A Midlands-wide delegation – featuring ten Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas and 49 private and public sector partners – will exhibit together for the first time at the global property and real estate show MIPIM (Cannes, France, 14-17 March).
Working collaboratively in a dedicated pavilion, the Midlands Engine delegation is the largest of its kind to represent the UK at this year’s event. The region will showcase more than £14billion worth of projects and investment sites to the annual exhibition’s 23,000 attendees – from potential investors and developers to property agents and the media. Themes will range from the opportunities surrounding the Midlands’ connectivity offer – including the new High Speed 2 rail network – to the region’s Enterprise Zones, housing and commercial schemes.
Destination partners include Worcestershire, Greater Birmingham (Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country); Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Coventry & Warwickshire LEP; D2N2 (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire); Lincoln & Lincolnshire; Leicester City Council and Leicester & Leicestershire LEP; SEMLEP; Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire and Telford & The Marches.
The inaugural 200m² Midlands UK pavilion will contain an event space – featuring a programme of up to 50 presentations, panel discussions and receptions – and a networking area, plus separate sections for each destination partner.
Sir John Peace, Chairman of the Midlands Engine, said: “The Midlands is coming together on an unprecedented scale at MIPIM to attract even more investment from around the world. The Midlands Engine is working hard to accelerate growth across the whole region and Local Authorities, LEPs and businesses are all collaborating to bring this ambition to fruition. MIPIM is always a success for our region and this year we have more exciting investment opportunities than ever before. For the first time, a brand new Midlands Pavilion will showcase the wide range of investment opportunities across the region, demonstrating to investors around the world that the Midlands is open for business and can offer a global proposition.”
The region’s presence is being coordinated by inward investment agency Marketing Birmingham, together with the Department for International Trade (DIT) and partners including transport hubs Birmingham Airport and East Midlands Airport, automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover and the Midlands Enterprise Universities group.
Mike Ashton, Chief Executive Officer of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to be a part of the Midlands Engine group participating in MIPIM in Cannes. This high-profile international property market event will provide us with the perfect platform to highlight the world-class investment opportunities that we have in Worcestershire, including a number of large employment sites with unique offers for investors.
“I am looking forward to sharing the message that Worcestershire is an exceptional place to live, work and invest.”
Cllr John Clancy, Leader of Birmingham City Council, commented: “Interest and confidence in Birmingham is booming – shown by a significant increase in office and residential construction and the highest rate of business growth of any UK city in 2016.
“Last year’s MIPIM exhibition put Birmingham firmly in the spotlight, with landmark announcements surrounding the city’s multi-million pound Paradise, Smithfield and Snowhill developments.
“As part of a united presence this year with our colleagues from across the Midlands, we will be demonstrating to global investors that Birmingham has a huge range of options for big capital investment in regeneration schemes such as Curzon to smaller shovel-ready projects.”
Cllr Jon Collins, Leader of Nottingham City Council, added: “Considered to be the ‘heartbeat of the nation’s economy,’ the Midlands will propel Nottingham – and other regional cities – into the world’s attention. We are happy to play a pivotal role by being part of the wider Midlands presence, showcasing Nottingham’s development opportunities. Being part of the wider offer will help to promote the region and therefore bring benefits to the city.
“As ever, we are pleased to have the support from such an impressive list of Nottingham companies in such a big year for the city and its neighbours.”
The Midlands region covers 18.4% of the UK population and an economy worth £243billion. It contains two core cities, 12 million people, 25 universities, 25 science parks and three international airports. In the last five years, the Midlands area has received over 1,130 Foreign Direct Investment projects, creating over 62,800 new jobs.
