Andy Palanisamy

Andy Palanisamy is a seasoned technology and policy professional with over 20 years of public/private experience building cities of the future. He is a recognized industry thought leader and a nuanced problem solver who relishes complex challenges and is particularly passionate about solving urban mobility issues using cutting edge technologies. He brings to bear a deep understanding of technical and public policy issues associated with cutting-edge technology tools and solutions such as autonomous/connected vehicles.

Andy currently serves as the Director and Head of Practice – Smart Cities at Parsons, leading a wide variety of engagements across the Middle East. Prior to joining Parsons, Andy served as the Head of Engagement (Midwest & Canada) at Ford Mobility’s City Solutions group. He was responsible for engaging key stakeholders/decision-makers to understand their priorities/pain points and translate these insights to establish partnerships that accelerate the deployment of Ford's R&D, pilots, and commercialized solutions to provide greater access for all. Previously at Ford, Andy also held the role of a Business Owner, built and delivered City Insights, an innovative analytics and data platform that is deployed in seven cities across the United States.

Before joining Ford, he spent nearly a decade and half supporting various U.S. Federal government initiatives at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT; contractor). As an industry thought leader, Andy is recognized for his contributions to the USDOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems program and various projects at the Federal Highway Administration’s Connected Automated Vehicle research program at the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center.