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MIPIM 2011

You may have seen my blog about MIPIM and the online world. I am lucky enough to be able to follow MIPIM online and also attend in person.

I am flying out early on Tuesday morning with our Director of Communications,  staying in an apartment (well studio) on Rue d’Antibes for two nights, then returning to London on Thursday night.

As a company our focus is the private rented sector (PRS) in London. So why do we go to France, meet people who generally work within a few miles of our offices in the West End, talk about London business and then fly back to the place we have been talking about for 3 days in France?

I am sure this is a question many people ask. However, you could ask that of many conferences you attend. I presented at a conference last Thursday about investment in the PRS, and it is going to presentations that make MIPIM worthwhile for me. Attending sessions where for example the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, will present why investors should be coming to London. This helps see how London is viewed from overseas (London is an international city and helping it retain such a global appeal is imperative).

It is also the networking opportunity where we share our views and learn from our peers. At an event such as MIPIM attendees are very focused and want to come away with a better perspective in a changing market. This year I have decided to generally not have individual meetings with people I know and could meet for a coffee locally, rather I will go to events where there will be a good mixture of senior executives. I also want to ensure I have time to go round the exhibition where there are quite literally hundreds of exhibitors; it is often fascinating to see how something operates in a city thousands of miles from London that uses some aspects of what we practice at Young Group or Young London.

The event in my diary I am most looking forward to this year is the British Property Federation / Real Service roundtable. The theme is to discuss where the property industry will be in the year 2020. The event is being covered in Property Week, and if you have any thoughts on this subject then please feel free to leave a comment below.

On top of this, Cannes is a lovely place to visit and there will be some enjoyable hospitality. This will be the fifth year I have attended and I always return to London having learnt a lot.