The knowledge broker: Sir Howard Bernstein’s Manchester and lessons for national renewal

By Mike Emmerich

An illuminating biography that offers lessons in leadership from the man behind Manchester's revival.

A golden thread stretches from Manchester's post-industrial decline to its renaissance as a city of shining towers and world-class ambition. That thread is Sir Howard Bernstein.

Known for his chunky rings, cigars and quick wit, Bernstein was a formidable operator, adept at pulling strings behind the scenes. He wrote the playbook for bringing cities back from the brink and helped to deliver it across the country through Metro Mayors. Remarkably, he did all this without the benefit of an elite education or family connections, starting his career as a Junior Clerk at Manchester Town Hall and working his way up through talent and determination.

Based on extensive interviews with Bernstein's staff, as well as cabinet ministers and civil servants, developers and financiers, The knowledge broker reveals what it was that made the man tick. It offers important lessons in leadership and insights into Manchester's success.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1526195119
• ISBN13: 9781526195111
• Release Date: March 2027
• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Length: 392 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 2.0" x 6.1"