Welcoming Hesham Gamal Gaafar: Championing Human-Centric Digital Twins for the Built Environment
Smart Cities Council is pleased to welcome Hesham Gamal Gaafar as a Professional Member. A recognized thought leader in the application of geospatial and digital twin technologies, Hesham brings a unique blend of technical depth, academic insight, and real-world experience to the Council’s collaborative ecosystem.
Currently serving as Digital Twin Lead at Esri Saudi Arabia, Hesham is at the forefront of integrating GIS, BIM, and advanced spatial technologies into the development of the built environment. His work supports the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia’s national giga projects, advancing smart infrastructure planning and delivery at an unprecedented scale.
Hesham’s career spans both industry and academia, giving him a rare ability to connect strategic innovation with practical implementation. As a Smart Cities researcher at the Zigurat Institute of Technology, he explores the evolving intersection of spatial computing, urban resilience, and human-centric design - a field he is eager to deepen through his involvement with the Council.
His recent academic visit to the University of Barcelona reflects his commitment to continuous learning and international collaboration. Holding a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Cairo University, an MBA from the University of the People in California, and a postgraduate diploma in Information Technology, Hesham is a lifelong learner with a strong interdisciplinary foundation.
Notable among his past contributions is his work on the Bicentennial Schools Programme in Peru, where he applied digital twin technology to optimize infrastructure planning at scale. He has also played a key role in digital transformation initiatives across the MENA region in collaboration with Autodesk partners.
Through his membership in the Smart Cities Council, Hesham aims to expand his engagement with the global smart cities community and contribute to advancing inclusive, resilient, and data-driven urban development. With a growing focus on human-centric design, he is particularly interested in exploring how digital twins can better serve people - not just projects.
We are excited to welcome Hesham into the SCC network and look forward to the insights and leadership he will bring to our shared mission of building smarter, more sustainable cities for all.
Learn more about Smart Cities Council membership here, or contact us.
