Wednesday started bright and early with a freezing shower as the boiler in my apartment block had completely given up the ghost and the feeble trickle of water was now ice cold. Are there any reasonably priced hotel rooms in Cannes at peak Mipim when you need them? I doubt it.
Fortunately things looked up with the Say Property Consultancy/ Conductor breakfast at Môme restaurant which was a perfect way to start Mipim Day 2. Debra Yudolph and Charlotte Steadman Constance treated us to on an amazing spread. We were instructed to sit with someone we didn’t know, always a challenging request for me! There was some excellent conversation and I got to talk to Jon Milward about his plural career and to Phyllis Agbo about moving from athletics to CBRE and then to social impact developer, Stories. By the time we took off for our respective schedules I had almost forgotten about the plumbing issue!
I planned to go to the Palais to support Michela Hancock from Greystar who had rushed off for her speaking slot in the Palais on Level 3. I assumed that information would be enough to locate her session, but sadly not, so whilst trying to locate the WC facilities I discovered that although we have no UK Pavilion this year, we do have, tucked away on the 1st floor, a UK Stage. It’s not very well signposted but is definitely worth a visit for the excellent programme of panel speakers, if you can find it.
I stayed for the panel on the crucial issue of driving investment into the UK property market. As panel chair Simon Stretch said, creating the right policy environment is essential. The excellent panellists included BPF CEO Melanie Leech, Stephen Benson of Ardent (a Mishcon de Reya colleague in a previous life before he joined Battersea Power Station), government chief planner Joanna Averley and Gus Wiseman, head of investor relations at the Department of Business and Trade. Melanie commented on the need for the government to realise the importance of partnerships and for the government and local authorities to play their parts alongside the private sector.
She also took the opportunity to flag that business rates continue to be a huge blocker to the revitalisation of our town centres. The chair queried Lord Johnson, Minister for Investment, and a passionate advocate for the sector, having referred to the property sector in an earlier session as ‘a golden goose’. Gus Wiseman referred to the innovation story now revolving around our universities, a theme which came up in my recent podcast conversation with Avison Young UK President, Nick Walkley.
Lunch was with Debra Yudolph and Anna Moore. Anna, formerly of McKinsey is now a co founder, along with Chennai Gondo, of Hestia, which is aiming to retrofit homes and make them more energy efficient. This is a market which has so far been neglected as we tend to focus on sustainable new builds. Very appropriately, we found ourselves a sustainable salad bar for lunch where everything was plant based and locally sourced. You composed your own salad and could buy preloved clothes at the same time. It seemed a more appropriate venue for our straightened times than some of the more sumptuous dining on offer in Cannes.
Back in the exhibition after lunch and between meetings I sat in on a great London Stand panel on London’s ecosystem resilience and keeping cool. Sasha Lewin CEO of W.Real Estate made a good practical comment from the developer viewpoint in that despite the best intentions regards sustainability, developers have to prioritise as they are forced to deliver their product at a certain cost point.
Rob Buckley, head of sustainability at Weston Williamson & Partners talked about London’s canals and parks that can keep it cool. He told us about how to make more of the ‘green arteries’ and to further remove traffic! I’m not sure about his suggestion of getting rid of cars from central London because they create heat! Was he including my cool electric mini in that comment I wondered. I met the relatively new FT property correspondent Josh Oliver, who it turns out is Canadian, although sadly missed his interview with Aware Super head of property, Alex Misev.
I may be becoming obsessed with the Saudi NEOM stand which I mentioned yesterday but it’s reassuring to know that I’m not alone as a number of UK property CEOs have been sighted being shown round the amazing projects they have on display. It seems to be the Saudis’ sheer ambition that is capturing our imagination. it is also attracting a lot of our young talent. I spoke to one young residential UK agent who is happily now working in Riyadh.
The evening was spent at the Property Week editor’s dinner which is now back at MIPIM for the first time since pre lockdown. Sponsored by Zac Goodman and TSP, Property Week assembled a great cross section drawn from different parts of the real estate sector for a relaxed exchange of views. I met the new RICS CEO Justin Young for the first time and with his track record in organisational transformation I’m confident the RICS is in good hands. I will leave Property Week to report on the evening but there was some great repartee bouncing round the room particularly between Liz Peace, Tom Bloxham, Zac Goodman, Honor Barratt, James Saunders, Giles Barrie et al.
I’m so pleased that when we coincided at London Business School all those years ago, I suggested that Quintain CEO James Saunders thought about leaving the world of brand for a career in real estate. He in turn told me I should have a career as a TV chat show host! I didn’t take him seriously at the time but I suppose hosting the Propertyshe podcast isn’t far from the mark. It was a great evening and you’ll read all about it in Property Week shortly.
After dinner, James Saunders, former Property Week Editor Giles Barrie and I trekked gamely up the hill to the magnificent Greystar villa for a proper Mipim late night party. Before we set off, Liz Peace reminded me that we had been to a party at the same villa many MIPIM moons ago where girls dressed as mermaids were cavorting in the Hollywood style pool! We couldn’t recall whose party it was or indeed whether that feature was regarded as unusual at the time. Thankfully there were no mermaids tonight, just a great party for which a huge thank you to Mark Allnutt, Harry Downes, Michela and team at Greystar.
I thought as we left the party that the night was done but there was more self inflicted drama to come. Returning to Cannes by uber with my lovely co-collaborator LCA’s Jane Groom and her business partner Jonny Popper, realisation dawned that I had picked up the wrong keys, didn’t have the keys to my studio apartment and had absolutely no way of getting in. I hadn’t realised that this unassuming apartment was going to have such a large starring role in my MIPIM blog! Jane and Jonny very kindly offered to let me use the couch in their wonderful eyrie overlooking Rue d’Antibes. In all honesty, whilst very generous of them, it didn’t look at all comfortable, plus they were leaving Cannes at the crack of dawn. Fortunately Ansela Gonsalves of the letting agent Qautio, who is an absolute angel, took pity on me when I called and drove from Juan at 12.30 am to let me in. Now that’s what you call real customer service
No comments yet