Conflict management expert Felix Spender has visited India as part of the country’s ambitious plan to develop ‘smart cities’ and help lift millions of people out of poverty.
The former army officer, who launched his business North Light Solutions in 2011, met politicians, university representatives and business owners at the Innovation India conference in Mumbai.
The event, run by the British Chamber of Commerce in Denmark (BCCD), investigated how to create smart cities with better facilities and the ability to provide their own water and power.
Felix, who worked on peace-keeping missions with NATO in Kosovo and Iraq, is now resolving conflict in businesses and organisations through North Light Solutions, which has an office in Bristol.
He said: “If I can play a small part in helping to improve people’s lives through my involvement with smart cities, then that would be fantastic.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to build 100 smart cities – with the first being Amaravati, a new capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh on the country’s south eastern coast, which is now being built from scratch.
The mammoth task comes as India stakes its claim as one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies and potential global super power.
Felix, who served in the Army for more than 30 years and is an accredited mediator, was chosen to appear at the conference due to his reputation for getting results with integrity. He is set to help manage conflict during the ambitious work programme.
He was joined at the event by a delegation from Denmark as well as Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naru Chandrababu Naidu.
Felix said: “I was surprised and delighted to be invited to such a momentous occasion. It is an amazing opportunity to play a role in creating a new city.
“India is a fascinating, colourful place with huge ambition. But there is still a large gap between rich and poor. Smart cities will hopefully help to bridge this.”
Smart-city planning looks at a range of approaches – technologies, urban planning, public-private partnership and policy change. Underlying this is a smart approach to people – starting during the planning stages.
“These are major projects and there will inevitably be disputes, be it internally or from stakeholders,” Felix added.
“North Light’s role would be to assist the project teams in dealing with conflict quickly and fairly, enabling work to continue.
“Constructive conflict management increases the probability of a project’s success and reduces cost. It’s about putting people at the centre of the solution to create a win-win for all involved.
“It’s an exciting time, though not without its challenges. The hope is that smart cities will be environmentally friendly and improve the lives of people in that area.
“Technology, driven by renewable energy, will be available in these cities from the outset, as will clean drinking water and effective waste to energy management.
“India wants to be a world leader in the 21st century and we are delighted to be able to support them.”
During his Army career, Felix served in Belize, Berlin – he was in Germany when the Berlin wall came down in 1989 – Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Middle East, the Falkland Islands, Kosovo and Iraq.
He worked with NATO in Kosovo in 2005-6 to help develop a democratic society following the Kosovo War of 1998-99. He was based in Iraq in 2009 to build capacity within the Iraqi military during a period of transition following the war of 2003.
Following his retirement from the Army in 2010 he worked as a consultant for Begbies Traynor Group’s global risk and investigation service, dealing mainly with cases of Somalian pirates holding people hostage. North Light Solutions also has an office in Bath.
Pictured, above: Felix Spender giving his presentation at the Innovation India conference in Mumbai. Below: Felix, second left, with a delegation from the British Chamber of Commerce in Denmark and Indian politicians
