Media Release
Gabriel Metcalf begins as new CEO of the Committee for Sydney
17 January, 2019

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Matt Levinson
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Gabriel Metcalf has started as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Committee for Sydney today.

Gabriel was formerly President and CEO of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR). He is a leading urban thinker, who led SPUR  between 2005-2018, with responsibility for defining the overall vision and strategy for the organisation and leading it through a major expansion.

Under Gabriel’s leadership, SPUR developed into a high-profile international policy institute of over 40 staff, leading the policy reform agendas in the fields of transport, housing, economic development, regional planning and fiscal management.

During his tenure at SPUR, the organisation led efforts to establish the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the city’s first multi-modal transportation agency. SPUR also initiated and led the Better Neighborhoods Planning process as part of a broad package of land use changes to the city, as well as reform of the San Francisco budget process to include multi-year budget planning and the creation of a Housing Trust Fund.

Gabriel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Antioch College; Master of City and Regional Planning at University of California – Berkeley and has served as a Fellow of the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Gabriel Metcalf said:

“Sydney is one of the most dynamic, liveable and exciting places to be in the world. But like all of the world’s great cities, it has its struggles too. An economic powerhouse, growing at a fast rate for years on end, the city faces the challenges of success – how to accommodate population and job growth gracefully, how to make it easier for people to get around the city, how to include everyone in the prosperity that is all around us.”

“This is going to be a big year for the Committee, and a big year for Sydney, starting with the State and Federal elections. The Committee for Sydney is uniquely positioned to be a positive force to help Sydney move into the future – serving as a source of ideas and inspiration, learning from other cities around the world, and advocating for the policies that will truly have an impact on the problems and the opportunities faced by this amazing city.”

Note to editors:

  1. The Committee for Sydney is an independent think tank and champion for the whole of Sydney, providing thought leadership beyond the electoral cycle. The Committee aims to enhance the economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions that make Sydney a competitive, resilient and liveable global city. The Committee has a diverse membership with over 150 member organisations: including the major corporate sectors driving Sydney’s economy; strategically minded local authorities; key NSW Government departments and agencies; not- for-profit organisations; and leading arts and sporting institutions. Members help develop and deliver priorities, provide expertise and ensure a representative geographical spread across the greater Sydney region.
  2. Examples of Gabriel Metcalfe’s recent publications include: