MIPIM...A Portfolio of Opportunities

Delegates gathered in Cannes from 6-9 March for the world’s leading international real estate show for professionals, and they did not leave disappointed. More than 19,000 delegates gathered at the Palais des Festivals to network, engage and learn more about building global opportunities in today’s market.

From Chongqing to Tokyo, via Downtown Doha, Paris, London and New York, delegations from 83 countries gathered at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes from 6-9 March to attend a MIPIM that concentrated on quality, low-risk investment opportunities, urban development and how the tight debt financing situation will impact the European market.

At the end of the day, the general feeling among the 19,300 delegates, including 4,200 investors, was that despite uncertainty over the availability of bank financing, prime cities and locations will continue to attract strong investor interest, with many cities using their low-risk potential as a selling point.

Germany is seen as being either an ‘attractive’ or ‘very attractive’ investment opportunity by the vast majority of international investors. Its economy has weathered the Eurozone crisis well and the real estate sector has proved its national and international expertise time and again. Germany and the Nordic countries will attract low-risk investors, London and Paris offer good medium-term growth and that companies looking for high returns could be interested in Russia and Turkey.

Among the new projects unveiled during MIPIM was the proposed Skolkovo innovation city in Russia which is promoting itself as a Silicon Valley equivalent. Set to welcome some 45,000 people and be completed by 2015, Skolkovo has been set a target of 50 per cent energy consumption coming from sustainable sources.

In the giant Krasnodar Region tent, delegates admired huge models of the Sochi Olympic Park, which includes a proposed Formula One race track and which stood alongside a mock-up of the 83ha Gorod Sporta multi-functional sports complex which includes a 50,000-seat soccer stadium.
Qatar may be one of the most active investors in the international real estate market with over 50 projects in 30 countries worth an estimated €30bn, but at MIPIM 2012 the Gulf state’s focus was firmly on sustainable urban development.

My Panel Session: 'Retail Global Expansion: A Portfolio of Opportunities', was a success and poised for some lively debate amongst the panelists, a big thank you to all those who took part. Here is a link to watch the session live: http://youtu.be/N2AQeBpkOR8?hd=1

MIPIM 2013 will take place in Cannes, March 12-15 and the Country of Honour is Turkey

I've not forgotten you...

Its been a hectic few weeks of travelling but Im happy to say I'm going to be on English soil for the next few weeks giving me plenty of time to catch my breath and start working on our Global RLI Awards, now that the eagerly awaited shortlist is revealed…I would like to congratulate all our finalists. On this note I am pleased to welcome Cumberland, Location Group & Aerium as our latest Sponsors, you can find out more about these and our other sponsors on our website. If you havn’t already booked your table at the world’s most premier networking event, do it before you miss out. We are also working with the BRC to bring you a Conference during the day on International Retailing and we have an impressive line up of speakers, check the RLI website for more details.

RLI will be at Retail Connections, London on the 28th March and ICSC Europe, Berlin 18-20th April so I look forward to seeing you there.

Check back on Monday for a review on this years MIPIM & Global Retail Forum

MIPIM & Global Retail Forum

Tomorrow is the start of a busy 2 weeks travel, first its off to sunny Cannes for this years MIPIM, I will be moderating my panel session this Wednesday, "Retail Global Expansion: A Portfolio of Opportunities" scheduled for 7th March from 10.00am to 11.00am in the Hoban Room, Palais des Festivals level 3, Panelists: Claude Dion, Senior Vice President, Asset management Europe, Ivanhoe Cambridge; Filipe Correia, Expansion Director, Parfois; Marc-Christian Riebe, President of location Group and Filipa Fernandes, Head of Research and Innovation, SES Spar European Shopping Centers...so if you are at MIPIM, feel free to come along, it would be great to catch up. If you would like to arrange a meeting during the event feel free to email me jayne.rafter@rli.uk.com

Next week I'm off to London for the Global Retail Forum 13-14 March, where I will be moderating another panel session, Business Management – International growth: the right strategy for your business, 13:00-14:00 Tuesday 13 March at the GRF Pavillion within the Retail Business Technology Expo, Earls Court, London. Panelists: Nigel Darwin, Managing Director International, New Look; Miles Young, General Manager, Landmark International; Marc Christian-Riebe, Founder of Location Group.

I will also be conducting a special On-The-Couch interview with Iain Burton, Founder of Aspinall from 14.00-14.30 the same day.

So once again please pop along...

A little insight into the event:

'The role of technology and business solutions are crucial enablers to successful efficiencies in a brands international growth. The GRF was founded to aid retailers in simplifying global retailing, so understanding the use of todays technology was integral to supporting the GRF mission statement. For this reason the GRF has partnered with Retail Business Technology Expo and Cards & Payments Solutions in March 2012 to offer our global industry colleagues an exceptional opportunity to come together in probably one of the best cities in the world - London, to network and talk about the opportunities, issues and challenges that retailers face in today's economic climate.'
Mark Eve, Chairman of Global Retail Forum