A dealmaker. A pragmatist. A man who got things done.
His sartorial style was atypical of the staid local government corridors of power. His immaculate wardrobe included ever-present scarves, vivid socks, suits and sovereign rings.
Reversing decades of decline, he oversaw the city's remarkable transformation from the post-industrial doldrums of the 1980s to the modern city of today. He inspired other cities to take their futures into their own hands. 'Manchester has lost one of its finest' Howard's brother Russell told the Manchester Evening News: "Howard touched so many people's lives during his remarkable career, but it is as my big brother that I will remember him. Whilst we had many differences, particularly regarding our football and politics, that only contributed to the many things that we both shared together.
He, without doubt, was instrumental in bringing foreign investment to help shape the city we now have. In 1986, when only 33, Sir Howard engineered the takeover of Manchester Airport by Greater Manchester's 10 councils. He played a key role in securing the 2002 Commonwealth Games for Manchester, having previously been involved in the dry-run of the city's ill-fated bid to get the Olympics. The legacy of the games and the new stadium would provide a new home for Manchester City, with the club moving from Maine Road, which in turn, assisted by Sir Howard's vision, resulted in the regeneration of east Manchester with an Abu Dhabi-based takeover and cash.
A Jewish upbringing - at a time when the war was still fresh in the collective memory - would come to shape his outlook, one which in turn would come to shape his home city. He told the M.E.N. in 2016: "My father was always very... not political, but very socially aware. I think most Jewish families were in that era, from where they came from, and where their parents came from.
Bravado – and impatience – fuelled his rise up the ranks. By the time Graham Stringer came to lead the council in 1984, Sir Howard was a junior officer. Stringer remembers being impressed by his energy in fighting Stansted Airport over unfair competition. "Howard wrote beautifully and precisely, but more importantly - to use a football analogy - he put the ball in the net. Rather than just talking about it, he delivered major schemes and huge amounts of inward investment.
'An insatiable appetite for work' Sir Howard's achievements were many, but Stringer highlights the Commonwealth Games. "They showcased to the world and convinced politicians of all parties that the way Manchester did things meant we were worthy of both private and public investment," he added. Of the legacy left by his work, Stringer said: "Well, a completely different city. If you walk into the city centre now and you compare it to when Howard started work in 1971, it is unrecognisable. When he started, we still had a steel industry and chemical industry and engineering and Howard was part of making sure we didn't end up looking like Detroit.
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