Brian Platt is Partner and Director of Public Policy for UMusic Hotels Development (UMHD), a real estate development company created in partnership with Universal Music Group. The organization develops music and entertainment hubs in cities across North America, bringing together culture, economic development, and collaboration between the public and private sectors. These hubs include performance venues, recording studios, a music school, and Universal Music Group-branded luxury hotels and residences. The projects are designed to serve as spaces for creativity, idea exchange, and music tourism, while helping emerging artists and the next generation of talent gain greater visibility in the music industry.

Before joining UMHD, Brian spent 12 years working in city government, most notably as City Manager for Kansas City, Missouri, and Jersey City, New Jersey. In Kansas City, he served as City Manager and helped launch and manage more than $5 billion in redevelopment projects in less than 5 years. This period marked significant growth and development across the city. He also introduced sustainability initiatives, including planting 10,000 trees within three years and advancing plans for one of the largest solar arrays in the United States to strengthen long-term environmental resilience.

In Jersey City, Brian first worked as Chief Innovation Officer and later served as Business Administrator and City Manager. In this role, he helped the city reach record levels of housing construction, comparable to those in Manhattan, New York City. In both cities, he focused on improving core municipal services, including increasing street resurfacing and strengthening snow removal operations. He also worked to improve the quality of life for low-income families and individuals experiencing homelessness by expanding access to supportive resources.

Earlier in his career, he worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and served as a kindergarten teacher through Teach For America. He also volunteered as an Emergency Medical Responder with United Rescue in Jersey City and spent 10 years as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Mountain Lakes, NJ.

Brian Platt earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Emory University in Georgia and later completed a Master’s in Public Administration at Columbia University in New York. Throughout his career, he has received recognition for leadership, academic achievement, and public service.