Andrey Perminov

Andrey Perminov — Urban Development Strategist, Project Director, and PMO Leader Urban development and spatial strategy professional with 12 years of experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder projects spanning master planning, real estate advisory, investment strategy, and urban regeneration across Europe and the Middle East. Currently based in Madrid, Andrey has built his career at the intersection of urban planning, business strategy, and investment — helping cities and developers move from concept to implementation. His project portfolio includes a master plan in MENA region that secured over $1 billion in investment, an adaptive reuse strategy that attracted $250 million in private capital, and urban improvement programmes that impacted over 300 cities. Before moving to Spain, he spent seven years at two leading urban consultancies, progressing from analyst to Project Director and Head of International Business Development. In these roles, he led cross-functional teams of up to 20 professionals, managed relationships with government bodies, municipalities, and private investors, and built evidence-based methodologies for spatial development that were adopted at the national level. He also tripled the international competition conversion rate through a more strategic approach to global tenders and partnerships. His academic background bridges urban planning with economics and business: an MBArch from IE University in Madrid (Dean's List, Best Student Award), an MSc in Regional and Urban Planning from LSE, an MSc in Economics from the University of Amsterdam, and a BSc in Economics and Finance from the University of London. Having studied and worked across five countries — Russia, the UK, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Spain — Andrey understands firsthand the challenges of building an international career in urban planning: navigating unfamiliar job markets, adapting professional positioning across cultures, and finding the right niche in a rapidly evolving field. He is fluent in English, speaks Spanish, and is a native Russian speaker. As a mentor, he offers practical guidance in several areas that are often underrepresented in traditional urban planning education: - The business of cities — how to think about urban projects not only through the lens of design quality but also through investment logic, stakeholder alignment, and delivery feasibility. - International career strategy — how to position yourself for roles outside your home country and navigate the practical realities of relocation and cross-cultural teamwork. - From analysis to leadership — how to transition from technical or analytical roles into project leadership and management, including building and running teams, managing client relationships, and setting up effective project delivery processes. - Strategic consulting in urban development — how to structure and sell urban strategy projects, work with public and private clients, and deliver at the intersection of planning, economics, and policy. Andrey is particularly keen to support early- and mid-career urbanists who are exploring international opportunities, considering a pivot toward the strategic or business side of urban development, or looking for guidance on how to make their expertise more impactful and marketable in a global context.