Associate Vice-President for Major Special Projects, University of Manchester

Policy Fellow, Centre for Science and Policy

John is Associate Vice-President for Major Special Projects at the University of Manchester, with responsibility for developing new partnerships with public, private, and charitable organisations to attract national and international activities to the University and city region. John’s role includes working on the University’s plans for a new 18-acre innovation district in the centre of Manchester and for a manufacturing focused innovation district in Rochdale.

Prior to joining the University in 2020, John spent over 15 years working in economic and social policy in Greater Manchester, most recently leading the Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review and developing one of the UK’s first local industrial strategies. His career includes a significant period of time in senior strategy and research roles at the New Economy think tank, where his work included numerous projects promoting regional growth and prosperity.

He has worked as a special advisor on regional economic development to the UK’s Department for Business Innovation & Skills, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Commission.

He is an active member of the UK’s national Productivity Institute and has recently published research on the productivity challenges facing the North West of England.