Maykee Liu, Property Manager

Posted on 24 Jun 2025

Tell me a bit about yourself.
I started working for the Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) as a graduate surveyor back in 2017. Over the years, I worked my way up and now manage a team.
                               
My role has evolved quite a bit, and I’ve been able to gain experience across different aspects of property and project management.

I originally come from Morecambe but moved around for university before settling in Greater Manchester, where my parents live. Even before that, I was always drawn to Manchester, it just had a lot more going on compared to a small seaside town.

What is your role within the RDA?
I’m a Programme Manager, which means I handle a mix of project and property management.  My team manages a portfolio of commercial properties, mainly industrial estates, ensuring they are maintained properly and that tenants have the support they need. Essentially, we act as the link between businesses and the local authority, balancing financial priorities with business, environmental, and community support.

Why did you choose to work with the RDA?
For me, it was about the opportunities. I wanted to work in a role that had a real impact on a place, and the RDA gave me that. Rochdale has changed a lot since I started, and being part of that transformation has been really rewarding.

When I first came here, there wasn’t much beyond the bus station, tram stop, and Number One Riverside. Now, with projects like the Town Hall transformation and the Riverside development, there’s so much more going on. I find myself spending a lot more time here, whether it’s shopping, going to the cinema, or just grabbing a doughnut!

What projects do you work on?
A big part of my role is managing Rochdale Council’s industrial property portfolio, over 100 properties across 10 industrial parks in Rochdale, Middleton, and Heywood. Beyond that, I’ve worked on larger projects such as Chamber House Solar Farm, which was funded through the European Regional Development Fund and is now generating renewable energy. I also manage other non-commercial properties such as the former Rochdale Fire Station which has been transformed into a museum with managed workspaces above called Fire Up.

What do you really enjoy about your profession?
I enjoy the conversations I have, whether it’s with colleagues, businesses, or even people I meet outside of work. For example, I found out that someone who attends the same dance classes as me also works with the Growth Company, which I also work with professionally, it’s a small world! I also love the challenge of working with different stakeholders to solve problems and make things happen.

What makes you get up in the morning?
Honestly, my breakfast tea latte! I discovered it in Japan at Starbucks, and they don’t make it in the UK, but I managed to convince a barista in Manchester who had worked in Hong Kong to make it for me. Now I just make my own version at home every morning. It’s a great way to start the day!

Tell me something people don’t know about you.
I accidentally met an actor from The Crown in Tesco while holding some spring onions. They asked a cultural question (which I couldn’t really answer), asked if I had social media (I don’t), and then just went on their way. I don’t watch The Crown, so I had no idea who they were!