TOMAŽ LANIŠEK, MBA, MSC
Tomaž Lanišek is a former CEO of Knauf Insulation in Slovenia and Croatia, and prior to joining Knauf Insulation, he worked in the field of purchasing, sales and general management at Goodyear Dunlop Sava Tires. He holds a degree of a Master of Science in Economics and an MBA from Drury University in the USA. Additionally, he completed Program for Executive Development as well as the Digital Excellence Diploma at IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is a former Vice-President of American Chamber of Commerce in Slovenia (AmCham) and Managers’ Association of Slovenia and is working on several areas, the current preoccupation being a Head of Unit for Development, Smart City and Projects at the City of Kranj in the wake of development of technology and green trends for modern cities. In 2011, he was honoured Top Potential of the Year title in of the programme of AmCham Young Professionals in Slovenia. In companies, where he worked, he always fostered talents and work with employees, renovation of business processes and innovation. He is the Master of photography and a keen sportsman.
Planery Invited Lecture: Digital Transformation and Challenges of Smart Cities – Successful Practices and Vision of the City of Kranj
Smart cities represent a crucial area of development in the modern urban environment. With the rapid population growth in cities, numerous challenges arise, which smart cities aim to address through innovative technological solutions. Among these challenges are traffic and mobility, as well as environmental sustainability, in line with the European Commission’s guidelines. Smart cities must reduce their carbon footprint, improve waste management, and preserve the natural environment. This requires innovative solutions for energy efficiency, green construction, and sustainable resource use. Two key projects are key for digital transformation in City of Kranj that ambitiously tackle these challenges in a pioneering way.
The Smart Mlaka Project, recognized by the European Commission (via JRC) and Gartner as one of the top five best practices for smart cities in the EU was successfully extrapolated into a comprehensive digital platform by the City of Kranj. The new city card, called CeKR, enables secure identification, payments, and loyalty schemes. Its purpose is to guide the habits of Kranj’s residents and visitors toward a green transition, especially as the City of Kranj is in the elite group of the EU’s Mission 100 Cities to become carbon-neutral and smart by 2030. The ambitious goal for CeKR is to evolve into a regional card, enhancing the quality of life for both residents and visitors.