City aims to do business at showpiece exhibition.
Birmingham is aiming to make a bold statement at MIPIM 2014 by joining together 25 partners from across the city – more than ever before – to promote its flagship schemes and infrastructure projects.
The world’s largest real estate show, MIPIM is taking place in Cannes, France on 11th-14th March. It hosts more than 20,000 participants from 80 countries, ranging from global investors to CEOs and journalists. Virtually all major European cities attend the event to showcase their latest developments to potential funders.
With a number of local projects under the spotlight, Birmingham will celebrating unprecedented levels of investment in its infrastructure – while looking ahead to the future opportunities available to investors and developers.
Organised by inward investment programme Business Birmingham, its presence will focus on the city’s growing transport networks. This will include how HS2 is joining Birmingham with the UK’s other regional economic centres; Birmingham New Street station’s £600 million transformation; and the runway extension at Birmingham Airport bringing long-haul destinations closer to the city.
Birmingham will also showcase flagship sites such as its economic zones – led by the city centre Enterprise Zone – which are offering investors financial benefits, business support, planning flexibility and 1.8 million sqm of new floorspace. Key sectors under the spotlight will include Birmingham’s growing technology scene.
The city’s global profile as a business destination remains high, with investment industry title Site Selection recently ranking Birmingham as one of the top ten ‘best to invest’ Western cities in Europe.
Sir Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council, will lead the city’s delegation in 2014. He commented, “Birmingham will be capitalising on its growing reputation as a European hub for enterprise and investment at MIPIM next year. It has one of the most ambitious visions for urban development in Europe – from its plans for international connectivity to the range of unique infrastructure projects on the horizon.
“The city is bucking the trend in attracting more overseas investment, despite a tough economic climate, because we offer businesses greater support and a better welcome than any other UK location. MIPIM provides a platform for us to engage with the organisations looking to invest in our new schemes and join in our economic growth.”
More than ten partners are already confirmed for MIPIM 2014, including Birmingham City Council, Brindleyplace, Calthorpe Estates, DLA Piper, Glenn Howells Architects, GVA, Jaguar Land Rover, Jones Lang LaSalle, Nikal and Thomas Vale. Business Birmingham aims to join with some 25 partners for MIPIM 2014.
Nick Payne, Managing Director at Nikal, explained why it is important for the company to attend the show: “Joining Birmingham’s MIPIM delegation once again is key to our strategy of securing investor interest in our regenerative Exchange Square development at Masshouse. MIPIM is a must-attend event for the global property industry, and enables Birmingham’s private sector partners to present our cutting-edge developments and expertise to an international audience. Birmingham’s presence at the show has gone from strength to strength, and we look forward to joining our partners at Cannes next year.”
Birmingham’s presence at MIPIM builds on the success of 2013’s show, which involved 11 events and 18 partners. It generated more than 150 pieces of positive media coverage about the city as a business destination – while Business Birmingham’s website received over 2,000 visits during the event, a 30% increase on 2012. The news comes at a time when it was also revealed that city secured a 52% rise in inward investment projects in 2012/13, against a national increase of 11%. This created or safeguarded over 4,000 jobs, generating an annual economic impact of £174 million.