SmartCitiesWorld Podcast

In this final episode of Cities Thriving on Lighting mini-series, host Luke Antoniou is joined by Valentina Taddeo, Marketing & Communication Leader and Strategic Relationship Coordinator, and Fabio Mauri, Head of Technology Operations and Cyber Security at Paradox Engineering. Building on the first two episodes, this conversation moves from theory to real-world deployments. Valentina shares insights from recent projects in Europe and Southeast Asia, including how cities in Spain and Cambodia are approaching modernisation in different ways, while aiming for similar outcomes in terms of energy efficiency, citizen engagement, and urban innovation. The episode also tackles a critical question: what happens when you connect something as widespread as public lighting to an IoT network? Fabio outlines the cybersecurity risks and explains how cities can reduce their exposure through the right combination of technology, processes, and people. Finally, the guests offer practical guidance for city leaders and their partners, condensing their experience into three essential principles for future-ready smart lighting: security, reliability, and simplicity. If you’re interested in how smart lighting can become a foundation for smarter, more resilient cities, and what it really takes to get there, this episode offers grounded, practitioner-led perspectives you won’t want to miss.