MIPIM Blog: Suits, stands and style on show at property expo
WORLD economies may still be teetering, if many commentators are to be believed, on the brink of financial meltdown, but that doesn’t seem to stop a myriad of destinations descending on Cannes for the annual MIPIM conference.
And 2012 is no different. Around 18,000 professionals are expected to visit the famous French coastal resort this week as the world’s biggest property and inward investment extravaganza comes to town.
It’s always interesting to see which cities, regions and territories are promoting themselves the most visually at MIPIM.
This year, aside from the usual Russian provinces showing what they’ve got and what they could become through billions of pounds of investment, notably extravagant stands include Lyon, Tokyo, Bahrain Bay and Brno in the Czech Republic, dubbed ‘The City of the Future’ by its marketing bods.
Most are pushing schemes that haven’t happened yet with the lure of riches promised to those investors who take the plunge.
The labyrynthine exhibition space in the Palais des Festivals can be confusing, even somewhat alarming, and visions of becoming trapped within its walls can become quite believable unless you’re armed with MIPIM’s trusty guidebook.
But one shouldn’t take too much notice if one spots crowds of men thronging in a particular space. It’s unlikely to be them pushing for an exit and more likely to be a stand manned (or should that be womaned?) by numerous beautiful women.
Subtle it may not be but at a conference at which at least 90% of delegates are the male of the species, it certainly helps to hit marketing targets.
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THERE was a positive vibe at the Leeds City Region stand yesterday as delegates welcomed guests and began three days of extensive promotional activity.
Well-known names spotted so far chatting to representatives from the city region have included Mike Ingle, chief executive of Clarence Dock owner Allied London, Peter Cartwright, of Cartwright Pickard Architects, and former regional director of Anglo Irish Bank, Julian Naylor, now of Business Finance Advisers.
Similar welcome events held by Manchester and Birmingham have also attracted the crowds.
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SPEAKING of well-known property figures, Tom Bloxham, founder of Urban Splash, came for a quick perusal of the Leeds City Region stand and chat.
Easily identifiable anyway, Bloxham’s trilby hat made the property expert stand out as he told how he his company was on the look-out for more targets in Yorkshire.
Makes a change from the countless High Street outfits (mine included) on show.
