Skip to content

Start Yard Director to Speak at DIB Mersey Power Towns Event

Chris Lee, a seasoned entrepreneur with a career spanning over four decades, is widely recognised for his innovative approach to business and his passion for nurturing creative talent.

Downtown in Business is pleased to announce that Chris Lee, Creative Director at Start-Yard, will be joining us at our upcoming Mersey Power Towns event. This highly anticipated event is set to take place on Tuesday, 15th October, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Irvine Building in Birkenhead, and will focus on the future of towns within the Liverpool City Region.

Starting his career on the shop floor at Wade Smith, one of Liverpool’s most iconic shops, Chris quickly ascended to the role of Director. His career has since taken him across the globe, including a notable tenure as Senior Vice President and Creative Director of Reebok in the USA, followed by roles at Ellesse and DKNY.

In recent years, Chris has focused his energies on developing Start-Yard, a creative hub he co-owns with his wife Jill, in the historic Cammell Laird’s old transport depot in Birkenhead. Start-Yard is designed to be a fertile ground for new and emerging businesses, offering flexible terms and affordable rents in a vibrant, community-focused environment. The facility features shared seating areas, office pods and meeting rooms, making it an ideal space for creative entrepreneurs to flourish.

Chris’s extensive knowledge in the sports and fashion industries, combined with his hands-on experience in buying, merchandising, marketing, and product design, makes him an invaluable asset to any discussion on the future of business and innovation in the region. His involvement in the transformation of Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle into a thriving hub for independent creative and digital businesses further underscores his commitment to revitalising urban spaces and supporting the local economy.

At the Mersey Power Towns event, Chris will share his insights on the evolving landscape of the Liverpool City Region, drawing from his experiences in both the retail and creative sectors. He will discuss the potential for further development in areas like Birkenhead and beyond, emphasising the importance of fostering creativity and entrepreneurship as key drivers of economic growth.

Joining Chris at the event will be other distinguished speakers, including Phil Marsden, Managing Director North West at Muse, Stephen Young, Chief Executive of Halton Borough Council, Steve Parry, Managing Director at Ion Developments, and Max Steinberg, Chair at Shakespeare Playhouse North. Together, they will explore the latest developments and future opportunities for the region’s towns, promising a thought-provoking and inspiring discussion.

For more information and to register for the event, please contact alice.evans@downtowninbusiness.com.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from some of the region’s most influential leaders as they discuss the future of Mersey Power Towns.

Downtown in Business

Starship constructs the first zero bills modular house in the north of England on Liverpool Waterfront

Specialist low carbon developers and leaders in zero-carbon prefabricated housing, Starship have built a low-energy, zero-carbon, two-storey modular house on the iconic Liverpool waterfront. The zero-bills home is part of Starship’s wider partnership with Octopus Energy and is the first of its kind in the North of England – it will serve as a focal point for the Housing Community Summit this week and will stay in situ through to the three-day Labour Party Conference.

Read More