We Built This City: Greater Manchester

”Our songs were all about how I felt being Mancunian” What does it look like to live a life immersed in the Manchester music scene and to make a city dance? Mike Pickering is the legendary Hacienda DJ, musician and former A&R for Factory Records and now, author. You can’t tell the story of music in Manchester over the past 40 years without Mike in the picture. In this episode, you’ll find out...

What does it take to run one of the UK's most ambitious city regions? Caroline Simpson, Group Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, joins Lisa Morton to share how the region is turning devolution into real, tangible change for people's lives. Caroline has helped shape some of the most significant developments in Greater Manchester in recent years, including the Bee Network;...

What does it mean to spend over 40 years building a career that shapes so much of who you are? Joe Gallagher is a professional world champion boxing coach and the owner of Gallagher's Gym in Moss Side. A born and bred Mancunian, Joe spends his time fighting people’s corner, encouraging them to find strength and ultimately win. In this episode, you’ll hear how Joe’s entry into boxing at just 10 yea...

How do you create a community that helps women across Greater Manchester feel seen, heard and valued? Emma Neville is a menopause coach and trained counsellor, whose work is centred around listening to and supporting women. Hear about the lessons she’s learnt from spending years giving her time to supporting people across Manchester from inside some of the city's most important charities, and from...

‘It takes a village, it takes a city’ How do you create your big Manchester Family? Fresh from the Big Manc Chippy tea event, which celebrated reaching 100 Mancs on the podcast, Lisa Morton is turning the tables in this episode. For the first time, she’s the one answering questions on values, relationships, purpose, legacy and of course, the all-important chippy order. Lisa is joined by her daught...

“The city has been my ally; I've never been frightened to make any career changes” Han Thompson is the Production Executive for BBC’s Morning Live. Her rural roots in the Cotswolds haven't stopped her from finding her place here in Manchester, something she attributes to “typical Manc chattiness and openness”, which she experienced right from the start of her time in the city region. Morning Live...

“It’s exciting to be part of the city; we've got so much further to go” On this episode of Drawn Here Not Born Here from We Built This City, Lisa talks to Joe Manning, Managing Director of MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency. Joe explains how MIDAS is building relationships between Greater Manchester and leading global cities, creating opportunities for international businesses to invest,...

“Manchester has a DNA, which is very powerful, founded on things that matter in life” Meet Manc 100. Michael Ingall is the Chairman and CEO of the property and investment group Allied London. Michael and his team have always had an incredible understanding of the energy and confidence of the city, and a vision for what it could become in the future. In this episode, you’ll hear how Allied London d...

What makes you fall in love with Manchester and stay for three decades? Andrew Charnley is the Managing Director of Sancus, a property finance and lending company, and a long-time champion of Manchester. When he joined the business in 2024, he knew they would benefit from being part of the city’s buzz and momentum, and since then, Andrew has led Sancus’ expansion in the city region, backing Manche...

What does it take to care for people at the most vulnerable moments of their lives? Jon Bell is a consultant Interventional Radiologist at The Christie in Manchester, the largest cancer care centre in Europe, providing world-leading cancer care, from Greater Manchester. Jon and his team are helping to treat and care for one in two of us who will get cancer. He also happens to be the son of Manches...

How do you make people feel at home in a city that still feels new? There are so many people making big contributions to Greater Manchester who don’t quite fit the ‘born, bred or adopted Manc’ label. We Built This City is celebrating some of those people with ‘Drawn Here Not Born Here’. Matt Townley is Group Operations Director at Dakota Hotels and Chair of the Manchester Hoteliers Association. He...

How do you sell a groundbreaking new venue in a city you’ve only just moved to? We Built This City celebrates people who contribute to Greater Manchester in a meaningful way, and Mancs can be “born, bred or adopted”. But what about the people who don’t quite fit those labels? Like in Tony Walsh's poem, they’ve been drawn here, not born here. In this series, you’ll hear from some of those people. P...

How do you make your way in business in Manchester as a Scouser? There are many people making big contributions to Greater Manchester who don’t quite fit the born, bred or adopted Manc label. And We Built This City is celebrating some of those people with ‘Drawn Here Not Born Here’. Peter Jackson is the former CEO and Managing Partner of the Law firm Hill Dickinson. Back in the late 90s, he came f...

“It’s an amazing opportunity for Manchester United and the region”  Collette Roche is the Chief Operating Officer of Manchester United, the first woman ever to hold that role at the club. Along the way, she’s had to navigate male-dominated environments; hold tough conversations, and lead with clarity and empathy since she was 21 years old. Collette’s story isn’t just about football. She’s pla...

How has the ‘Cream of Manchester’ been “pulled” back to the city? Will Lees-Jones is the Managing Director of JW Lees, a seventh-generation family brewery and pub business with pubs all across the North West. Will caught up with Lisa Morton to share the news about the exciting return of Boddingtons to Manchester and other pubs near you. They discuss what it means to bring back an icon to the city;...

"It's all about connecting people and place to opportunity." Tom Stannard is the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council. A proud public servant, he began his career in London, but his journey in the North West has been a tale of two cities. Tom left Salford four months ago to start his new role in Manchester. Find out how Tom leads with a community first mindset; humility, purpose and humour,...

What does it take to power a greener future for Manchester? Amer Gaffar is the Director of the Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University,  a research hub developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, which will support Greater Manchester's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2038. Lisa and Amer discuss exactly what a ‘fuel cell’ is and how hydrogen can powe...

In this special episode, Lisa Morton revisits one of the most powerful conversations from the podcast to date — her 2022 interview with Figen Murray OBE. Figen practises kindness and teaches resilience in an effort to build a safer, more united society — one rooted in trust, respect, and compassion. After losing her son Martyn Hett in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, she gave up her career as...

"Peace is an ongoing journey; it never ends." What motivates somebody to tackle Manchester’s biggest problems? Professor Erinma Bell MBE joins host Lisa Morton to share what drove her to create change at a time when the city region was being called ‘Gunchester’ and the values that have kept her on that mission for the past 25 years. Erinma is a peace activist, community leader, and councillor for...

"If you want something, you can't sit there and wait for someone to put it in your hand for you." In this episode, Lisa sat down with Victoria Braddock, the Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, Lisa heard how she and her team are putting Manchester’s brand on the global stage.  Victoria shares what it was like growing up in Manchester, offering ‘backies’ into town on her brother's...

"We always look out for each other in Manchester,  no matter what." Five years ago Lisa Morton launched the ‘We Built This City’ podcast in an aim to connect with born, bred and adopted Mancunians who have helped to shape this city region, not just with bricks and mortar but with their impact too. It’s impossible to reflect back on that time without acknowledging the toll of the COVID-19 pand...

"Legacy isn't about monuments or headlines. It's about impact." Join Lisa Morton in a reflective episode of "We Built This City" as she delves into the themes of values and legacy. This special episode revisits conversations with some of the guests who have joined Lisa on  “We Built This City” over the past year, including Gethen Jones and Julie Hesmondhalgh. Learn how Manchester's unique cha...

Gethin Jones shares his morning with the nation right from Manchester City centre.  In this episode, you’ll hear how Gethin’s Welsh roots have been entwined with Manchester since the late 90’s first coming here as a student. You’ll learn how Gethin has been immersing himself in the community here for the past few years through his work both on-screen and off, as he’s settled in Greater Manche...

“Everything we do is all about relationships” We Built This City host Lisa Morton isn't the one asking the questions this week, she shares with you her conversation on the   3:00AM Conversations podcast from international Law firm Hill Dickinson . Hosts Peter Jackson and Anjon Mallik hear how Lisa made her way as a young female entrepreneur in the 1990’s, to become a leader in communications...

Remembering the legacy left by Sir Howard Bernstein This week Lisa attended the memorial for Sir Howard Bernstein, impacted by the emotions, tributes shared and lasting values. She wanted to re-share with you their conversation on the podcast.  As the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council for nearly 20 years, Sir Howard was instrumental in getting the city back on its feet after the IRA...