Mateu Hernández

Mateu Hernández is an expert in urban and economic development, currently serving as the CEO of Visit Barcelona/Turisme de Barcelona, a public-private consortium. Previously, he was the first CEO of Barcelona Global, a nonprofit association of over 1,000 members dedicated to enhancing Barcelona as a premier city for talent and economic activity. He also served as the International Director at Casa Batlló, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Barcelona.

From 1999 to 2011, Hernández developed his career at the Barcelona City Council, holding positions as CEO for Economic Development and CEO of its local development agency, Barcelona Activa. In these roles, he focused on entrepreneurship, talent acquisition, tourism, employment, foreign direct investment (FDI), and city branding strategies. He has also advised several international cities, including New York, Oslo, Turin, and London. Furthermore, he is the Secretary of the International Advisory Board for the Smart City World Expo and Congress, contributing to global discussions on smart urban development.