Sir Howard Bernstein

Former Chief Executive
Manchester City Council

Sir Howard Bernstein is the former Chief Executive of Manchester City Council (1998-2017) and former Head of Paid Service for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (2011-2017). A strong believer in the transformative power of cities and one of the chief architects of Manchester’s well-documented urban, social and economic resurgence over the last four decades, Sir Howard now serves as a strategic advisor to several public, private and academic institutions in the UK and internationally. Over a distinguished career in public service, Sir Howard was instrumental in a range of projects and initiatives benefitting Manchester, Greater Manchester and the United Kingdom. This has included significant improvements in transport and other infrastructure across Greater Manchester, the long-term regeneration of disadvantaged parts of Manchester in partnership with government, the private sector and local communities, and cementing Manchester’s status as a thriving hub for sports, culture, media and creativity and an active player in promising fields such as advanced materials, life sciences, informatics and translational medicine. Sir Howard is widely recognised for his pioneering use of innovative financial instruments, planning mechanisms, governance arrangements and public-private partnerships to attract investment, accelerate development and deliver marked improvements in social and economic outcomes for people and businesses in Greater Manchester. This assertive approach has also been evident in the devolution of significant responsibilities for transport, planning, housing, skills, health and social care services from the UK Government to local authorities in Greater Manchester in recent years, including the piloting of ground-breaking new models for the delivery of health, social care and early intervention services at the neighbourhood level. Following his retirement from the Council in 2017, Sir Howard was appointed as an Honorary Professor of Politics and a strategic advisor to the University of Manchester. He is also a strategic advisor to Deloitte, an Honorary President of Manchester City FC and President of Lancashire County Cricket Club. Sir Howard was knighted for his services to Manchester in 2003.

Philip Leech

Property Director
Urban & Civic plc

Formally Chief Executive of Terrace Hill Group plc before its merger with Urban&Civic.  Philip is Group Property Director of Urban&Civic with responsibility for the company’s commercial property and developments portfolio. 

Based predominantly across its two northern offices, in 2014 Philip championed the acquisition of two key strategic sites in Manchester and their subsequent promotion and development for a mix of residential, retail and hotel floorspace.  Philip is also leading Urban&Civic’s focus on consumer facing leisure developments in key regional growth locations..

Leon Guyett

Development Director
Ask Real Estate

Leon joined the Ask team in 2006 from Whitbread plc and has over 20 years’ experience in real estate. Since joining Ask, Leon took responsibility for completing the leisure development at Leopold Square in Sheffield, agreeing all of the lettings, overseeing the asset management of the Grade 2 listed scheme prior to agreeing the sale of the investment to Threadneedle. At Knowsley Place, Bury, Leon completed transactions with Six Town Housing for a new head office and with Whitbread for a 115 bed Premier Inn hotel. He also headed up the Eden Square project in Urmston, with responsibility for the development, lettings and asset management. Phase 1 comprises a Sainsbury’s supermarket, 600 space car park, library, 64 apartments and additional retail units. Phase 2 of the scheme completed in October 2012 following the majority of the retail space being pre-let with the investment of both phases being sold in 2014. At First Street, Leon is responsible for the lettings strategy on all retail and leisure elements of this mixed use scheme. 

More recently, Leon is heading up the Ask:PATRIZIA UK joint venture at Gateshead Quays.  This is a partnership with Gateshead Council with all stakeholders aiming to create a vibrant and exciting mixed use scheme on a landmark site adjacent to the River Tyne.  Leon also heads up Ask's leisure scheme in Macclesfield town centre having won the development competition set by Cheshire East Council.  Proposals include a six screen cinema and restaurant set around high quality public realm.

Shelagh McNerney

Independent Consultant

Shelagh is an independent consultant working with a small group of diverse clients across the built environment including the award winning “5Plus Architects”. 

She brings people together across multi-disciplinary teams to deliver complex investment plans, city growth narratives & real investment. With a track record translating strategy into delivery on the ground and navigating public and private sectors, she helps build effective institutional partnerships.

Shelagh trained as a town planner, at the Bartlett School Architecture & Planning in the mid 80’s! She has 30+ years extensive leadership experience & a proven track record across planning, regeneration, architecture, construction & development. This has straddled multiple disciplines & senior roles in the public sector (Chester, Bolton, Manchester & Salford City Councils) also with10 years in the private sector working with construction companies, developers, landowners, architects, and think tanks. 

She is actively involved in contemporary debate about the built environment & city growth in the United Kingdom. She is a creative & fervent advocate for quality in architecture and the wider built environment that impacts all our lives.