13. Phil Mayall: From Building Site to Boardroom

Phil Mayall was certain he’d be a professional rugby league player, but his dad wanted him to have a backup plan. So his dad, a plasterer, had him labouring for a bricklayer up on the Saddleworth hills. It was so cold they lit fires to keep warm. One day the brickie looked at him and told him not to make the same choices he made. That was the wake-up call. Phil got onto a building studies HND, earned a distinction and went on to a building surveying degree. From there he worked in general practice surveying and at Northern Trust, where he moved into its in-house development arm. In 2006 he joined AMEC, soon to become Muse. Just over a year later, he was handed Salford Central, a scheme he’s still delivering 20 years on. Within months, the financial crash wiped £100 million off its appraisal almost overnight. Phil has been Managing Director of Muse since 2023 and is a board director of the English Cities Fund. He’s also on the board of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and is vice chair of the BPF’s Regional Policy Committee.