On Thursday 13th November 2025, Downtown in Business hosted an exclusive Leader’s Lunch with Caroline Simpson, Group Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), at the Maldron Manchester City Centre.
Caroline, who joined GMCA on 25 June 2024, leads the combined teams of GMCA, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). With a distinguished career dedicated to public service across the Northwest, Caroline has held key roles in local government, housing, and regional development agencies. Her extensive experience and strategic leadership provide invaluable insight into the region’s growth and development.
The discussion at today’s lunch focused on Greater Manchester’s priorities for the coming years, including driving economic growth and regeneration, improving transport infrastructure to support sustainable mobility, strengthening public services, and promoting inclusive development to ensure opportunities are accessible to all communities. Attendees, including senior business leaders and regional stakeholders, engaged in a lively conversation about the importance of partnerships between public and private sectors to create an innovative, thriving, and inclusive Greater Manchester.
Our sponsor for this event was Krol Corlett.
Downtown in Business would also like to thank everyone who participated in today’s discussion. Your contributions made the event a valuable platform for sharing ideas and shaping the future of Greater Manchester. We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming events and continuing these vital conversations.
