Real estate investment will be the central theme of the MIPIM 2011 conference program. A line-up of international experts will give a global overview of this sector and highlight its interaction in such areas as urban planning, sustainable development and the tourism real estate market.
Two major names in German investment, Dr. Karl-Joseph Hermanns-Engel, Managing Director of Union Investment Real Estate GmbH and Dr. Gerhard Niesslein, CEO of IVG Immobilien AG, will give a complete overview of the German market, which is known for its investor expertise and know-how. The shortage of coveted premium products in safe and stable markets is prompting professionals to rethink their strategy and reposition themselves on riskier properties. From this perspective, the two experts will examine the best investment strategies for adapting to the current situation.
Gilberto Kassab, the Mayor of Sao Paulo, will look at investment opportunities related to developments for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. He will discuss the redevelopment program for Nova Luz and the city's future convention center, a huge exhibition site of 5 million m² for hosting the World Expo for which the city is a candidate. The industrial and financial heart of Brazil is currently operating at full throttle, and attracting increasing interest from key players in real estate as well as international investors and developers.
Incorporating environmental criteria into building is a real asset to investors looking to add value to their property, but the proliferation of national labels for sustainable development is making it difficult to compare countries easily today. Guillaume Poitrinal, CEO and Chairman of the management board, Unibail-Rodamco (France), David Atkins, Chief Executive, Hammerson (United Kingdom) and Che Wall, Director - Sustainability Leadership, Lend Lease (Australia), will address this issue by highlighting the need for common assessment criteria. They are particularly interested in the role that the European Union and the United Nations could play in encouraging a collective agenda for sustainable development.
The tourism real estate segment is also of great interest to many international investors. Oliver Berger, Vice President Acquisitions and Development EMEA at Hyatt International LLC (Switzerland) and Oliver Corlette, Managing Director, Adriatic Marinas and Porto Montenegro (Montenegro), will focus on strategies for optimizing a return on investment in tourist resorts when compared to more profitable downtown hotels. Among current trends, an increasing number of operators are opting for mixed-use complexes combining both hotel rooms and service and recreation-based residences.
Source: Reed MIDEM
