We Built This City: Greater Manchester

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 came to Manchester from Liverpool an...

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.

People like Becci Thomson, the Chief C...

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 from Liverpool to head up the firm’s...

“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 played key roles in some of Manchester’s...

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; Will’s hopes for the future of brewi...

"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, including a commitment to staying gro...

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 power Manchester's next revolution; a gre...

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 a therapist to study counter-terror...

"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 Manchester City Council.

In the late 19...

"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 bike as a kid, her career journey fro...

"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 pandemic on Greater Manchester and the w...

"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 character shapes their sense of purpose...

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 Manchester.

Lisa and Gethin discuss his ...

“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 in Manchester.  They uncover how, ...

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 bomb in 1996. He then carried on his ...

"Manchester is just a place of opportunity, whatever it is that you do."

Nicola Marsh is a born and bred Salfordian and Managing Director of Essence Mediacom North.

Nicola created a career for herself in digital advertising in the early days of the internet, you’ll hear about how she continues to navigate this constantly evolving media landscape, and her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion at Essence Mediacom.

In this epis...

"The whole point about building a city is it isn’t one person’s project.”

Colin Shenton is the founder and CEO of Shenton Group, a property company he started in Manchester in the late 1980s, when the city looked and worked very differently. 

You’ll hear about the deal Colin made the very beginning of his career, and how he handled the restoration of a heritage building aged just 21.

Colin shares with Lisa his passion for revital...

“This is my city now till I die. I absolutely love it."

You will probably know Julie Hesmondhalgh as the legendary actor who took on the much-loved role of trans character Hayley Cropper on ITV’s Coronation Street. 

Julie and host Lisa Morton discuss everything from Julie’s beginnings in Accrington; how she became one of the UK's most cherished performers and how Manchester has now become ‘her city’. You’ll hear about Julie’s de...

"There's a culture of creativity in our city”

Dave Moutrey has been an integral part of Manchester’s arts and cultural scene since the 1980’s. He sits down with host Lisa Morton to discuss his journey to becoming a cornerstone of creativity in the city.  

Lisa hears about Dave’s formative years, where the sparks of his passion for the arts were ignited during memorable trips to London. It was punk that inspired Dave to move...