The Knowledge Broker - by Mike Emmerich (Hardcover)

About the Book

This is the first biography of Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council from 1998 to 2017. It reveals the remarkable role he played in the city's revival and offers insights into leadership and power.

Book Synopsis

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.

From the Back Cover

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.

About the Author

Mike Emmerich grew up in Manchester in the 1970s and early 1980s, at a time when the city was suffering a dramatic decline. He worked as a civil servant and was the Prime Minister's Senior Adviser on local government and planning before returning to Manchester to set up a research institute at the university. He is a Founding Director of Metro Dynamics and has published extensively on innovation, place and the future of towns.