Social theorist Richard Florida will deliver the opening keynote speech at this year’s Banff World Television Festival, organizers have announced.

Florida, author of books The Rise of the Creative Class and the more recent Who’s Your City?, will address delegates when the fest gets underway on June 8.

Florida — a professor at the University of Toronto, where he is attached to both the Rotman School of Management and the MaRS Discovery District — is known for his thoughts on the ‘creative class,’ commercial innovation, and regional development.

Florida ‘is one of the most innovative thinkers of his generation,’ said Banff executive director Jennifer Harkness in a statement.