Transformative and cooperative leadership in city-regional development: conceptualising the early stages of place-based leadership

This paper explores the early stages of place-based leadership in Polish city-regions by examining the development of metropolitan governance through the dual lens of transformative and cooperative leadership models. Focusing on four city-regional partnerships that remain in the initial phases of institutionalisation, the study investigates both formal and informal political and organisational arrangements. Drawing on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, the analysis reveals three parallel dynamics: (1) the prominent political position of directly elected core city mayors, often accompanied by limited engagement with the broader city-regional agenda; (2) the rising ambitions of suburban local leaders; and (3) the growing role of appointed executive managers of metropolitan institutions, who increasingly act as intermediaries and facilitators of cooperation. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how different leadership patterns interact and evolve during the formative period of city-regional integration.