TheBusinessDesk’s Business of Greater Manchester Conference certainly lived up to its billing today.
Oasis pumped through the sound system, with Tony Walsh’s ‘This is The Place’ setting the tone for the ‘dreamers and schemers’ who filled the room at Manchester Hall.
While Walsh’s poem has become the fabric of the city, it also provided inspiration for a conference agenda that centred on the opportunities that exist in Greater Manchester, looking to ‘the future as much as building on the past’.
Closing the North/South divide
Caroline Simpson, Chief Executive of GMCA, kicked things off, describing the region as being in a ‘good moment’ before reeling off why – the UK’s fastest growing economy; productivity growth outpacing the national average.
Greater Manchester’s ability to bring together the power of public services and align it with the region’s business community is its real USP, Simpson explained. After all, GM’s growth plan and a plan for its people (which will turbocharge the economy) are strategies that businesses have played a central role in developing.
For Simpson, there are three ingredients for success in the city region that dovetail with the region’s USP:
- The tradition of collaboration, whether that’s central government, the private sector, or the public sector – ‘leaning on each other to become more flexible, more adaptable’
- A track record of delivery
- And trust and confidence in each other.
Combining these is what makes GM, according to Simpson, a ‘beacon’, and a ‘magnet’ – ‘we are the place where people want to visit, move to, and to call home’.
In the next 10 years, Simpson said creating the right environment and right physical space was critical, as well creating a talent pipeline – ‘connecting with the young people of Greater Manchester and contributing to an education system to make sure they’re job ready’.
Legacy building
It made complete sense (on the back of Michael Taylor’s opening remarks on ‘building on the past’) to dedicate the second slot of the conference to Sir Howard Bernstein, his legacy and what it means today.
Mike Emmerich, founding director of Metro Dynamics (and formerly chief executive of New Economy Manchester who was instrumental in the Manchester devolution deals), is currently in the throes of researching/writing a biography of Sir Howard’s life – a project he started in collaboration with the former chief exec of Manchester City Council shortly before his death in 2024.
“We wouldn’t be here doing what we’re doing without Sir Howard Bernstein,” explained Emmerich, who admitted he remembers the city ‘being on its arse’ before ‘going on a journey at incredible speed’.
Nothing is possible, says Emmerich, without people who go the distance to make it happen. Sir Howard worked at Manchester City Council from 1971 to 2024. “He inspired a generation – three in fact – to think big.” For Emmerich, it’s that kind of political stability that allows people to re-remember their heritage. “There’s nothing Howard wouldn’t have done for Manchester.”
Data centres, hydrogen, padel and the Hallé
Keynotes from Simpson, Emmerich, Guy Dunstan from Co-op Live and Galvia’s BDM, Brian Muldoon, who explained why his company’s ‘soft landing’ into Manchester was made all the more easier through the investment support of the city region, were all expertly blended with numerous panels that tipped their hat back to Walsh’s poem – some are born here, some are drawn here, as well as Developments Shaping Greater Manchester’s Future and the Power of Culture.
Panelist talked about what defines the region, what attracts businesses to the region, what infrastructure needs to be built to strengthen the region, and how culture has shaped the region. Data centres, hydrogen, padel, the Hallé – it was all in there!
Shoulder pads over track suits
Unsurprisingly, football banter was sprinkled throughout the conference as people discussed Greater Manchester’s heritage and its national and international pull. So it was fitting that a live podcast recording of We Built this City featured Manchester United COO, Collette Roche.
The former elite gymnast has quite the CV – choosing ‘shoulder pads over track suits’ to work for the likes of Ford, United Utilities and Siemens, before becoming MD (and many other roles in between) at Manchester Airport Group.
While talking about her own career journey, which started in humble beginnings as a 14-year-old on a meat stall at Ashton Market, she also spoke about the vast potential of the Old Trafford regeneration project. “It’s not just about a stadium for Man United; it’s a catalyst for much wider regeneration.” The figures stack up. It has the potential to be the largest regeneration project in Europe, creating an additional £7.3 billion in GVA, 90,000 jobs and 17,000 new homes.
As the last of the executive team to remain of the pre-Sir Jim Ratcliffe era, having seen five managers and four CEOs come and go in her eight-year tenure, she has all the traits that were bestowed upon Sir Howard – resilience, staying power and commitment.
As Taylor reeled off the names of the 22 speakers in thanks – each bringing their own perspective of a city region with so much ‘energy and ideas’ – he reminded us that there is still work to be done. On the evidence of today, it’s clear there’s a strong cohort of people who are willing to make it happen.
This article originally appeared on LinkedIn Pulse.
