Mipim: the political transformation of the global real estate fair

Historically, the international market for real estate professionals mainly attracts real estate companies, promoters and developers from around the world.

But this year, it has renamed itself "Global Urban Festival", that is to say "global urban fair", to emphasize that it is no longer just a show for private investors.

The opening speech was given by former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who spoke about urban planning and adaptation to climate change, but also about geopolitics.

“It’s true that we have experienced an evolution at Mipim,” recognizes the mayor (ex-LR) of Toulouse, Jean-Luc Moudenc, a frequent participant in the show.

“It’s a market traditionally dominated by professionals, investors, but over time, we have seen metropolises take their place, come and present their regional projects.”

On Wednesday, he was invited, with more than 70 French mayors, deputies and community presidents, to a lunch called "Forum of elected officials", behind closed doors with leaders of large professional associations, institutions and companies (Nexity, Bouygues Immobilier, Vestack , Sogaris...).

This forum is being held for the second consecutive year.

“We expect better collaboration, a slightly more common and shared sense of the issues of real estate and the city,” explains the director of Mipim, Nicolas Kozubek.

“A private actor, whether an investor or a developer, needs to better know and better understand how elected officials view their territory, and to therefore be able to better respond to these issues (...), and It also works the other way,” he adds.

"Trades"

“For us, it is a useful showcase, to make professionals and operators aware of our vision of the city of tomorrow and our projects,” adds Jean-Luc Moudenc.

Same project for her colleague Martine Vassal, president (LR) of the Aix-Marseille metropolis.

“It’s a very good show which allows the public and private sectors to meet and move forward,” she adds, saying she meets “players from logistics, construction, R&D (research and development, Editor's note)... it's very diverse."

"I am delighted that for two years, there has been this forum of elected officials because it allows us to exchange ideas between colleagues. In general we did not see each other, we all came to Mipim to carry projects but we were not necessarily in the exchange", notes the mayor (PS) of Montpellier Michaël Delafosse.

“It allows me to feel that the elected official has a place in Mipim. To feel that there are several elected officials who have real estate problems,” Quentin Brière, mayor (DVD) of Saint-Dizier, explains to AFP.

“I don't have at all the same problems as most of the elected officials who are there!” jokes the councilor of this city of 23.000 inhabitants, while most of the elected officials present represent large cities.

He, who seeks above all to attract activity in his landlocked commune in Haute-Marne, says he has spoken with mayors of other medium-sized or small towns. “I’m very interested in knowing how they go about attracting a business, talking with promoters.”

Grégory Doucet, environmentalist mayor of Lyon, says he spoke to him about artificial intelligence and the reversibility of buildings, that is to say the fact of designing a building with the possibility of changing its use: from offices to housing, from hotel in residence...

“If we do not integrate it into our way of making the city and in particular of thinking about office real estate, and by imposing total reversibility, we risk ending up with thousands of square meters which, perhaps in ten years, will not be taken by anyone", explains the green elected official. “It’s a reflection that we had which is nourished by this exchange.”