A 'virtual' journey around the world, including stop-offs in Oslo, Singapore and Hong Kong will provide the format for CoreNet Global's inaugural France Networking Group event, to be held at Cisco, Paris on March 2, 2011.
The half-day event, entitled 'Technology in the Corporate Real Estate World' will welcome industry experts from France as well as 'virtually' present experts from Asia and Europe to focus on the latest technological innovations that are transforming the corporate real estate sector, including how technology can directly assist workplace strategy. Issues to be discussed with include global mobility and real estate, and uses of technology in the workplace, with participants contributing their expert perspectives.
Participants will also discuss the current status of the French real estate market and future projections, include a presentation on connected real estate and the impact of technology such as TelePresence, and review the latest research on the Culture of the Workplace, with a mixture of in-person and virtual contributors.
Following a welcome from Laurent Sadok of Cisco and an introduction by Michel Rousseau of Pfizer (and Chair of CoreNet Global's France Networking Group), the program will include contributions from Jacques Bagge, Jones Lang LaSalle; Olivier Seznec, Cisco; and Catherine Gall, Steelcase.
'Virtually' present participants taking part courtesy of TelePresence will include Jeremy Sheldon from Jones Lang LaSalle in Hong Kong; Coralie Clément from DTZ in Singapore; and Kjetil Kristensen, KC (Kristensen Consulting), Oslo.
The half-day event will then conclude with two concurrent site visits around the Cisco facility, one focused on space planning at Cisco, and the second offering participants the opportunity to use TelePresence.
The format of the event will showcase the TelePresence conferencing service, a new technology driven way to manage meetings, which allows virtual face-to-face collaboration with participants around the globe. The technology is as easy to set up as a telephone call, with detailed images allowing participants to see clear facial expressions across the 'virtual' meeting table.
Laurent Sadok, Corporate Real Estate Manager, Cisco, comments: "Advances in technology have always accelerated the pace of business, and we are very pleased to be an innovator of a service that can deliver real time conferencing that connects participants from all over the world as if they were in the same room.
"With many corporate real estate professionals responsible for international multi-site portfolios, Cisco TelePresence is likely to offer numerous advantages for professionals, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to demonstrate it to CoreNet Global members."
Michel Rousseau comments: "Technology provides some excellent tools to the corporate real estate professional, and with the rapid pace of technological advancement it is important to stay one step ahead. Therefore, it is highly appropriate that Cisco has welcomed CoreNet Global for our first meeting. This event will provide an essential briefing on the latest trends, plus deliver a welcome overview of the property markets in France and overview important research into workplace cultures.
"Given CoreNet Global is a truly international organization, the fact that we will benefit from the expertise of corporate real estate professionals in France and from all over the world during our first event is very appropriate, as it provides a vivid snapshot of the value of becoming involved in the network, which operates at a local, regional and international level".
The France Networking Group forms an important part of CoreNet Global's strong presence in the EMEA region, where there are already active Chapters in the Benelux, Central Europe, Middle East and the UK.
'Technology in the Corporate Real Estate World' takes place Wednesday, March 2, 2011, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm at Cisco, Paris. Further information is available at france.corenetglobal.org or contact Katleen Beeckman 
