Loretta Lees

Loretta Lees is a Professor of Human Geography at the University of Leicester, UK, since 2013. She previously held roles at King’s College London, including Professor (2008–2013), Reader, Senior Lecturer, and Lecturer (1997–2013). Her research focuses on urban policy, gentrification, global urbanism, and urban public space. She has held visiting professorships in the USA, Norway, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Key affiliations include leadership roles as Director of Research at the University of Leicester and Director of the Cities Group at King’s College. She co-founded initiatives such as The Urban Salon (2009) and The Leicester Urban Observatory (2016). She was Chair of the London Housing Panel (2020–22) and has advised the Mayor of London, parliamentary committees, and UN-Habitat.

Her honors include the 2022 Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award and recognition as one of the most cited urban geographers globally. She has secured nearly £2 million in research grants and delivered over 70 keynote lectures. Her work bridges academia and public policy, with frequent media engagements in TV, radio, and print.