Talking ‘Bout Regeneration 2026
With devolution entering a new and decisive phase, Downtown in Business (DIB) has announced its sixth annual Talking ‘Bout Regeneration national conference that will explore how political leadership, regeneration and business partnership can deliver the next generation of economic growth.
The event will focus on placemaking, regeneration and politics and will take place on Wednesday 23rd September 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Liverpool – the week before Labour’s annual party conference – bringing together senior decision-makers, metro mayors, council leaders, investors, developers and senior business figures from across the country.
The conference comes at a pivotal moment for the country. As the new Government accelerates its devolution agenda, expands the powers of England’s regions and places housing and infrastructure at the centre of its growth strategy, the relationship between politics, place and private enterprise has never been more important.
The event will ask one central question:
How do we turn greater local powers into better homes, stronger communities, more productive economies and places where businesses can thrive?
Discussions will examine the opportunities created by a new wave of devolution, ambitious housebuilding targets, planning reform, transport investment and public-private partnerships, while considering what national government must do to enable local leaders to deliver.
The programme will include keynote speeches and panel discussions featuring influential voices from politics, business and regeneration.
Conference themes will include:
- The next chapter of English devolution and what it means for business.
- Delivering ambitious housing targets while creating great places to live.
- Regeneration that drives inclusive economic growth.
- The future of high streets, town centres and city centres.
- Planning reform, infrastructure and investment.
- How public-private partnerships can unlock long-term prosperity.
- The role of culture, hospitality and the visitor economy in successful placemaking.
A full speaker line-up will be announced shortly, with invitations being extended to ministers, metro mayors, local authority leaders, developers, investors and business leaders from across the country.
The conference is expected to attract senior decision-makers and will provide a platform for fresh thinking on the policies and partnerships needed to deliver sustainable growth throughout the UK.
DIB Strategic partners are entitled to TWO complimentary tickets for this event. To claim your complimentary ticekts contact events@downtowninbusiness.com.
Speakers
Session 1
Selling Place: Liverpool City Region on the World Stage
Liverpool City Region has an internationally recognised brand, major development opportunities and distinctive strengths in culture, innovation, life sciences and the visitor economy. This session will examine how civic and business leaders can work together to attract investment, sharpen the city region’s proposition and convert global profile into jobs, development and long-term economic growth.
Session 2
Growth Beyond the City Centre: Making Every Postcode Count
Economic growth cannot be confined to a handful of successful city-centre districts. Drawing on experiences from Salford, Wolverhampton and other urban areas, this panel will explore how regeneration can reconnect neighbourhoods with opportunity, attract investment into overlooked communities and ensure that improvements in skills, transport, housing and employment are felt across every postcode.
Session 3
Mayor Steve Rotheram in Conversation with Frank McKenna
Keynote 1
Ryan Wain
Keynote 2
Mike Emmerich
Session 4
Past into Purpose: Bringing Heritage Buildings Back to Life
Britain’s towns and cities contain remarkable historic buildings, but too many are trapped between costly restoration, complex planning processes and uncertain commercial viability. This panel will explore how heritage assets can be transformed into homes, workplaces and destinations – and what needs to change in planning, funding, taxation and public-private collaboration to prevent delay becoming decay.
Session 5
Beyond the North-South Divide: A View from the Capital
Can the UK achieve more balanced growth without diminishing London’s global success? Bringing together voices from business, politics and place leadership, this session will examine the relationship between London and the wider country, the legacy of levelling up and the investment decisions needed to spread opportunity. Is regional growth now a genuine national priority – or are places outside the capital still being left behind?
Speakers
Colin Sinclair
Chair of Invest Liverpool City and Chief Executive, Sciontec & Knowledge Quarter Liverpool
Colin is the CEO of both Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) – a 450-acre, world-leading innovation district – and its spin-out development company, Sciontec Developments Limited (Sciontec).
Under his leadership, Sciontec operates the highly successful Liverpool Science Park, the Sciontec AI serviced offices at The Spine, and the CENTRAL TECH innovation hub. He is currently leading the development of HEMISPHERE One at Paddington Village – a £61 million flagship laboratory and office building providing world-class research and commercial space to address the growing demand for high-specification labs and Grade A workspace in Liverpool.
Since taking on the role, Colin has shaped KQ Liverpool into one of the UK’s leading innovation districts. Working closely with universities, the NHS, local authorities, and industry partners, he has created an environment where research, healthcare, education, and business drive innovation, investment, and inclusive economic growth. His collaborative approach has strengthened city-region partnerships while raising Liverpool’s international profile.
Colin is a central figure in the Liverpool City Region Investment Zone, positioning KQ Liverpool as a life sciences supercluster. In 2025, he was elected Chair of the Invest Liverpool City Region Partnership Taskforce, leading the strategic effort to attract and secure high-value international investment.
A passionate advocate for place-based innovation and charity fundraising, Colin regularly champions the region at major international property, science and tech events, including Liverpool’s ongoing bid to be European Capital of Innovation. Last year he ran the entire 52 miles of Liverpool City Region for local children’s charities and this September, to mark KQ Liverpool’s 10th anniversary and the Tour de France coming to Liverpool next year he ran the 120 miles from Keswick to Liverpool for charity. The equivalent of four consecutive ultra marathons.
Frank McKenna
Frank McKenna is the founder, Group Chairman and Chief Executive of Downtown in Business (DIB), one of the UK’s most influential business organisations.
Established in Liverpool in 2003, DIB was created to provide business leaders with a stronger voice in the decisions affecting their cities and local economies. Under Frank’s leadership, the organisation has grown from a distinctive Liverpool business network into a nationally recognised platform operating across major UK cities and regions, including Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Lancashire, Cheshire and London.
DIB brings together entrepreneurs, senior executives, political leaders and key decision-makers through an extensive programme of business events, conferences, awards, roundtables and private briefings. It also acts as a powerful advocate for its members, campaigning for business-friendly policies and promoting closer collaboration between the private and public sectors.
Before establishing Downtown, Frank enjoyed a successful career in politics. He served as Deputy Leader of Lancashire County Council, Leader of the North West Regional Assembly and as a parliamentary assistant. This experience gave him a detailed understanding of government, economic development and the relationship between political decision-making and business growth.
Since moving into business, Frank has served on several influential economic and public-sector bodies. These have included the Merseyside Entrepreneurship Commission, Liverpool Vision’s Strategic Planning Board and advisory boards for the Liverpool and Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnerships. He is currently a member of Manchester’s Business Sounding Bord,
Frank is a prominent advocate for devolution, regional investment and the economic importance of Britain’s cities. He is strongly pro-London and recognises the capital as one of the UK’s greatest economic assets and an internationally successful centre of business, finance, culture and innovation. However, he believes the country’s long-term prosperity depends on creating a more balanced economy – one in which London continues to thrive while cities and regions across the UK are empowered to make a much greater contribution to national growth.
He has consistently argued that achieving this requires confident local leadership, modern infrastructure, meaningful devolution and stronger partnerships between government and business. He is particularly passionate about ensuring that cities and regions outside London receive the powers, investment and attention required to fulfil their economic potential.
Known for his direct, energetic and occasionally provocative style, Frank is a respected political and business commentator. He regularly contributes to discussions on economic policy, regeneration, devolution, political leadership and the future of the Labour Party. He hosts DIB’s Downtown Den podcasts and co-hosts the Northern Spin political podcast with journalist Chris Maguire.
More than two decades after founding DIB, his focus remains unchanged: connecting ambitious people, influencing decision-makers, encouraging investment and ensuring that business has a meaningful voice in shaping the future of the UK’s cities and regions.
Georgina Lynch
As Managing Director of the PJ Livesey Group, I am passionate about transforming historic buildings and brownfield sites into thriving, sustainable communities.
For over 45 years, PJ Livesey has been at the forefront of heritage-led regeneration, delivering high-quality homes while protecting the character and identity of important places. Working with local authorities, Homes England and Historic England, we have brought landmark sites including Lancaster Moor Hospital, Terry’s Chocolate Factory, King’s School Macclesfield and Manchester Metropolitan University’s Didsbury Campus back into use.
As Manchester and the North-West enter an exciting period of growth, I believe heritage has a significant role to play in delivering much-needed homes, supporting regeneration and creating places that will endure for generations.
Katie Bentley
Katie Bentley is Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications at Liverpool BID Company, where she helps shape the future of one of the UK’s fastest-evolving city destinations. Working at the intersection of business, government and place leadership, she leads strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and external affairs programmes that support investment, regeneration and economic growth across Liverpool City Centre.
Katie has been instrumental in delivering some of Liverpool’s most significant business-led initiatives in recent years, including the UK’s first Accommodation BID, providing a pioneering new model for destination investment and visitor economy support. She has led major destination marketing campaigns, high-profile events and collaborative city programmes that have strengthened Liverpool’s reputation as a leading UK destination for tourism, culture, retail, hospitality and business
Katie works closely with local authorities, the Combined Authority, elected representatives and private-sector partners to build consensus around major city priorities. Her work spans regeneration, tourism, public affairs, placemaking and reputation management, with a focus on creating partnerships that deliver long-term economic and social impact.
Passionate about Liverpool’s future, Katie is committed to helping create a city that is vibrant, welcoming and sustainable, attracts investment, supports thriving communities and businesses while celebrating its unique character and heritage and creating opportunities for future generations.
Cllr Liam Robinson
Cllr Liam Robinson is Leader of Liverpool City Council and has been a Councillor since 2008, representing the Kensington & Fairfield ward.
He became Leader in May 2023, having previously held the position of Cabinet Member for Finance, responsible for setting the Council’s budget. He is also the Liverpool City Region Cabinet Member for Public Service Innovation.
His priority is to lead an administration that puts Liverpool at the heart of a mission-driven government. He is committed to making Liverpool greener, using sustainable growth to create high-quality jobs, as well as supporting citizens to make sure their hard work pays, and embracing innovation to improve Council services.
Prior to becoming Leader, Cllr Robinson was Chair of Merseytravel, and subsequently Portfolio Holder for Transport for the Liverpool City Region.
During his time at Merseytravel and the Combined Authority, making public transport more affordable, particularly for young people, was a key focus. He championed the introduction of reduced-price bus fares for young people up to their 19th birthday, which led to a 168% growth in journeys by young people. He also led the procurement of a new fleet of publicly owned trains for the Merseyrail network, including pioneering disability access features.
Cllr Robinson previously worked in public transport, holding management positions in the rail, bus and coach industries, including responsibility for three of Britain’s largest railway stations: Liverpool Lime Street, London Liverpool Street and Sheffield.
Marie Smallwood
Marie Smallwood is Head of Advice North at Historic England, leading statutory advice functions across the North of England, including regional development advice and support for the Listing Team’s recommendations on nationally important heritage assets.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the heritage sector, Marie specialises in planning, conservation and the sustainable management of historic buildings. She has played a key role in shaping major development and regeneration projects, helping to balance growth with the protection and enhancement of England’s historic environment.
Marie is a strong advocate for the role of heritage in economic growth and place-making and has contributed to projects including the new Entrance Pavilion for the International Slavery Museum, Everton Football Club’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, Weir Mill in Stockport and The Cotton Works in Wigan. Through collaborative working with partners across the public and private sectors, she champions the positive contribution heritage makes to sustainable growth and thriving places.
Mike Emmerich
Mike Emmerich is Founding Director of Metro Dynamics, where he leads the firm’s work on investment in cities and has built its practice advising major housing and regeneration projects and innovation district development, including work with the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. He also led Metro Dynamics’ work with the Impact Investing Institute and Lloyds Banking Group to explore how mainstream financial institutions can play a greater role in place-based impact investing and regeneration finance.
Prior to establishing Metro Dynamics, Mike was Chief Executive of New Economy Manchester, now the strategic core of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Under his leadership, New Economy initiated the landmark Manchester Independent Economic Review and implemented its recommendations, helping to deliver Greater Manchester’s distinctive approach to transport, enterprise and cultural investment. Alongside Sir Howard Bernstein, Mike played a central role in developing and negotiating the pioneering Greater Manchester devolution deals, creating a model that has since shaped devolution policy across the UK.
Earlier in his career, Mike worked in HM Treasury’s Productivity Team and Enterprise and Growth Unit, and in the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit, where he advised on local government, housing and planning.
Mike serves on the Policy Committee of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics and the Advisory Board of the International Public Policy Observatory at University College London. He is Chair of Torus, one of the North of England’s largest housing associations, and of Manchester Baroque.
A Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Mike is the author of Britain’s Cities, Britain’s Future. His second book, to be published later this year, explores Sir Howard Bernstein’s leadership in Manchester and the lessons its regeneration offers for national renewal.
Naomi Smith
Naomi Smith FCMA is Chief Executive of Best for Britain. She is the founder of the Trade Unlocked Conference and the influential crossparty UK Trade and Business Commission of MPs and business leaders. Prior to Best for Britain, Naomi was Executive Director of Campaigns at Business LDN when it was still London First. Prior to her campaigning work, Naomi spent 15 years in finance and accounting with the likes of Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, as well as chairing voluntary groups. She is currently a trustee of The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Naomi is also co-host of the political podcast Quiet Riot. As Chief Executive of Best for Britain, Naomi leads the organisation which campaigns for closer UK-EU ties and works tirelessly to fix the problems Britain faces after Brexit. She is an expert media voice, including for the BBC, LBC, and Times Radio.
Nick Gerrard
Nick has over 40 years leading-edge, planning, urban regeneration, economic development and corporate management experience at the public/private interface with high calibre Boards including senior positions of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Manchester’s New Economy, Trafford Council, North West Development Agency, Merseyside TEC and Trafford Park Development Corporation.
He is currently Growth and Prosperity Programme Director at Blackpool and leads the team responsible for delivering Blackpool’s ambitious £2 billion+ transformative Growth and Prosperity programme which includes major schemes at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone and Silicon Sands, Talbot Gateway Central Business District, Blackpool Central and Blackpool Town Centre which are helping to transform Blackpool’s economic fortunes and establish it as a leading investment location and “not just” the UK’s favourite tourism destination.
Nick Howe
Nick graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 1998 with a degree in Product Design and Marketing. Two weeks later he founded Uniform. As a founding partner and now Group CEO, he has shaped the company from its beginnings as a three-man studio, to a leading design group working with a roster of global brand clients.
Nick leads Uniform Group, defining its ambitious growth strategy and overseeing its day-to-day operations, ensuring the company is meeting its commercial, creative and growth objectives. His background in product design gives him a breadth of knowledge to adapt and change the business, and manage the diverse challenges running a design company brings.
Nick has worked on numerous brand and communication projects in the architecture and regeneration space across Europe, the Middle East and the US, from developing the launch film for The Shard, to immersive experiences for Greenwich Peninsula.
Most recently, the business has developed an immersive storytelling platform for developers and cities. Combining deep property expertise, human storytelling and real-time technology; Amplify turns the potential of property and place into stories people can experience, explore and believe in.
Nick has been heavily involved in the wider design community, running a Northern design festival for 5 years, supporting movements like Kerning the Gap, and has previously sat on the DBA, D&AD and LJMU advisory committees.
Ryan Wain
Ryan is an expert in political strategy and policy. As Executive Director, he leads TBI’s politics programme with a focus on global progressive politics, reinvigorating the centre ground, the art of political delivery, and the role technology can play.
He conceived, led and delivered TBI’s Future of Britain programme. This work programme has shaped the political conversation in Britain and helped to define the challenges and opportunities facing progressive politics around the world. He also played a leading role in developing and communicating TBI’s pandemic work. Those efforts changed government policy on vaccines to a “first dose to many” strategy that, studies show, prevented thousands of deaths.
He is a trustee of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Prison Radio Association and has previously worked in advertising.
Stephen Young
Stephen Young is the Chief Executive of Salford City Council following over 30 years’ experience in local government across the UK including in Lancashire, the Liverpool City Region, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. Most recently Stephen spent almost four years as the Chief Executive of Halton Borough Council during which time Stephen delivered on a range of large-scale programmes focusing on organisational transformation and change as well as regeneration and economic growth across the Liverpool City Region.
Prior to joining Halton Stephen worked as the Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Community Services at Lancashire County Council developing a multi-billion-pound economic development pipeline for the county including innovative projects such as:
- The new national Cyber Centre
- The Advance Manufacturing Research Centre
- Eden of the North and
- A new second home for Lancashire County Cricket Club.
Stephen is the Place lead for Salford and Chief Executive lead for Greater Manchester for Digital, AI & Information and Data Governance, and also sits on various outside boards and committees covering a range of different topics ranging from business growth to the education sector.
Stephen is a regular speaker and contributor to the trade press on a range of local government issues both in the UK and abroad and is married with a young family and in his spare time he enjoys running and watching his beloved Burnley FC.
Steve Rotheram
Raised in Kirkby in a family of eight children, Steve left school at 16 to pursue a career as a bricklayer, starting out as an apprentice. In later years he went on to work for the Learning and Skills Council. Steve began his political career when he was elected to serve as a councillor in 2002, representing Fazakerley ward on Liverpool City Council and held the ceremonial title of Lord Mayor of Liverpool through the city’s European Capital of Culture year in 2008.
In 2010, Steve was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Liverpool Walton constituency. While in Westminster, he led campaigns for justice for the Hillsborough families; in support of blacklisted workers; for compensation for those suffering from mesothelioma and asbestosis; and to change the law on the use of old tyres on buses and coaches. In 2017, Steve was elected as the first ever Liverpool City Region Mayor, representing 1.6m people across the boroughs of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and the Wirral and was subsequently re-elected in 2021.
Since taking office, Steve has created 60,000 jobs, 30,000 apprenticeships and 30,000 homes. He has taken the historic decision to take back control of the region’s buses, launched a new £500m fleet of publicly owned fleet of trains, and led the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic with a £150m COVID Recovery Fund.
In 2024, Steve was elected for a third term as Mayor with 68% of the vote, his highest personal mandate and more than any other elected Mayor in the country. During his third term, Steve has pledged to return to council housebuilding at scale, to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) into the region, to build three new train stations and to launch a free pilot of artificial intelligence (AI) in local schools. He has also revised the region’s net zero target to 2035 – the most ambitious target for a city region in the country.
Tim Johnson
Tim Johnson has served as Chief Executive of the City of Wolverhampton Council, since being appointed to the role in July 2018.
An experienced strategic local government director, Tim specialises in place shaping, organisational change management and community regeneration.
He has a proven track record of developing and delivering complex, innovative projects and schemes. This includes overseeing Wolverhampton’s £4.4 billion regeneration and investment programme, featuring the city’s award-winning transport interchange and i9 commercial district project.
In the ten years he has worked for the City of Wolverhampton Council, Tim has led the transformation of the city and the council. This work was recognised nationally in June 2017 when the City of Wolverhampton Council won four MJ Local Government Achievement Awards, including Local Authority of the Year, Most Improved Council and Senior Leadership Team of the Year. Tim was a finalist for Chief Executive of the Year at the 2021 MJ Awards.
Tim is a passionate advocate of fairness and equality and has made these core values central to the way he leads the council’s workforce, involving colleagues from the council’s equality forums in executive board meetings so their voice is heard on key policies and plans.
He also represents City of Wolverhampton Council on a number of external forums across the region including the Black Country NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Association of Black Country Authorities, is chair of the West Midlands Executive Board and a board member of the WM Growth Company.
Tim previously held roles as the council’s Deputy Managing Director and Strategic Director of Place and has more than 20 years’ experience in local government working for Liverpool City Council, London Borough of Hillingdon, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.
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