Brian Platt
Partner, Community Relations, UMusic Hotels Development
Phoenix, Arizona
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Summary
Brian Platt is Partner and Director of Public Policy for UMusic Hotels Development (UMHD), a real estate development company working in partnership with Universal Music Group. The company develops music and entertainment hubs in cities across North America, operating where culture, economic development, and public-private collaboration converge. These hubs include performance venues, recording studios, a music school, and Universal Music Group-branded luxury hotels and residences. The developments aim to support creativity, encourage music tourism, and provide stronger visibility for emerging artists and the next generation of talent in the music industry.
Before joining the company, he spent 12 years working in city government, including serving as City Manager in Kansas City, Missouri, and Jersey City, New Jersey. In Kansas City, he helped launch and guide more than $5 billion in redevelopment projects in less than 5 years, a period marked by major development across the city. He also supported sustainability initiatives, including planting 10,000 trees over three years and advancing plans for one of the largest solar arrays in the United States, reflecting a commitment to environmental resilience.
In Jersey City, Brian first worked as Chief Innovation Officer and later served as Business Administrator and City Manager. During that time, 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 the delivery of core public services, including record levels of street resurfacing and enhanced snow removal. He also worked to expand resources for low-income families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
Earlier in his career, Brian 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 served as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Mountain Lakes, NJ, for 10 years.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Emory University in Georgia and completed a Master’s in Public Administration at Columbia University in New York. Through his work in public service and development, Brian Platt has received recognition for leadership, academic achievement, and community involvement.
