The countdown to MIPIM is on

You’d better believe it – there’s just over a week to go until the shores of Cannes play host to over 20,000 property professionals from across the world.

MIPIM is well and truly upon us and if you’re organised you might be writing your packing list already (that’s me). Or you might be doing it all the night before. But whatever your style, now’s the time to get your head in the game to make sure you get the most out of your experience.

Read on for my last-minute thoughts and tips before you zip up your bag and order your airport taxi.

The shifting face of MIPIM

MIPIM is a global stage, so for those balancing their marketing budget and trying to make room for UKREiiF and the plethora of other conferences baying for your attention, MIPIM’s international audience is a key consideration. Yet with a cost-of-living crisis and political and economic uncertainty, we’ve noticed that companies are making more careful decisions on who to send and how they manage their investment in MIPIM. Many companies are choosing not to go at all.

Despite these increasing pressures, MIPIM remains a top priority in the annual event calendar. If your business goals are about aligning with your city and being a visible member of your local business community, you really can’t afford to miss it.

In the two decades that I’ve been attending MIPIM there’s no doubt that it’s changed enormously.

Post-Covid, it’s become more grown up. Never mind all those stories about wine and yachts (exaggerated somewhat, honest), MIPIM is about knowledge sharing and collaboration.

How is MIPIM 2024 shaping up?

This year’s programme is looking productive, with plenty of discussion, reflection and connection. And there are far fewer casual events in the diary than there ever have been. But I’m still expecting to have plenty of fun.

I predict a more sober, serious MIPIM than ever before. The days of celebrities delivering the keynote (Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, was set to speak in 2020) are gone, with political figures stepping into the limelight instead. Sanna Marion may be an inspirational representative for gender equality, but will the former prime minister of Finland have the same draw?

The local authority presence will be different too. Councils are sending fewer delegates (Birmingham, Leeds and the Scottish cities are missing entirely) but importantly, those that are attending are more influential in terms of placemaking.

And the organiser (RX) is hailing MIPIM 2024 as its most sustainable yet with a focus on waste minimisation, reducing its carbon footprint, improving diversity and inclusion, and generating positive social impact. It will be interesting to see how that plays out…

What not to miss this year

Overwhelmed by the sheer choice of events to attend? Here are our programme highlights for MIPIM 2024.

Tuesday

The Inside Housing aperitif on the Manchester stand at 3.30pm, in collaboration with L&G Affordable Homes, Trowers & Hamlins and Willmott.

EG will be hosting a panel discussion with Shoosmiths at 2:30pm on the Avison Young stand C19.F on a new way of working in ‘The Great Workplace Reset’, asking what our future cities should look like.

Wednesday

MIPIM is trying out a new format for this collaborative workshop on the housing ‘polycrisis’ on Wednesday at 10am in Palais 3. We think it looks like more fun than the title suggests.

On the London stand at 1pm there’s an interesting looking discussion about politics, polling and a tale of two elections.

I’m particularly looking forward to getting into the debate after lunch on Wednesday about how AI can be used within the real estate sector.

And an all-star panel hits the UK stage in the main auditorium’s last slot on Wednesday (4.50pm) to discuss ‘making UK housing more affordable’.

Thursday

One of the highlights for the week will be Place North West’s discussion on the power of devolution for Greater Manchester, on the Manchester stand, 2.30pm. The speakers will be Eamonn Boylan (GMCA), Angela Mansell (Mansell Building Solutions), Paul Richards (Stockport Council) and Jeremy Hinds (Savills).

Which leads neatly in a discussion between the GMCA, the BPF, UN-Habitat and the RIBA on ‘Cities, Placemaking, Living and Net Zero‘, and then the Manchester closing drinks. For those who haven’t yet fled the Riviera for sunny Manchester, we predict that this will be the place to be.

10 top tips

Finally, here are our ten top tips to get the most out of your MIPIM experience. Are you ready? Let’s go…

1. Plan ahead. Being in the right place at the right time is about planning, not luck.
2. But don’t plan too much. Leave space in your diary for bumping into someone unexpectedly. This is what we like to call ‘MIPIM magic’ and you can’t underestimate its value.
3. Know who and what you’re targeting. MIPIM can be overwhelming. Knowing who you need to talk to and the events you need to attend will help you focus your efforts.
4. Wear good shoes. You’ll be walking and standing around just as much as if you were at Disney World. Comfort matters.
5. Stay hydrated. Easier said than done when coffee and wine are easier to come by than water, but make sure you drink lots of H2O
6. Eat properly. MIPIM is a marathon not a sprint and you need good fuel.
7. Take it seriously. It’s a massive investment of time and money, and comes with reputational risk if you overdo it on the fizz or overload LinkedIn with pictures of boozing in the sunshine.
8. Plan for changeable weather. Sun cream, sunglasses, a scarf, an umbrella – you’ll need it all, probably on the same day. And yes, we’ve checked the forecast and it’s looking changeable…
9. Perhaps most importantly, have fun! There are people to meet, new ideas to happen upon and opportunities to tickle into being.
10. Don’t forget about the follow up. Don’t worry though – we’ll remind you about that at the end of the week.

With all that said, happy packing and see you in a week.