International Development

Consulting

 AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

• International Program Planning, Project Development & Implementation
• Infrastructure, Environmental & Transportation Projects & Programs
• Rapid Third World Urbanization & Climate Change Adaptation
• Global Site Selection & Economic Development Programs
• Metropolitan Spatial Analysis & Ecological City Design
• National-Regional Spatial Development & Redevelopment
• Urban & Regional Planning
• Public-Private-Partnerships for Project Finance & Development
• Program Evaluation & Institutional Capacity Enhancement

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND & QUALIFICATIONS

Dr. J. Michael Cobb has over twenty-five years of experience in planning, research, management and implementation of urban, regional, environmental and infrastructure development projects and programs located throughout the United States and overseas.  This includes work in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Lebanon, South Korea, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Indonesia, Uganda, South Africa and other countries.  His experience includes institutional capacity building, program analysis and evaluation, national planning for reconstruction, large-scale urban redevelopment projects, environmental and infrastructure planning, project feasibility assessment and public-private finance. 

Projects have included coastal environmental assessments and mitigation programs, green and brown infrastructure, metropolitan expansions plans and urban environmental improvement programs. His experience also includes planning, finance, funding, and implementation for programs exceeding 20 billion dollars in investment for international airports, mass transit, large scale housing, port development and expansion, railway and highway corridors and industrial development.

As a consultant and former executive professional  with Bechtel International, Planning Research Corporation and EDAW, Dr. Cobb’s experience and responsibilities have also included: organizing multi-national project teams;  developing multi-stakeholder public participation programs; developing in-country organizational capacity; establishing and managing new multi-national program planning and delivery for multi-million dollar infrastructure and environmental contracts with national and local governments and with private industry.  Dr. Cobb is also author of numerous technical reports and publications, is a member of various professional associations and has also been a guest speaker at conferences and universities in the U.S. and abroad.  

Licenses: Dr. Cobb is licensed in New Jersey USA as a Professional Planner (PP) and in Real Estate. He is a Fellow of the Institute for Urban Design and a Charter Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. In addition to technical skills, Dr. Cobb has extensive experience in project planning and development, group and corporate staff management, and direct coordination with the highest levels of government and industry. He has also authored numerous technical reports and publications and has been a frequent guest speaker at professional conferences and universities in the U.S. and abroad.  

EDUCATION

Fellow               Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School

                        (Public & Private Finance, Executive Program)

Ph.D.                University of Pennsylvania

                        (Urban & Regional Planning)

Diploma            U.S. Army Officer Engineer School

                        (Civil & Military Engineering)

B. Arch.            Clemson University

PUBLIC MEDIA 

Dr. Cobb has been interviewed and quoted in American Executive Magazine, Gulf Business (a professional publication covering development in the Middle East) and has appeared on regional television in the U.S. and the Middle East. He has also made major media covered presentations in Jordan, Colorado, Washington, DC, California, France and other locations.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

·         IDC International Development Consultants, LLC (IDC),

Mgn. Director & Consultant. Princeton, NJ. International project planning, development and management consulting services in: urban and regional planning, land development; urban design; transportation planning; commercial and industrial facilities planning and programming; environmental infrastructure development and project finance. Major clients have included: Bechtel Enterprises, Bechtel Civil, Bechtel UK, Bechtel Arabia other entities in the Bechtel Group of companies; the Urban Institute; Regional Housing and Urban Development Offices of US AID in Asia, Africa and Caribbean; Bearing Point; Aqaba Development Corporation; Wharton Int’l Housing Program; New Jersey Commissioner of Environment Protection; international private real estate and infrastructure development groups; and international planning, design and development firms ('87-Present). Also,

Founding Director: Urbanism3, IDC's "not-for-profit" urban advisory organization.

•  Planning Research Corporation (PRC Engineering)

Vice President and Division Regional Manager, Denver-Colorado Springs, Colorado. Responsible for directing urban planning and new community planning projects, including mixed-use commercial, infrastructure and environmental components of large scale land development projects ('85-'87).

·         Bechtel Corporation

Chief of Urban and Infrastructure Planning (worldwide operations) and as Department and Project Manager (various U.S. and overseas projects and programs). Responsible for urban and regional development planning; urban design; programming and design-planning research; transportation and commercial-industrial facilities; and project implementation services for urban, infrastructure and economic development projects and programs.  Key work areas: Gaithersburg, Caracas, Seoul, San Francisco and Jubail ('76-'79, '81-'84).

·         EDAW Incorporated

Director of Urban Planning and Design, San Francisco Hqts. Also, manager of multi-firm federal contracts for planning and research for community design and environmental planning for major public and private sector land planning development projects ('79-'80).

·         University of Pennsylvania & Corps of Engineers

While serving as a 1LT with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Michael Cobb was appointed Federal Interagency Coordinator for regional transportation projects in Northern California. He was also a Lecturer in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning and the Urban Design Program at the University of Pennsylvania ('70-‘76).

 LICENSES, PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & ACTIVITIES  

J. Michael Cobb is Licensed as a Professional Planner (PP) in the State of New Jersey (USA) and a Charter Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).  His professional affiliations have included: the San Francisco Planning and Urban Renewal Association (SPUR), New Jersey Future, the Society of American Military Engineers, International New Towns Association, American Public Transit Association, The Project Management Institute, the International Real Estate Institute and APA's International, Transportation, Resort and Tourism Divisions. He has also served as Adjunct Graduate Faculty in International Development at the University of Pennsylvania. 

RECENT MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Senior Advisor, ADC/Government of Jordan (2004 – 2007))

Since its establishment in 2004 to early 2007, Dr. Cobb served as a Senior Advisor to the Chairman (including serving as interim Chief Operating Officer) for the Jordanian Government's Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC, www.adc.jo ), the development arm of the newly established Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA, www.aqabazone.com). To guide and implement the development of Aqaba, Jordan’s only port, the newly formed public-private development entity ADC has been given ownership of all the major land, transport and infrastructure assets within the zone. As such, ADC is charged with leveraging the development of assets using public-private partnership initiatives (PPPs) for the benefits of Aqaba as well as for the overall Kingdom of Jordan.

With ADC, and in coordination with ASEZA, Dr. Cobb has had senior responsibilities for planning and implementation of over two billion USD in development projects including expansion and redevelopment of Aqaba’s two major commercial and industrial ports, railway relocation and extension, international airport expansion and urban tourism waterfront redevelopment. In additional to detailed physical development planning, Dr. Cobb’s work also includes securing stakeholder agreements, financial structuring, funding strategies, investment programming and project implementation.

Dr. Cobb also served as member of the Jordan’s Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee overseeing development of the Jordan National Railway Plan.

For a brief overview of graphics illustrating many of Dr. Cobb's project and program experience, please click the slide show bar below.

 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

J. Michael Cobb, PhD, AICP, PP

SELECTED PROJECT & PROGRAM EXPERIENCE (Brief overview)

Transportation & Free Zone Development

Consulting on urban expansion, industrial, transportation and free zone economic development projects and programs for Kurdistan, Northern Iraq (Consulting Project Manager for BearingPoint, 2004).

Tourism and Transportation Corridor Development

Consulting in strategic planning, programming, development and operations support for a $300 million tourism-resort complex in Mozambique along with transportation corridor/toll roads, commercial facilities and related infrastructure projects in southern African (Consulting for Bechtel - LTA, London and Johannesburg, 1995-96)

Urban, Industrial and Infrastructure Development (Saudi Arabia)

For the Saudi Arabian government and Saudi Arabian Bechtel, national strategic policy, program development planning, spatial planning and urban design, and implementation management for the one-third completed 250K person new industrial city at Jubail, plus other transportation and urban-commercial-housing projects in the Kingdom  (as Bechtel -Jubail Planning Manager and consultant, 1978-84, 1994). 

National Recovery, Spatial and Economic Development (Lebanon)

For the Lebanese government, development and reconstruction planning for national-regional spatial development, infrastructure, housing, transport, environmental, public facilities/services, financing and strategies for program management and implementation (Consulting Project Manager, Bechtel International, 1991-1993). 

Coastal Development and Urban Environmental Management (Dominican Republic)

For U.S. AID in the Dominican Republic, urban and regional environmental management strategies and program recommendations for:  tourism-resorts, free trade zones development and coastal zone management; water supply, waste water, solid waste and related health impacts; energy supply and related environmental impact mitigation;  public-private finance and institutional arrangements (as Consulting team leader, the Urban Institute and USAID, 1991).   

Market Towns, Transport and Urban Redevelopment (East Africa)

For U.S. AID regional offices, area surveys and policy recommendations for urban redevelopment, market towns, environmental and transportation programs for redevelopment of Luwero Province, Uganda (Consultant to USAID, 1987). 

New City Development Plan & Urban Expansion, Colorado Springs

(for Aries Properties and City of Colorado Springs: 25,000 acre new community, infrastructure, land use, finance, implementation-annexation program for 50% expansion of Colorado Springs).

Statewide Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Development (USA)

For New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection, policy analysis and recommendations addressing statewide infrastructure and environmental programs associated with the State's new on-going Development and Redevelopment Planning Program (Consultant to the State of New Jersey, 1988).

Montalban LaVega Urban Mixed-Use Development Plan, Caracas Urban district development plan, urban design guidelines, zoning recommendations and finance-implementation program for a mixed-use regional commercial center for central Caracas, including 4000 high density residential units, a metro mass transit, freeway network interchanges, recreation and community support facilities.  

Metropolitan Spatial Development, Transport and Growth Management (Thailand)

For U.S. AID, program assessment and strategic planning for transport options, environmental quality, urban spatial growth options and related public/private finance issues for development of the Bangkok metropolitan region (Consultant to US AID, 1985).

Karambunai Tourism and Resort Study (Malaysia). For an international development group, planning for native village protection and enhancement, hotels and related recreation, regional environmental protection, housing and eco-tourism development program implementation). 

Ciudad Guayana-Monagas Province Development, (Venezuela). Regional urban expansion, invasion settlement planning, transportation and infrastructure, new community planning, development entity formulation and implementation programming for growth of the Orinoco River heavy oil region.

Cheju Island Tourism & Trade Zone Planning, (South. Korea). For the Ministry of Construction/Strategic Research Institute. Planning and implementation program for urban commercial expansion, employment, tourism development, transportation and infrastructure expansion for S. Korea’s largest island. 

Caracas Centro Anauco Development Plan,  (Venezuela) For a major Venezuelan development group, master planning and urban design for 2.5 million sq.ft. office high-rise commercial mixed-use complex with transit connections for central area of metropolitan Caracas.

San Francisco Bay Area Transportation Systems. (For the federal-state-regional-local interagency coordination group). Urban-regional intermodal systems planning, including full environmental and socioeconomic impact assessments, for ports, highway and railway expansion plans for the 12 counties SF Bay Region.

Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania. (For Allegheny Co. Airport Authority). Planning for aviation, commercial facilities, and related off-site community infrastructure plans and phased land development implementation program for expanding this major international airport.

Riyadh and the Eastern Province International Airports, (Saudi Arabia) National-regional economic development growth forecasts, airport and related commercial and residential land use plans,  infrastructure  planning, investment scheduling and implementation program, and                                                                       

Other US and International Projects.  Program and projects involving urban design, master plans, general land use and related economic development plans for public and private clients in California, Utah, New York State, Alaska, Switzerland, England, Egypt and Indonesia. 

 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & RESULTS

§         Major Urban, Regional & Infrastructure Plans & Development Implementation Programs: Conducted socio-economic, market assessment and institutional development studies and formulated economic, environmental and related infrastructure and transport plans, and development financing and implementation programs for 12 major urban-regional-industrial international projects with constructed values over $20 billion in South Korea, the US, Jordan, Venezuela, South African, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries.

§         National - Regional Urban Environmental Plan: Team leader for the USAID-Urban Institute team which formulated for the Dominican Republic the first country-wide "strategic urban environmental infrastructure planning and development program” in support of new USAID federal global environmental mandates

§         Energy Efficiency - Sustainable Community Development Plan: Formulated and managed the first US federal agency sponsored community design and development research program addressing comprehensive energy efficiency, urban spatial form, environmental planning, mass transit, utilities and construction innovations (as part of a national US Department of Defense community-base systems support program)

§         National Reconstruction Plan & Investment Program: For Lebanon’s CDR (the Special Ministerial Council for Development & Reconstruction), and in coordination with the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and various donor countries National Recovery advisor and team leader for formulation, evaluating, financing and implementation of urban, transport and infrastructure projects comprising the national reconstruction and development program. Successfully planned and integrated 125 projects in a $3.2 billion national reconstruction investment program and secured $175 million in World Bank program initiation financing.

§         Public - Private Agreements - Development Business Plans: Formulation of the Management Development Agreement(s) between the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) – this region wide PPP (public-private partnership) specifies duties and obligation of both parties regarding planning, regulatory control, financing and development of all Aqaba zone assets, including: water front tourism area; commercial and industrial ports; all commercial land; the industrial zone; the international airport zone; and zone utilities systems. Formulation of the Board-Gov't approved first annual and five year business plan for the ADC.

§         National Strategic Planning: In Saudi Arabia, appointed to a governmental task force which produced national strategic planning guidelines for promoting economic development, secondary industry development, private sector participation and coordinated planning and regulatory guidelines for the new cities at Jubail and Yanbu. Also, served as a member of the Jordan’s Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee overseeing development of the Jordan National Railway Plan.

§         Transportation - Infrastructure - Urban Growth PPPs: For Jordan’s only seaport, with ASEZA (the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority) and  ADC (the Aqaba Development Corporation), formulation of specific PPP (public-private-partnership) options, evaluation methodologies, financing and implementation plan for over $ 2 billion PPP investment program in urban waterfront tourism redevelopment, industrial expansion, railway relocation and railway and airport expansion for Jordan’s only seaport at Aqaba. 

§         Technology Transfer & Training: As a direct consulting advisor, or while seconded to national implementation agencies, for Venezuela, Lebanon and Jordan, successfully worked with national and local organizations to establish and train new professional departments for addressing regional planning and development, urban planning and urban design tools and methods, regulatory controls, growth management, project finance, private sector participation and economic development.

 REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS: Currently Internet Posted

Adaptation to Climate Change in the World's Poorest Countries: Impacts, Costs & a Framework for Action.

Jubail New Industrial City & Saudi Arabia's Economic Development: Planning & Building Madinat Al-Jubail Al-Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia

Developing Bangkok's Mass Transit: Planning & Financing the "Mega Projects"

Public-Private Urban Infrastructure: Planning & Development in Emerging Markets  

Saudi Arabia's New Private Sector Development Strategy: Institutional Changes & the Privatization Challenge

Global Urban Infrastructure Development: Sources & Structures for Financing 

Lebanon's Reconstruction:  Development Planning & Investment Programming for National Recovery

OTHER REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS

Master Plan for the Port of Aqaba. Prepared for the Aqaba Development Corporation & approved by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba, Jordan. May 2006. Publicly released.

Master Plan for the Aqaba Southern Industrial Zone. Prepared for the Aqaba Development Corporation & Approved by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba, Jordan. April 2006. Publicly released.

 “Five PPP Strategy Reports for Aqaba: Main Port Redevelopment; Industrial Terminal; Oil Terminal; General Cargo Terminal; and the New Combined Ferry Terminal and Border Crossing Project”. Prepared for the Aqaba Development Corporation, December 2005 and March 2006. Confidential; not publicly released. 

Management Development Agreement between Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and Aqaba Development Corporation: co-author and team leader: Three contractual documents outlining duties and responsibilities regarding development of Aqaba assets. Prepared for the National Council of Ministers, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; June 2006. Approved; confidential; not publicly released.

ADC Corporate Business Plan 2005-2009. Prepared for the Board of Directors, Aqaba Development Corporation, Amman, Jordan. Confidential; not publicly released.

"Planning, Design and Development of Special Economic Zones for Kurdistan, Northern Iraq: Issues of Policy, Programming and Public-Private Finance". Prepared for the Kurdistan Regional Government, Northern Iraq. 2004 Confidential; not publicly released.

"South Africa's National Recovery and Development Programme:  Analysis and Strategy Recommendations".  Prepared for Bechtel Ltd., UK and Bechtel-LTA, S. Africa, Nov. 1995, March 1996, London and Johannesburg; Prepared for the Office of the Vice President, Government of South Africa. Confidential-not publicly released.

Recovery Planning for the Reconstruction and Development of Lebanon. Editor/co-author 9+ volumes addressing:  infrastructure, transport, spatial development, environment, social services, institutional, finance and program management. For the Ministerial Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), Republic of Lebanon, by International Bechtel and Dar Al-Handasah, Beirut, 1991-1993.

Dominican Republic Urban Environmental Strategy.  Prepared for the U.S. AID Regional Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Kingston, Jamaica. Published by the Urban Institute, Washington, D.C., 1991.

"Regional Development Issues and Market Town Development in Uganda:  Potential U.S. AID Roles in the Luwero District with National Implications".  Prepared for the U.S. AID Regional Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Nairobi, Kenya, 1987.

"Potentials for USAID Involvement in Urban Development and Management:  Recommendations for Housing and Transportation Programs in Indonesia and Thailand".  Prepared for the USAID Regional Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Bangkok, 1985.

"Official Comments and Proposed Amendments to the Preliminary New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan".  Prepared for N.J. Office of State Planning from the Office of the Commissioner, N.J. Department of Environmental Protection, 1988.

Master Plan Update, Madinat Al-Jubail Al-Sinaiyah (Jubail New Industrial City): Summary and Policy Review.  Prepared for the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu by the Commission and Saudi Arabian Bechtel Limited, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1984.

"One Industry New Towns: Problems and Opportunities".  Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference, International New Towns Associations (INTA), Cergy-Pontoise,  France, 1982.

"Spatial Information Systems Development and Automated Community Programming, Technical Research and Development, Bechtel C&M, Inc., San Francisco, 1981.

Karambunai Tourism and Resort Development, Sabah, Malaysia: Development Concepts and Preliminary Feasibility Analysis. Prepared for the Malaysian government and private investors, by Bechtel International, San Francisco, 1980.

"Technical Analysis and Evaluation: Jubail New Industrial City". (Seven technical volumes on: Urban Design; Architectural Design and Programming; Land Use, Infrastructure and Transport; Social Services; Environment and Landscape Architecture and Growth Management). Prepared by Saudi Arabian Bechtel Company, London, England 1979.

"Notes on Urbanization Problems in Ciudad Guayana".  Technical Report prepared for Lagoven, Petroleos de Venezuela and Bechtel Incorporated, Caracas, 1979.

Development of Southern Monagas: Key Issues in Community Planning and Development.  For Lagoven, Petroleos de Venezuela and Bechtel Incorporated, 1979

Montalban La Vega (Caracas metropolitan area):  Development Program and Economic Feasibility Analysis. (Recommended Development Strategy, Guidelines for Urban Design, Public Coordination and Implementation Program). Prepared for Caracas municipal government and private investors by Bechtel International, Caracas, 1978.

Centro Financiero Anauco (Central Caracas):   Development Program and Economic Feasibility Analysis.  (Recommended Development Strategy, Guidelines for Urban Design, Development Planning, Zoning and Implementation Program).  Prepared for Caracas municipal government and private investors by Bechtel International, Caracas, 1978.

MX Operating Bases Conceptual Planning:  Environmental Protection, Energy Efficiency, Building Systems and Community Design Concepts.  Prepared for the U.S. Department of Defense by EDAW, Ehrenkrantz Group & Brown and Caldwell, San Francisco, 1980).

GUEST LECTURER-SPEAKER

American Planning Association (APA) National Conference, Boston, MA, 2011: “Adaptation to Climate Change in Development Countries”.

"International Urban Development: Design, Finance & Implementation", Community Without Walls. Princeton, N.J. 2010.

Aqaba Outreach Exposition, Amman, 2005: “Development of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone: Port upgrading, urban expansion, tourism, commercial and industrial growth in southern Jordan”.

Society for International Development and the American Planning Association, Washington, D.C. "Lebanon's Program for Development and Reconstruction".

Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School, "Policy and Planning for National Recovery".

Columbia University, Department of City and Regional Planning, New York, "Planning and Implementing International Development Projects".

University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, "Development Planning and Urban Design at the Jubail New Industrial City".

Wharton Real Estate Center, University of Pennsylvania, "Urban Development, Planning and Infrastructure Finance in Developing Countries: Emerging Trends and Issues" 

Int'l Institute for Urban and Human Development, Seminar for Third World Professionals, San Francisco, "Urban and Infrastructure Planning in Developing Countries".

"Review of Urban and Regional Development Projects in the Middle East and Latin America".  American Planning Association, California Annual Conference, Monterey.

Stanford University, Graduate Program in Infrastructure Planning and Management, "Mega Project Development: Private Sector Roles".

International New Towns Association, 6th Annual Conference, Cergy-Pontoise, France, "Industrial Development and New Towns:  Problems and Opportunities".

University of California, Berkeley, Program in City and Regional Planning, "International Urban Development: Planning for Implementation Planning".

HONORS & AWARDS

§         Appointed to the first US federal interagency Task Force - formulated and applied the first nation-wide operational guidelines for implementation of the US National Environmental Protection Act.

§         Appointed to Jordan's Inter-Ministry Technical Steering Committee for development of the New National Railway Plan, including rehabilitation and privatization options for implementation.

§         Appointed to the Saudi Arabian Industrial Development Tasks for growth and expansion of the country’s two major new industrial cities of Jubail on the Arabia Gulf and Yanbu on the Red Sea.

§         Awarded Bechtel Group Certificates of Merit for research and development innovations regarding planning and development methodologies for major urban and regional development programs

§         The Paul P. Cret Graduate Scholarship from the University of Pennsylvania and School Medal of the American Institute of Architects, School of Architecture, Clemson University.

§         Awarded Army’s Commendation Medal urban and regional planning, infrastructure and environmental research programs with the Corps of Engineers.

[End: J Michael Cobb-Experiencce, 2011].