Eamonn Boylan

Chief Executive
Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Eamonn Boylan was appointed Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in January 2017. He played a key role in the development of the Housing Market Renewal Programme, the Northern Way Growth Strategy and, through his work with the Core Cities Group and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, in the emerging policy framework for city regions. Eamonn takes the lead role on Investment and on Planning and Housing for the AGMA Wider Leadership Team.

Helen Gordon

Chief Executive Officer
Grainger plc

Helen was appointed Chief Executive of Grainger in January 2016.

Helen has spent over 40 years in Real Estate and joined Grainger from RBS where she spent five years as Global Head of Real Estate Asset Management. Prior to that, Helen held the role of Director of Legal and General Property. Other previous roles include Group Property Director of Railtrack and Managing Director of John Laing Developments.

Helen sits on the Board of Derwent London as Senior Independent Director, is currently Deputy Chairman of the European Public Real Estate Association and is Past President of the BPF.

Helen is a chartered surveyor and an Honorary Fellow of University College of Estate Management.

Tom Bloxham MBE

Group Chairman
Urban Splash

The company is responsible for development projects across the country, including Manchester, Liverpool, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford Sheffield, Bristol, Plymouth, North Shields and Morecambe. In 1999 Tom was awarded an MBE for Services to Architecture and Urban Regeneration.

Tom also upholds a number of other positions including;Chairman of Manchester International Festival, and trustee of Tate, the Manchester United Foundation and The Bloxham Charitable Trust.

In 2016, Tom and Urban Splash co-founder Jonathan launched House by Urban Splash – their modular housing concept which is being rolled out across the country. House is created using modern methods of construction allowing for customer specification. The first homes are completed, fully sold and occupied at sites in Manchester, Salford and North Shields, with other modular homes on sale in Manchester, Birmingham and soon to launch in Cambridge, Walsall, the Wirral and Milton Keynes.

Nick Payne

Co-Founder and Group MD
Nikal Group incorporating Hillcrest Homes

Nick Payne has been involved in property for nearly three decades. After qualifying as a surveyor in 1989, he was then promoted to Director at the age of 26, responsible for major portfolio valuations and financing transactions. He returned North in the late 1990s to realise his regeneration and development ambitions, setting up private limited company Westport Developments in 1998. Under Westport, he was involved in the regeneration of Manchester's Deansgate Locks, transforming 12 derelict Grade II railway arches alongside the Manchester Ship Canal into a modern leisure destination eventually selling to Scottish Widows.

In 2003, Nick joined forces with leading industrialist Alan Murphy to create Nikal, a dynamic property development, regeneration and investment business. The business is currently responsible for a development pipeline of circa £1 billion with projects including Phase 1 Exchange Square in Birmingham City Centre, a £125million forward funded built to rent scheme with La Salle and Altair in Altrincham – an £80 million residential and lifestyle scheme.

In 2015, Nikal purchased award winning luxury homebuilder Hillcrest Homes. Recently, the business has expanded its area of operation north to the Ribble Valley with a development of 30 houses under way in Hurst Green, near Whalley and ten homes under construction in Summerseat near Bury. Further developments are planned across Cheshire and the West Midlands.

Larry Gold

Chief Executive
Trafford Housing Trust

Jennie Daly

Group Operations Director
Taylor Wimpey

Jennie was appointed to the Taylor Wimpey PLC Board in April 2018 and also holds the role of Group Operations Director. Jennie joined Taylor Wimpey in 2014 from Redrow plc, as UK Planning Director, before becoming UK Land Director in 2015. She has a wealth of experience in the housebuilding industry gained from roles which include strategic land and managing director of Harrow Estates Plc. As Group Operations Director, Jennie oversees the land, planning, design and technical, production and supply chain functions, in addition to managing the Taylor Wimpey Logistics business. Jennie is also a non-executive director of the Peabody Trust, a large affordable housing provider based in London.  

Richard Yorke

Director - Analytics
CoStar

Caroline Simpson

Corporate Director for Place
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Caroline Simpson has worked in regeneration for over twenty years developing strong partnerships across the public and private sector. As the Corporate Director for Place at Stockport MBC she is currently responsible for a growth and place agenda and in particular leading a major £1bn transformation programme to redevelop the town centre. As well as leadership of development, regeneration, planning and transport she is also leading the delivery and reform of frontline place management services.  She also has responsibility for the delivery of the Public Health agenda within Stockport and promoting active communities across the Borough.

Previous roles include:

Executive Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity for Cheshire East Council with responsibility for an ambitious economic growth agenda, leading place–based services and corporate property & development functions. 

Other roles include the Development Director for a Housing Association; Head of Regeneration and Partnerships for Northwest Development Agency and regeneration based roles at Advantage West Midlands.   Her career started in Liverpool delivering community-based regeneration projects with a particular focus on work and skills.

Tim Wood

Northern Powerhouse Rail Director
Transport for the North

Tim Wood has over 22 years’ experience in railway design and delivery and prior to this, 11 years spent in the construction industry. As Northern Powerhouse Rail Director, he is taking on the challenge to make the strategic outline business case (SOBC) for investment in an ambitious plan for a transformed rail network that will provide fast, frequent and reliable links between the North’s six biggest city regions and its largest airport. He leads the delivery of the SOBC and works around the HS2 touch points in a co-clienting role with the Department for Transport.

Previously he held two Rail Director positions in the private sector and is known for early development of Rail PPP schemes and partner and stakeholder management.

Phil Mayall

Regional Director, North West
Muse Developments

Phil joined Muse Developments in 2006 to assist with the delivery of the company’s mixed use regeneration portfolio and was promoted to the role of Development Director in 2011. He assumed the role of Regional Director in 2018 and is now responsible for a wide range of projects throughout the North West. Phil heads up the team of development directors and surveyors in the Manchester office.

Since joining Muse he has delivered, or currently has on site, over 700,000 sq ft of offices, 550 residential homes, a 143 bedroom hotel and 2 large space multi storey car parks.  He has also successfully led two CPOs and gained consent for the largest ever planning application submitted to Salford City Council. Phil also secured the forward funding of 3 PRS residential developments at New Bailey in Salford. The Slate Yard, is one of the first institutionally funded PRS developments in the city. The first 2 phases are now complete, the third phase which consists of 199 new homes over 21 storeys commenced early Sept 2018.

Phil is a member of the Investment Property Forum and the British Council for Offices, where he was formerly Chair of the Northern Region Next Gen committee. He is also a member of the Chester Growth Partnership Board and is chair of the project board overseeing improvements to Islington Mill, Salford.

Darran Lawless

Development Director
Peel Land and Property

Darran Lawless is Development Director at Peel Land and Property responsible for its transformational Liverpool Waters scheme.

Darran joined Peel in early 2018 at a pivotal time for the £5 billion regeneration project. Liverpool Waters is one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe with Planning Consent in place for 20 m sqft of mixed use development. Construction is underway on several residential projects including Regenda’s PRS scheme, Plaza 1821, ROMAL’s Quay Central along with projects for Your Housing Group and Moda Living which collectively deliver a further 1000 apartments within Liverpool Waters this year alone. Darran is also responsible for Everton Football Clubs relocation to the site, assisting Liverpool City Council in its plans to bring a new Ocean Liner terminal to the City and working with the Manx Government on the relocation of the Isle of Man ferry as well as delivering over 9,000 residential units over the next 15/20 years.

Darran has 30 years experience in the development industry including establishing his own consultancy providing strategic advice on the delivery of residential and mixed use projects. Prior to this he was Managing Director of Engine of the North, Cheshire East Council's wholly owned development company, formed to undertake development of the Council's £400m assets delivering regeneration and capital receipts. He also spent 15 years as Development Director at Muse Developments responsible for numerous schemes throughout the North West including Ashton Moss, South Rings and on behalf of English Cities Fund, St Pauls Square, Liverpool.