MIPIM 2012: Birmingham enters the main stage

THE prestigious main conference programme at this week’s MIPIM show in Cannes will host two speakers representing Birmingham.

The leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, and the council’s strategic director of development, Mark Barrow, have been selected from a wide list of experts to speak at the Palais des Festivals. More than 19,000 delegates at MIPIM – the world’s largest real estate event – are invited to attend the conference programme.

Today Cllr Whitby will take part in a panel discussion ‘UK Cities – Investing in Infrastructure for Growth’, sponsored by GVA. Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council, is a fellow panelist.

Tomorrow Barrow will take part in an event which focuses on ‘Energy efficiency: new and refurbished projects’. The event, which also features representatives from Arup and Bayer, will look into topics such as the reduction of energy consumption and efficient facilities management.

Cllr Whitby said: “With billions of pounds being invested in our transport network, and the creation of the UK’s only city centre enterprise zone it is clear that the city has plenty to talk about on MIPIM’s main stage.”

The city’s inward investment programme Business Birmingham is leading a delegation of organisations, including Birmingham City Council, alongside 18 private companies, at MIPIM.

So far this week initiatives have focused on highlighting the development potential around the city’s transport-linked projects, such as High Speed 2 and the redevelopment of New Street station, and in trying to tap into the investment potential of the world’s sovereign wealth funds.

Visit Business Birmingham’s MIPIM page here.

For more stories about Birmingham at MIPIM from TheBusinessDesk.com click here.