In this episode of Redefining Society and Technology, I sit down with Lawrence Eta — global technology leader, former CTO of the City of Toronto, and author of Bridging Worlds. We explore how technology, done right, can serve society, reduce inequality, and connect communities. From public broadband projects to building smart — sorry, connected — cities, Lawrence shares lessons from Toronto to Riyadh, and why tech is only as good as the values guiding it.
⸻ Podcast: Redefining Society and Technology
https://redefiningsocietyandtechnologypodcast.com
Title: Bridging Worlds: How Technology Connects — or Divides — Our Communities
Guest: Lawrence Eta
Global Digital AI Thought Leader | #1 International Best Selling Author | Keynote Speaker | TEDx Speaker | Multi-Sector Executive | Community & Smart Cities Advocate | Pioneering AI for Societal Advancement
WebSite: https://lawrenceeta.com
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-eta-9b11139/
Host: Marco Ciappelli
Co-Founder & CMO @ITSPmagazine | Master Degree in Political Science - Sociology of Communication l Branding & Marketing Consultant | Journalist | Writer | Podcasts: Technology, Cybersecurity, Society, and Storytelling.
WebSite: https://marcociappelli.com
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-ciappelli/
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⸻ Podcast Summary ⸻
In this episode of Redefining Society and Technology, I sit down with Lawrence Eta — global technology leader, former CTO of the City of Toronto, and author of Bridging Worlds. We explore how technology, done right, can serve society, reduce inequality, and connect communities. From public broadband projects to building smart — sorry, connected — cities, Lawrence shares lessons from Toronto to Riyadh, and why tech is only as good as the values guiding it.
⸻ Article ⸻
As much as I love shiny gadgets, blinking lights, and funny noises from AI — we both know technology isn’t just about cool toys. It’s about people. It’s about society. It’s about building a better, more connected world. That’s exactly what we explore in my latest conversation on Redefining Society and Technology, where I had the pleasure of speaking with Lawrence Eta.
If you don’t know Lawrence yet — let me tell you, this guy has lived the tech-for-good mission. Former Chief Technology Officer for the City of Toronto, current Head of Digital and Analytics for one of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 mega projects, global tech consultant, public servant, author… basically, someone who’s been around the block when it comes to tech, society, and the messy, complicated intersection where they collide.
We talked about everything from bridging the digital divide in one of North America’s most diverse cities to building entirely new digital infrastructure from scratch in Riyadh. But what stuck with me most is his belief — and mine — that technology is neutral. It’s how we use it that makes the difference.
Lawrence shared his experience launching Toronto’s Municipal Broadband Network — a project that brought affordable, high-speed internet to underserved communities. For him, success wasn’t measured by quarterly profits (a refreshing concept, right?) but by whether kids could attend virtual classes, families could access healthcare online, or small businesses could thrive from home.
We also got into the “smart city” conversation — and how even the language we use matters. In Toronto, they scrapped the “smart city” buzzword and reframed the work as building a “connected community.” It’s not about making the city smart — it’s about connecting people, making sure no one gets left behind, and yes, making technology human.
Lawrence also shared his Five S principles for digital development: Stability, Scalability, Solutions (integration), Security, and Sustainability. Simple, clear, and — let’s be honest — badly needed in a world where tech changes faster than most cities can adapt.
We wrapped the conversation with the big picture — how technology can be the great equalizer if we use it to bridge divides, not widen them. But that takes intentional leadership, community engagement, and a shared vision. It also takes reminding ourselves that beneath all the algorithms and fiber optic cables, we’re still human. And — as Lawrence put it beautifully — no matter where we come from, most of us want the same basic things: safety, opportunity, connection, and a better future for our families. That’s why I keep having these conversations — because the future isn’t just happening to us. We’re building it, together.
If you missed the episode, I highly recommend listening — especially if you care about technology serving people, not the other way around. Links to connect with Lawrence and to the full episode are below — stay tuned for more, and let’s keep redefining society, together.
⸻ Keywords ⸻ Connected Communities, Smart Cities, Digital Divide, Public Broadband, Technology and Society, Digital Infrastructure, Technology for Good, Community Engagement, Urban Innovation, Digital Inclusion, Public-Private Partnerships, Tech Leadership
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End of transmission.
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Marco Ciappelli:
All right, here we are. This is another episode, kind of like a new season. I say it’s 2025 — the year just started not too long ago. And even if I don’t really do seasonal episodes, I like to think, in my head, it’s a new year, let’s start with something interesting.
Of course, this is Redefining Society and Technology — the podcast where we talk about how to use technology to improve society, instead of just following all the blinking lights and funny noises that tech — and AI — can make. Then realizing, “What have we done?”
I like to think we need to plan a little better. And to do that, I love talking to people who’ve been dealing with technology all their careers — all their lives.
And Lawrence Eta, my guest today, definitely has that kind of experience. He’s a tech speaker, he wrote a book, he’s been in tech consulting for a long time, and he served as Chief Technology Officer for the City of Toronto, Canada — among other things we’re going to learn about during this conversation.
Enough about me — Lawrence, welcome to the show. Thanks for coming by.
Lawrence Eta:
Marco, it’s truly a pleasure. Thank you to you and your audience for the opportunity. I’m really looking forward to this conversation. And I also love the title Redefining Society and Technology — because, at the end of the day, it really is about serving society. So, I appreciate the opportunity indeed.
Marco Ciappelli:
Absolutely. These are exactly the conversations I want to have more of. And like I mentioned, you also wrote a book called Bridging Worlds — a journey of technology, leadership, and public service — which really frames well what I try to do with this podcast: talk to people like yourself and see what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong — as leaders, educators, people using technology in business, and so on.
We’ll get into that. But first, introduce yourself to the audience. I probably already spoiled some of it, so I’ll let you package it nicely.
Lawrence Eta:
Very much so — and again, thank you.
I’m currently based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, working on one of the mega projects under Vision 2030 as Head of Digital and Analytics.
Before that, I was the Chief Technology Officer for the City of Toronto. While in Toronto, I also served as Deputy Chief Information Officer for infrastructure.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked across various industries, mainly in tech — including pensions and benefits, where we focused on taking documentation online; private and public sector digitization; and telecom — mostly across North America, specifically the US and Canada.
I like to think I’ve worked my way up and down the technology stack — from the applications layer to the physical telecommunications layer.
Interestingly, I also pursued business studies. I have an Executive MBA and a Master of Management to understand how finance works, how value is created.
That became a passion for me in public service — understanding how technology can drive positive societal change. Because in the private sector, of course, it’s profit and loss — you’re making a difference, but it’s focused on revenue and profitability.
In government, your stakeholders are citizens. Your business case includes governance, inclusion, and long-term societal impact. That’s been my journey.
The reason I wrote Bridging Worlds — after living in five countries — is because I see technology and data as neutral forces that should bridge society. Technology has no inherent bias — diversity, equity, inclusion should all be part of how we apply it.
It should bring socioeconomic and environmental positivity — but doing that requires overcoming the challenge of uniting people under a shared vision.
That’s a bit about my background — and a lot about my passion for community and society.
Marco Ciappelli:
Yeah, absolutely. As you’re saying this, I’m thinking of conversations I’ve had with other public leaders. I think we even have a few mutual connections from what I saw on LinkedIn — people running other cities.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s what you just said — the difference when your “customers” are citizens. It’s about serving them and making sure you’re not creating inequality.
When you work in private companies, the goal often becomes — let’s face it — “how much more money are we making?” We can debate the ethics of that, but that’s another conversation.
What I want to talk about is: when you run a city technology program, how do you measure success? Because it’s not about quarterly profits — the results are long-term, societal. How do you plan and show that success?
Lawrence Eta:
I’ll give a specific example.
When I was in Toronto, one of our priorities was bridging the digital divide. Toronto is a city of 2.9 million people — one of the most diverse in North America — yet there were major inequities around high-speed internet access.
Canada, among the G7, has some of the highest internet costs. There’s a difference between availability and accessibility — the infrastructure might be there, but is it affordable for everyone?
We looked at families on government benefits — if 60% of your income goes to internet access, is that equitable? Obviously not.
So, we launched the Municipal Broadband Network — leveraging government-owned fiber optics to bring high-speed internet where it was needed most. Fiber is the foundation — it powers everything from Wi-Fi to cellular connectivity.
We created a public-private partnership: telecoms, hardware providers, and government working together. We installed free public Wi-Fi in high-rise buildings, covering underserved areas.
That was a measurable success — rolled out over 12 months, during the pandemic when connectivity became essential for remote work, school, even healthcare.
Measuring success isn’t always easy — especially in government. It can be qualitative — but we tied it to social impact.
We tracked things like: how many families gained affordable internet? Were students able to attend virtual classes? Could people bank online or run home businesses?
The ultimate KPI wasn’t profit — it was reducing digital inequality and improving quality of life.
To guide all this, we developed the Digital Infrastructure Strategic Framework — policies ensuring technology projects had to demonstrate socioeconomic benefits, equity, diversity, democratic participation, transparency, and retention of public intellectual property.
So, it’s about being intentional — aligning taxpayer dollars and private investment with measurable, community-driven outcomes.
Marco Ciappelli:
I love that — because it requires a solid, thoughtful plan. You have different players, political pressures, competing priorities.
And I appreciate how you highlighted quality — it’s not enough to say, “everyone has internet,” when some have high-speed fiber and others can barely load a document.
Equitable access matters — and it’s more than just technical infrastructure, it’s outcomes.
When you plan something like this — beyond the book and your consulting work — your mission is creating solutions that work for everyone.
But as I always joke, we get distracted by blinking lights and funny noises — “Hey, there’s new tech, let’s use it!” Even if we have no idea how.
Public service can’t operate that way — planning is essential, but cities are complex. Often, people say, “What’s a smart city? I can’t see it.” It’s like Disney — behind the scenes, a huge system keeps everything working.
How do you orchestrate that? And how do you sit everyone down — with different agendas — and get alignment?
Lawrence Eta:
You start by knowing your customer — or in government, your constituents.
We borrowed from the private sector: KYC — Know Your Customer.
It starts with engagement — town halls, forums, where community members tell you what matters most. You need diversity in those rooms — different neighborhoods, demographics, economic backgrounds.
We did that across Toronto — then, when COVID hit, we moved online.
People need to feel change is happening with them, not to them.
We heard their priorities: safety, transportation, homelessness, affordability. We categorized those and looked at how to solve them — bringing in the right partners from academia, private sector, government.
As a leader, your job is building that roundtable — making sure everyone has a voice. Not everyone will agree — but they need to feel heard.
Then you prioritize based on budget and impact.
You also connect the dots — show how investing in connectivity fuels economic development, which generates taxes, which funds social services.
We even reframed language — we stopped calling it “Smart City” and switched to “Connected Community.”
Why? Because “Smart City” can feel like tech imposed from above — disconnected from people’s lives. “Connected Community” invites everyone in — public, private, residents — to work together for collective benefit.
As a government official, you constantly reinforce the guiding principles:
• Social, economic, environmental benefits
• Diversity, equity, inclusion
• Transparency, democracy
• Public ownership of critical infrastructure
That helps align competing interests — even when private sector profit motives enter the picture.
Leadership requires patience, calm, mindfulness, resilience. You won’t please everyone — but you build trust through consistent values, community participation, and showing tangible results.
Marco Ciappelli:
I love that — especially changing the language.
Tech often picks the wrong words — “Artificial Intelligence” being my favorite example. It sets unrealistic expectations.
Same with “Smart City” — people expect magic, when in reality, it’s about collaboration and infrastructure that improves lives.
Explaining that — setting realistic expectations — is critical.
Also, your point about legacy cities resonates. I’m in Florence right now — medieval streets made for horses, not fiber optic cables. Adapting to modern needs is a huge challenge.
But you’re now working on a greenfield project — building from scratch. With that freedom, how do you approach it without being overwhelmed?
Lawrence Eta:
You break it down — like building a house.
First, policies and regulations — internal and external.
Then, define your “personas” — residents, visitors, investors.
Next comes infrastructure: telecommunications is foundational. Without fiber, cellular, connectivity, nothing else works.
Applications follow — transport, security, public services.
Data is the secret ingredient — it must be integrated, accessible, secure.
In Toronto, I introduced the Five S principles:
• Stability
• Scalability
• Solutions (integration, avoiding silos)
• Security (cyber and operational tech)
• Sustainability (cloud, energy-efficient infrastructure)
City digitization requires architectural thinking — technical and governance structures built together, phase by phase.
Governance is critical — without it, discussions stall, and tangible progress is impossible.
With the right roadmap, leadership, and principles — even massive projects become manageable, measurable, and aligned with long-term vision.
Marco Ciappelli:
I love the Five S model — making complexity more concrete.
Technology evolves — that’s inevitable. How do you future-proof decisions, knowing that what’s cutting-edge today might be obsolete tomorrow?
Lawrence Eta:
You create incubation zones — spaces for experimentation.
In some cities, these are special regulatory areas — sandbox environments for testing emerging technologies.
You bring together private sector, academia, community stakeholders — experimenting with solutions outside strict legacy constraints.
Take quantum computing — it’s poised to revolutionize AI, but it needs safe testing grounds before wide deployment.
We use frameworks like:
• MVP — Minimum Viable Product
• IOC — Initial Operating Capability
• FOC — Future Operating Capability
That way, only validated, scalable solutions integrate into the core systems.
The goal is continuous innovation — without risking stability.
Marco Ciappelli:
I love that.
To wrap up, your multicultural background — from Nigeria to global leadership roles — inspired Bridging Worlds.
Right now, tech often sparks fear: AI taking jobs, copyright battles, robotics changing industries.
I believe tech is a force for good — if used thoughtfully. Where do you see humanity standing on that journey?
Lawrence Eta:
Technology is the greatest equalizer — but it reflects our values.
In five countries I’ve lived, I’ve seen one constant: we’re all human.
We want economic security, safety, opportunity for our families.
That common ground should be the foundation — before our differences.
Tech can address local challenges:
• Renewable energy transitions
• Financial inclusion in underserved regions
• Access to education and healthcare
But the conversation must center people — their needs, their dignity.
Division arises when technology benefits only a few — when people feel left behind.
Bridging Worlds is about finding commonality — using technology to connect societies, not widen divides.
With intentional leadership, we can harness tech for good — building communities where everyone participates, prospers, and feels included.
Marco Ciappelli:
Couldn’t agree more.
Technology, like math in first-contact movies, can be a universal language — but it’s up to us to guide its impact.
Lawrence, this was amazing. I’d love to have you back to dive deeper into your current work and these global challenges.
We all share the same fundamental goals — sometimes, we just need new words and better conversations to get there.
Lawrence Eta:
Indeed — and if anyone wants to follow my work, I publish a LinkedIn newsletter called The Digital Bridge every two weeks.
You can also connect with me on Instagram, @vLawrence, or find my book on Amazon.
Let’s keep this conversation going — it takes all of us, as one global society.
Marco Ciappelli:
Perfect — I’ll include all your links in the show notes.
Thank you again, Lawrence — and thanks to everyone listening.
Stay tuned for more Redefining Society and Technology episodes — let’s keep working to make tech more human and society more connected.
Thank you so much.
Lawrence Eta:
Thank you, Marco. Thank you.