Leyla Saadi

Leyla Saadi is an urban strategist, designer, and founder of Urban Collabs, a practice that supports urban decision makers, governments, consultants, and private developers in making smarter urban decisions through spatial intelligence, mapping, and strategic planning. Her work bridges data and design to help cities become more livable, inclusive, and future-ready. With over a decade of international experience across the UK, EU, Middle East, and the U.S., Leyla has led and contributed to major urban and regional planning projects, including the Soudah Urban Design Codes (Saudi Arabia), the Muscat 2040 Structural Plan (Oman), the Miami-Dade South Corridor TOD Expansion (USA) and many more strategic projects. She has delivered a wide range of initiatives focused on land use strategy, site selection, geospatial analysis, and the integration of technology into creative, place-based solutions. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at global firms such as Broadway Malyan and Benoy Architects, where she collaborated with high-profile clients on large-scale developments that balance functionality with cultural identity. She managed and liaised with international teams across studios in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Singapore and beyond. Her academic background in Architectural Engineering, combined with advanced studies in Urban Technology, Big Data, and Sustainable Design, forms the foundation of her systems-thinking approach to spatial planning and city-making. This interdisciplinary expertise enables her to bridge the gap between technical analysis and creative vision—allowing for more integrated, data-informed strategies that respond to the complex social, environmental, and spatial dynamics of contemporary cities. It also informs her ability to translate large-scale urban challenges into actionable planning frameworks that support equity, resilience, and long-term impact.