Structured around the central theme of The Age of Responsible Growth: Committing to a better future, MAPIC 2023’s programme explores how the industry can secure continued and sustainable growth, by implementing measures that reduce environmental impact—and prioritise people and the planet.
Urban regeneration—and discussions regarding the role of retail—will take centre stage at this year’s event. This latest generation of mixed-use projects is transforming and reinventing our urban landscape, and the MAPIC programme offers unparalleled insights into their implementation. The Retail in the City Summit, will offer an overview of how property players are reshaping urban retail, with projects such as Canopia in Bordeaux (Apsys), Battersea Power Station in London (BPSDC UK), Kings Cross London (Argent) in attendance—as well as the announcement of Nhood’s latest project in the city center of Lisbon. To round out the session with a perspective from the Middle East, David Grover, Group CEO of Roshn, will discuss the company’s vision of the future city.
This year’s conference will brgin with an opening keynote from Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO at Cenomi Centers, Joanna Fisher, CEO of ECE Marketplaces, and Cindy Andersen, Managing Director at Ingka Centres. Drawing on their wealth of knowledge, the speakers highlight the role of landlords in driving change, delivering development and asset management for the local community, and reimagining destinations for new consumers and retailers.
Reinventing retail
Welcoming CEOs from some of the most successful retail and food and beverage brands, key core conference sessions will include Good brands, great brands, what’s the difference?, which explores how dining formats and offerings are evolving, followed by Growth concepts: fit for the future, examining how a new generation of retail brands can stand out in crowded market.
The Happetite Forum programme will be opened with a keynote address from Tigrane Seydoux, co-founder and co-CEO of the Big Mamma restaurant group, in which he shares his vision for the future of the restaurant sector and the main challenges ahead. On the retail brand side, Rituals Cosmetics’ CEO, Raymond Cloosterman, will deliver a keynote discussing the brand’s extensive sustainability commitments and belief in the future of brick-and-mortar retail.
Alongside the main programme, MAPIC will also host several invite-only networking summits, including the Outlet Summit, which focuses on the dynamic and expanding designer outlet sector; and the Retail in the city summit, which looks at how cities can reinvent themselves to remain attractive for retailers. This year MAPIC will also host a Workshop: green leases, flexible agreements, new business models, what’s new? In partnership with ECSP.
Sustainable growth for the future
In line with the annual theme, MAPIC’s programme aims to tackle questions of sustainability head-on, giving industry players the tools and insights for greater longevity in growth. Heads of sustainability from major companies attending as speakers include, Clement Jeannin, Group Director of Sustainability at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Clementine Pacitti, Chief Sustainability Officer from Klepierre; Christian Lema, CSR Director, Nhood and Sharla Halvorson, Head of Sustainability at Ingka Centres.
Key sessions for this year’s programme include ESG: from cost to opportunity, which draws the link between energy efficiency and enhanced value creation and URW’s project to drive sustainability in retail and retail property, led by Clement Jeannin. Alongside this, the Sustainability in food and beverage session discusses what the rise of ethical consumers means for brands, and where food waste can be reduced and energy efficiency can be increased, to maximise the bottom line.
The Sustainability summit will outline practical sustainability measures; discuss exemplary case studies; and engage with decision-makers, Gen Z representatives, and project leaders delivering impact.
Leisure in the spotlight
As traditional retail assets and regeneration schemes increasingly pivot a more diverse retail mix, the dedicated entertainment conference track—LeisurUp —is more vital than ever. The afternoon of Tuesday 28th November sees a packed programme for LeisurUp, including Christine Wacker of Netflix’s leisure keynote on how brands and leading IP can bring their audience experience to destinations and retail centres. There will also be other sessions on immersive experience and clustering, as well as the closed-door Leisure summit for property and leisure players to meet and network
Innovation in focus
MAPIC’s programme has long discussed questions around innovation and technology’s role in real estate, but the potential of AI to transform the industry is more apparent than ever. Why everyone is talking about AI Will explore how AI can change the retail property industry and focus on examples of retail media and how property players can leverage it to maximise value creation at retail destinations. The Innovation Stage will also host the Hyperin CEO, Markus Porvani to discuss AI and the practical approaches and strategies for its implementation to improve productivity in real estate. This session will be followed by a discussion of New designs on innovation: Whole life thinking, which discusses how to create formats with in-built sustainability and create communities.
Image source -MAPIC.
Pitching sessions – The People’s Choice and MAPIC Academy
MAPIC’s packed calendar will also host on-site pitching sessions, covering Cities, Retail, Food, Innovation, and Leisure categories. These sessions facilitate connection and discovery of new concepts between landlords, owners, and brands. MAPIC Academy finalists will also deliver their final pitches on 29th November, with the winner of MAPIC’s first start-up incubator programme selected by property player, Nhood. Please find the PDF with the complete programme attached and available here for download.
