Oliver May-Beckmann is Managing Director of MCube – Munich Cluster for the Future of Mobility in Metropolitan Regions at the Technical University of Munich, a flagship initiative with funding of more than €50 million dedicated to researching and implementing sustainable mobility innovations, and scalable solutions that can serve as models in Europe and around the world. In addition, Oliver serves as Deputy Climate Councillor for the City of Munich and is a member of the advisory board of the ZUKUNFT NAHVERKEHR initiative.
An expert in entrepreneurship and urban and social innovation, he is also an educator, mentor and connector between universities, industry, the public sector and start-ups. Oliver has lived and worked in China, the United States, Vietnam, Israel, Pakistan and Germany. He is a proud father of two and has a deep appreciation for Munich and the surrounding mountains.
Interview
How would you describe your vision for the “Spaces of Mobility” for the Munich Metropolitan Region in 2034 in three words?
Mobility for everyone.
What do you see as the biggest mobility challenge facing the Munich Metropolitan Region?
A lack of shared positive visions. As a result, we become bogged down in political infighting and fail to harness the region’s innovative capacity to match metropolitan areas such as London, Paris and Vienna in providing modern mobility for all.
What motivated you to get involved in the IBA-M?
I want the world to look at Munich in ten years and say: ‘What they’re doing is remarkable – we can learn from that.’
What unique perspective or expertise do you bring to the IBA-M?
The ability to translate outstanding research into practical implementation and to connect business, the public sector, academia and start-ups.
For me, the IBA is…
…the region’s catalyst for connecting mobility, urban development and urban design, using its network to give new ideas the visibility, momentum and support they need to become reality.