GM Moving, the Active Partnership for Greater Manchester is delighted to announce the appointment of their new Chair.
Warren Heppolette, Senior Independent Director and head of recruitment group, confirmed that the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the appointment of Steven Pleasant MBE, as the new Chair of the charity board at their March meeting. Mike Perls MBE will conclude eight impactful years in the role this June.
Warren said: “This decision follows a thorough and careful process, with trustees, staff, investors and stakeholders and we are delighted to welcome Steven into this important leadership role at a pivotal time for the organisation. He will bring a wealth of experience and strong leadership, and we are confident that his appointment will support the continued success and strategic direction of the organisation.”
Steven has been instrumental in GM Moving since its origin; developing the first Blueprint for Change in 2015, with leaders across the city-region. He chaired the GM Moving Partnership Board in his Local Authority CEO /NHS Accountable Officer role from 2015-22 and has been who has been a GM Moving charity trustee and Chair of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee for the last three years.
Steven’s current roles include acting as an advisor for the South Yorkshire Mayor on health policy and Programme Director for the Leadership Centre. In previous roles as Chief Executive Officer of Tameside Council and the Accountable Officer for Tameside and Glossop CCG, he led Greater Manchester’s work on GM Moving and wider health improvement policy. He chaired the iNetwork and the North West Asylum and Refugee Partnership – which he was awarded an MBE for.
Steven said:
“Being part of GM Moving has been one of the privileges of my career. I’m honoured to become Chair of GM Moving Board. Having been involved since 2015—as the chair of the Executive Board, a long‑standing partner, and most recently a trustee—I’ve seen first-hand the power of movement to transform lives, strengthen communities, and reduce inequalities.
GM Moving is a special organisation with a clear mission, strong values, and exceptional people driving real, visible impact across Greater Manchester. I’m proud to help lead its next chapter and to build on the outstanding leadership Mike has provided over the past eight years.”
Mike said:
“The mission and purpose of our charity have never been more important. I have been grateful and privileged to lead our Board for eight years, to ensure that together we create the most value, influence, and impact to support the people and communities of Greater Manchester.
I am proud of our team- how they have led the organisation as it has grown, evolved, and transformed as a valued system partner to Sport England, NHS Greater Manchester and, Greater Combined Authority- our key investors.
There has been incredible progress, and there is more to do. I am delighted to pass the baton to Steven, who will take the organisation into its next phase of evolution and deliver even greater value and impact in the coming years.
I will be collaborating with him in the coming months, with the rest of our trustees, executive and team- and undertake an external board evaluation- to ensure that he has the best start in the role possible- and can lead us seamlessly into the next phase of our work.”
