Business drivers, including costs, available talent and proximity to the marketplace are still the key factors which influence where occupiers choose to move - but the quality of real estate is becoming more important, according to a panel at CoreNet Global in Berlin.

Tom Clardy, former vice president HR at QVC, said labour was central to his occupational decisions.

He said: 'You'd think finding 2000 workers in a population of 6 billion would be easy. But finding the right 2,000 in the right locaton is not easy at all.'

Rene Buck, head of Buck Consultants, which advises on major relocations, said: 'Locations depend on the business strategy.

'It can be a market focus, a cost focus, a talent focus or a technology focus.'

However, he also said that the quality of life and the quality of the real estate in locations was becoming a major factor in comparing cities.

He also said that costs remained key - and that the property costs or labour costs could not be considered in isolation.

'Offshoring is coming into question,' he said.

'You have to look at the total costs, distribution as well as labour costs.'

Kevin Dollhopf, of Hanes brands, which owns brands such as Wonderbra and Playtex, said some areas were already too expensive for his property strategy, which was cost focused.

'The major markets in Asia are already too expensive for us,' he said. 'We are looking in Laos and Indonesia.'

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