Building Minds Manchester – Empowerment of Women in Construction and Architecture

On a warm Thursday night in Manchester, over a hundred guests gathered for Solus’ biggest event outside of London: Building Minds: Empowerment of Women in Construction and Architecture. Held in partnership with Regeneration Brainery and Capital & Centric, and staged in their beautifully repurposed space at Neptune Mill, the evening brought together leaders from across the built environment to reflect on what progress really looks like, and how we get there.

The event opened with a welcome from Sophia Wise, Head of Regional Sales at Solus, who described Building Minds as a platform for purpose. “We began this programme because there were things we wanted to talk about: things that matter to us, and, we hope, matter to you too.”

Studio Manager Jazzmine Barrett then introduced the evening’s panellists: Nicola Hodkinson (Seddon), Caroline Simpson (Greater Manchester Combined Authority), Michele Steel (Regeneration Brainery), Alice Parker (Ridge and Partners), and Tim Heatley (Capital & Centric). Across industries and backgrounds, each speaker brought a unique lens to a shared question: how do we create a more inclusive, representative, and humane construction sector?

Michele Steel set the tone with a candid account of the barriers she faced. As a student at a girl’s school in Newcastle she was never properly informed of the options for working in the built environment. Her interest in buildings was interpreted as an interest in architecture, which wasn’t right for her. A lack of visible pathways into the property industry nearly deterred her altogether; an issue that, she said, persists today.

Michele also shared the outrageous story of how she was made redundant while on maternity leave. “It was a major knock to my confidence. You spend years building your network, your career, and then it’s gone.” Today, through her work at Regeneration Brainery, she’s working to dismantle those barriers for the next generation. “If we want a more diverse industry, we can’t just wait for talent to show up. We have to go upstream and create the path.”

Architect Alice Parker spoke about juggling early motherhood with her career. “No one has it all. We just do our best.” Having her children later in life gave her time to build her career first: but she still had to navigate pregnancy, maternity leave, and a return to work with resilience and support.

She shared a story of interviewing for her current role while eight months pregnant. “I told them, ‘Just so you know…’ They didn’t blink. That kind of workplace support makes all the difference.” Alice also stressed the value of diverse teams: “When meetings are balanced, 50% men, 50% women, you get better conversations, better decisions, and ultimately, better outcomes.”

Caroline Simpson, Chief Executive of GMCA, spoke about inclusive leadership from a public sector perspective. Her passion for regeneration was born while working in Toxteth, Liverpool, and has since grown into a decades-long career in place-making.

“The hardest point in my life was when I had children,” she said, recalling the confidence crash that came with returning to work. “That’s why I always say to colleagues going on maternity leave: your job is here when you get back. Enjoy the time with your baby. We’ve got you.”

Caroline emphasised that inclusive leadership isn’t about lowering expectations. “It’s about creating high-performing organisations where people feel they belong. Culture and values aren’t extras; they’re foundational.”

Nicola Hodkinson, Director at Seddon, echoed this, describing how she introduced purpose-led leadership into a traditionally male-dominated, delivery-focused business. “My background is in technology and HR. No one else wanted to do culture, so I did it. At the time, it wasn’t taken seriously. But we’ve shown that investing in people and values attracts and retains talent.”

Nicola also spoke of her involvement with Girls Out Loud, a mentoring charity that helps teenage girls develop confidence and leadership skills. “We need to nurture talent early. Mentorship is how we build future leaders.”

Developer Tim Heatley brought both personal and professional insight. Growing up in Salford, he watched the area transform and later returned to renovate homes as a young developer. But something didn’t sit right.

“When we started Capital & Centric, we realised we were part of the problem. The people applying for jobs looked just like me; white, male, privileged. We couldn’t wait for diverse talent to knock on the door. We had to go out and find them.”

That realisation led him to co-found Regeneration Brainery with Michele. He also reflected on the impact of working with female leaders in the public sector. “I’ve noticed women often start by asking: who are we building this for? Not just what we’re building. That shift in mindset changes everything.”

The panellists were united in their willingness to name the problem and their commitment to building something better. Each shared stories of struggle, but also of action: mentoring young women, rethinking hiring practices, embedding values into corporate culture, and advocating for change from the inside out.

The panel ended with a sense of shared responsibility and opportunity. In her closing remarks Jazzmine Barrett thanked the panellists for their contributions, “It’s a real pleasure to hear your thoughts on these important issues and learn about the things you are all doing to improve access to and within the sector.”

Solus and its sponsors concluded the evening with a donation to Regeneration Brainery presented by Ian Hamilton in support of their mission to open up the industry to young people from all backgrounds and create a more inclusive future for construction and design. 

Huge thanks to all the sponsors and collaborators who helped make this event happen - Capital & Centric, Regeneration Brainery, Quiligotti, Carhartt, SimpsonHaugh, Horizon Tiling Contractors, Love, HAY, Boen, MI Supplies, Superbeam.