Northern Power Towns

On Monday 9th of September, Downtown in Business will be hosting another event in our Highly Popular ‘Northern Power Towns’ event series.

Taking place in Manchester, from 12pm – 2.30pm, we will be joined by Alison McKenzie-Folan, Chief Executive of Wigan Council, and Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive at Warrington Borough Council.

The event will bring together leading figures from the private and public sector and business leaders from across the Manchester to engage in valuable networking and discussion.

Topic:

Opportunities to drive economic growth in the region through regeneration, culture, people, and collaboration.

At this exclusive event, we will be discussing the future of towns in the North and the latest developments within the Manchester City region.

Drawing on their experiences whilst serving as Chief Executive of Wigan Council and Warrington Council respectively Alison and Steven will be sharing their unique perspectives on issues affecting the city region, discussing topics such as collaboration, innovation, development and technology.

Previous Northern Power Towns events have looked back on the successes of previous initiatives for example focussing on the levelling up agenda and examining topics such as regional mayors and devolution.

Alison and Steven’s positions at the heart of the councils responsible for disseminating government initiatives and bringing about change make them the perfect choice to speak on current trends and the issues facing the communities they work with.

Following their speakers address, the floor will opened to questions and discussion allowing delegates to share their views.

About the Speakers:

Alison McKenzie-Folan-

Alison is Chief Executive at Wigan Council  (named LGC Council of the Year 2019) having worked in Local Government for over 10 years and previously in the Civil Service for more than twenty years.

Alison is also the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) lead Chief Executive for Culture.

Alison is passionate about public services and determined to make a difference for residents and communities.  She is dedicated to inspiring the next female generation and committed to collaboration, innovation and technology.

She is a Board Member of Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) and spokesperson for Solace on the digital agenda.  Alison also sits on the Board of Open Data Manchester.

Alison was named in the Northern Power Women Top 50 Power list and one of the nine most influential digital leaders in Greater Manchester.

Steven Broomhead-

Professor Broomhead is the Chief Executive at Warrington Borough Council, a role he has performed on a part time basis since 2012. He was also the Council Chief Executive from 1997 to 2003. Professor Broomhead holds the Chair of Entrepreneurial Education at Liverpool Hope University.

In May 2011 he gave his inaugural professorial lecture “Making Britain enterprising, entrepreneurial, forward wealth creating again – restoring faith to the centre stage”.

From 2003 to 2011 he was Chief Executive of the North West Development Agency with a budget of £1 billion and was responsible for the economic development of the North West. The major projects included Media City UK, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the regeneration of Barrow in Furness. He is Chairman of Warrington & Co – economic investment organisation for Warrington and Chairman of Wire Regeneration – developing a specific part of the town.

Steven is the Non-Executive Chairman of Warrington Wolves Rugby Super League Football Club since 2009. He is also a trustee of the National Football Museum. He is also the Founding Chairman of “State of Mind”, a mental health awareness campaign. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Recycling Lives a social value driven charity/business based in Lancashire with a turnover of £80m – it supports individuals who have experienced prison/homelessness. Recycling Lives has 11 sites in prisons.

Prior to working in local government Steven was principal of 2 colleges (Durham and Warrington). He has recently been appointed to the government’s “Libraries Task Force” as its Chairman.

Benefits of Attending:

• • Insights from Industry Experts: Both Alison and Steven have a vast amount of experience working with both private and public sector organisations to spark change at a grass roots level as well as working with individuals and the communities they serve on various initiatives. This Northern Power Towns event is an excellent opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge into the important work your local councils and their have been doing in the region and learn what the future might hold for your sector.

• • Networking with Key Figures: This Northern Power Towns event aims to bring some of the most important thought leaders and entrepreneurs in various fields together to learn from Alison and Steven’s insights, you’ll have the opportunity to connect not only with Alison and Steven themselves but also with influential figures in your own and other fields and form valuable partnerships.

This event is a must-attend for individuals, entrepreneurs and business owners alike who want to learn more about and celebrate the work of Local Councils and and learn what the future might hold for businesses in Manchester by examining trends from unique angles and perspectives.

If you would like to attend, please email alice.evans@downtowninbusiness.com