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New models, new moods and nearly a takeover by the UK contingent. This year’s MIPIM has a decidedly refreshed look and feel.
From Cardiff to London, Nine Elms to Earls Court, the models on display were all factory fresh this week.
Meanwhile, it has been a long time since all the UK’s core cities arrived in the South of France in such confident mood. Senior figures from Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool, Nottingham and Cardiff all appeared on a kick-off Estates Gazette panel yesterday. And all had a clear vision of where they wanted their regions to be in a decade’s time, and a belief that they would get there.
Perhaps the most interesting statistic from day one was the near 20% rise in the number of UK delegates to around 4,800. There aren’t many more visitors from France itself at MIPIM this week. And if you wanted an indicator of just how attractive the UK market is to international investors right now, that’s not a bad guide.
But it’s the deals that everyone is here for and the air is thick with talk of deals done, conceived and just hoped for.
Many this year involve agents themselves. “I have never seen anything like it in my career,” said one seasoned agency chief to me. “Everyone is for sale. I mean everyone.”
Cushmans has been touting itself, unofficially and latterly officially, for some time. Colliers continues to flirt with GM Real Estate. CBRE and Johnson Controls were the latest names to be linked (with some foundation) in the sunshine.
Usually at MIPIM agency consolidation takes a back seat to investment deals on clients’ behalf. But there was a rare exception yesterday. As this first EG MIPIM Daily went to press, LSH actually confirmed a deal with ES Group.
If that’s day one, days two and three could be breathless.
Keep up with all of the latest news at www.estatesgazette.com/mipim or by reading EG’s daily digital editions from the show.
damian.wild@estatesgazette.com
