London will only solve its housing crisis if we face up to Green Belt myths London has been the most successful global city in the last quarter century. The brightest young people wish to live here, and it is a world leader in countless fields – professional and financial services, higher education, culture and sport among others. London’s population growth is a direct result of its success. But unless this [...]
Mipim 2015: Tristan Capital property bigwigs go all Moulin Rouge at raucous beach party The music was blaring so loudly that even the sand seemed to be quivering at Tristan Capital’s raucous party on the beach in Cannes. The secretive property firm holds a less than secretive bash each year, its tickets highly coveted – and this year’s theme was Moulin Rouge in keeping with the French setting. It [...]
Mipim 2015: Tech takes its toll on the property sector I was up early on the third day of Mipim to chair a panel of Sir Eddie Lister, chief of staff at the Greater London Authority; Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council; and Bernstein's counterpart in Birmingham, Mark Rogers, all of whom made a powerful case for further devolution of power to [...]
Take a risk, invest in Ukraine says Kiev’s ex-boxer mayor Vitaliy “Iron Fist” Klitschko March 12, 2015 With the usual enormous Russian pavilion conspicuous by its absence at this year's Mipim property bash, Russians have all but deserted the event this year – but their warring partner Ukraine has arrived in force, with Kiev mayor and former world champion boxer Vitaliy Klitschko flying in yesterday to persuade institutions to invest in the [...]
Mipim 2015: This year it’s not just about London March 11, 2015 Today is the day to see most of the British contingent arrive in Cannes for Mipim, Europe's biggest property get-together. It is a packed schedule and where better to start than the London marquee, right on the waterfront. Dominated by a huge model of our city, each borrower and district showcases their investment opportunities. [...]
Mipim 2015: How many people from your local council are attending property’s annual knees-up in Cannes? March 11, 2015 This week, 25,000-odd property developers, agents and investors have descended on Cannes for a week of networking, deal-making and partying at Mipim, property's annual get-together. The event is notorious for its boozy parties, as delegates toast their success in the bars lining the seafront, aboard yachts in the town's marinas, or in villas in the [...]
Russian no-show – but Mipim 2015 shows the UK property sector is back on form March 10, 2015 It's that time of year again: Mipim is the European networking event and conference for global property investors. Sound dull? Well, after the film festival it's the largest event held in Cannes, with over 25,000 attendees. Three years ago, it reached the front pages when investigators arrested the Tchenguiz brothers on board their private [...]
Mipim 2015: 20,000 estate agents, developers and local politicians are descending on Cannes this week – here’s what you need to know March 9, 2015 For one week a year, thousands of estate agents, developers, investors and local politicians descend en masse for Mipim, the world's biggest property conference. It's an opportunity to get to know other members of the industry, make deals and learn about property, while consuming copious amounts of alcohol aboard swanky yachts. But Mipim is more [...]
Boris Johnson isn’t going to Cannes property bash Mipim this year March 3, 2015 Boris Johnson won't attend property knees-up Mipim this year, for the first time during his tenure as mayor of London. Boris has traditionally been a vocal proponent of London's many development opportunities at the conference, for which 20,000 developers, investors, agents and civil servants descend on Cannes for a week of deal-making and revelry each [...]