Caroline Simpson is set to lead Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester after she was named as the preferred candidate to take over as chief executive from Eamonn Boylan.
An appointment panel comprising the Mayor of Greater Manchester and seven local authority leaders chose the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council chief executive to become the next GCMA's chief executive. Boylan will retire after the Mayoral elections in May.
Simpson is known for overseeing a major £1 billion redevelopment of Stockport town centre and led the borough’s development, regeneration, planning and transport agenda. She has been with the council for eight years, occupying the top job for the last two.
GMCA said Simpson will bring a “wealth of public sector experience” to the role, with a career spanning local government, housing, and regional development agencies in the North West and West Midlands. Her career started in the City of Liverpool, delivering community-based regeneration projects, with a particular focus on work and skills.
As the chief executive of the GMCA and TfGM, she will be central to delivering the Greater Manchester Strategy, a long-term blueprint for managing the region including its city centre.
Last year, Greater Manchester became one of the first city-regions to sign a devolution deal with the government, meaning it has more responsibilty over skills, transport and housing, and securing a commitment to a single funding settlement, which will be introduced in 2025.
Simpson said in a statement: “Greater Manchester has cemented its position as the leading city-region when it comes to English devolution. That didn’t happen by accident, but is the result of the vision, the values, and the courage of civic leaders here to do things differently and put power back into the hands of our people and places.
“Our city-region is now on the cusp of transformational change, and my priority is to catalyse the collaboration and the partnerships that are essential to driving that change, whether that be on the local, national, or international stage.”