysis and urban projects.