Real estate investors come to Cannes

At MIPIM 2022, the opportunities and challenges in an industry in the midst of post-pandemic growth and decision-making processes increasingly sensitive to sustainability and climate change issues

MIPIM Awards 2022 finalist: Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam - Photo © Ossip van Duivenbode
MIPIM Awards 2022 finalist: Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam - Photo © Ossip van Duivenbode

One of the key passages of the speech with which François Hollande will open the 2022 MIPIM, scheduled in Cannes from March 15 to 18, will be about climate change. His speech is the culminating moment of MIPIM’s consideration of the environmental issue, as it was Hollande who coordinated the COP21 efforts, with the president of the French Republic, which led to the signing of the Paris climate agreement. Hollande will mention some of the key challenges as well as opportunities that the real estate industry will face in the coming years.

Best Office & Business Development, Gioia 22, Milan - Photo © Donato Di Bello
MIPIM Awards 2022 finalist: Gioia 22, Milan – Photo © Donato Di Bello

These challenges and opportunities are largely tied to the effect of climate change on the development of urban spaces. The context that the former president of France will outline is that of a difficult but essential post-pandemic recovery, in which public health and labor policies will have to address the inequalities that have worsened in these two years. MIPIM 2022 is a crucial event for the real estate industry that has met with “industry’s great desire to participate in the event, reflected in the encouraging numbers of registrations,” says the director of the event, Ronan Vaspart.

Best Residential Development, Æbeløen, Aarhus - Photo © 2017 Mikkel Frost
MIPIM Awards 2022 finalist: Æbeløen, Aarhus – Photo © 2017 Mikkel Frost

The European real estate sector is moving towards the post-pandemic phase in the wake of intense growth. International investors are demonstrating their faith in this growth, coming in droves Cannes in search of partnership opportunities with fast-developing cities and regions. Sustainability is the common thread connecting investors to the industry, as mentioned in Hollande’s speech.

Best Shopping Centre, Hongkong Land’s Yorkville, The Ring, Chongqing, China - Photo © Creat AR
MIPIM Awards 2022 finalist: Hongkong Land’s Yorkville, The Ring, Chongqing, China – Photo © Creat AR

The role of ESG evaluation criteria in decision-making processes for sustainable investments will be one of the focuses of the closed-door Re-Invest Summit. There’s also the not-to-be-missed, traditional event on March 17, the MIPIM Awards, a prestigious recognition of the best projects, both completed and to be built, excellence in today’s real estate in the world, in the opinion of a jury formed by representatives of the industry’s leading investment companies.