MIPIM Day Three Roundup Thursday 14 March

Thursday 14 March marked the last day of Manchester’s programme at MIPIM 2024. After a jam packed schedule of insightful sessions and networking opportunities, the final day of activity showed no sign of slowing down. Panel sessions on Thursday turned the focus on culture and Greater Manchester’s ambition to become a global city region through its trailblazing devolution deal and innovative placemaking and net zero ambitions, with high-profile speakers taking to the stage.

The first panel of the day shined the spotlight on European regional cities, showing that there are growth opportunities outside of capital cities. The Manchester stand hosted a range of international speakers to show how their cities are propelling economic growth to create distinct and forward thinking neighbourhoods, much like Manchester’s NOMA region.

Dan Hyde Development Director of NOMA said “It’s not just the new builds that create the opportunity. NOMA is fortunate to have a collection of historic buildings that encapsulate the spirit of Manchester. We’re breathing new life into these buildings.

"Delivering best in class buildings isn’t enough, we have to do more. Wherever we can we look to achieve social impact not just social value."

The panel which was moderated by Mike Emmerich, Founding Director of Metro Dynamics brought together Pedro Baganha Deputy Mayor of Porto, Portugal, Michael Körner Managing Director of Invest Region Leipzig GmbH, Joanne Roney CBE Chief Executive of Manchester City Council and Pekka Salmi Deputy Mayor, Tampere Region, Finland.

The panel discussed what draws investors to each of their cities and why regional identity and character is becoming more attractive to international investors.

Pedro Baganha Deputy Mayor of Porto, Portugal said “One of the best qualities the middle sized cities of Europe has is the gentle density. We have everything the large cities of Europe have without the rat race, without the poor living standards. We have to use those competitive advantages.

"I truly believe the future of the Western World depends on this network of middle-sized metropolises. Capitals have to be all over the place, we don’t, we can choose the stories we want to tell. Know your strong points, know your weak points and be strategic about it."

Michael Körner Managing Director of Invest Region Leipzig GmbH said “Cooperation is our chance to connect the driver of the region, our cities, with the dynamic technology and ideas.

"Why should we compete? I see a chance to have a focus on creative industries, biotech and life sciences where bigger cities have to do all of the things.”

Joanne Roney Chief Executive of Manchester City Council said “Manchester is known for its ambition and it's known for having a plan. We were really clear that the vision for how we saw Manchester – which was declining- would have distinct neighbourhoods at its core.

Every part of Manchester's regeneration framework starts with the concept of creating distinct neighbourhoods with real attention paid to the public realm and the infrastructure around it. It is not an accident."

View the livestream here.

Over on the Belfast Stand, Rebecca Heron Strategic Director of Growth and Development at Manchester City Council joined “Future Approach to City Centre Living” with Belfast and Deloitte UK.

Back on the Manchester Stand it was all about Culture, and how new investment in the arts is making a huge impact on visitor numbers, the city’s reputation as a tourism hotspot and helps support jobs in our local economy. The panel explored the city’s newest cultural offerings that are fuelling its creative renaissance including Factory International at Aviva Studios and Co-Op Live, the UK’s largest entertainment arena.

Joining moderator Andrea George, Co-Founder of Republik of Ideas for the conversation was Randel Bryan, Executive Director of Factory International, Jessica Koravos, President of OVG International and Joanne Roney CBE, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council.

Randel Bryan said “The way you retain talent is through the cultural offer. If you want to look at keeping that next generation of talent then you need a world class cultural offer.

"If you wake up in Manchester and you’re a young, aspirational thinker you don’t need to leave the city to have access to some of the most incredibly careers. They can look up and say ‘everything I could aspire to be is here in Manchester'

"The quickest way to kill culture is to make it unaffordable. What we have to do is make it affordable, what Manchester doesn’t need is another big cultural venue that is unattainable apart from for the 1%."

Jessica Koravos said “The people of Manchester are incredibly devoted to music. People want to go to Manchester to see music, it was an absolute no brainer for us where we were going to build our first European music venue.

"There’s a shift going on I terms of fan expectations, gen z expect to have a good experience. As venues and cultural infrastructure we have to recognise that and cater to that.”

Joanne Roney said “Across the region, we're taking the cultural offer out, it’s not just venue-based, it's much wider than that. We're really clear that we don’t want young people in the city saying 'I don’t identify with what’s being but there, it’s not for me.'

"For me, culture is that driver of addressing inequality and showcasing equality and diversity in Manchester, we’re going to see more of that. Manchester will continue to be Manchester but just more of it.

We have such talent in the city, and if young people are not leaving the city, they can bring the next 30 years of innovation and excitement. ”

View the livestream here.

For the final session of MIPIM 2024, The Manchester Stand hosted Cities, Placemaking, Living and the Net Zero Challenge which was moderated by Property Expert, Writer and Broadcaster Kunle Barker. The panel included Christine Auclair Head, Advocacy and Campaigns Unit at UN-Habitat, Eamonn Boylan OBE Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Melanie Leech Chief Executive of British Property Federation and Valerie Vaughan-Dick MBE Chief Executive of RIBA.

Christine Auclair said “There is a lot to rethink about the way we live today, the way we designs. Maybe Manchester can be the birthplace of a mother revolution to turn the ideas of today into tomorrow.

"Cultural diversity can be an opportunity to rethink new forms of living and living together, not just housing but the neighbourhood and public space, everything that makes public living worth it."

Eamonn Boylan said “The changing demographic that we face isn’t getting the same profile as climate change, quite rightly but is as big of a challenge. We need to think about the city as a whole not just about housing, we need to up our scale and up our speed of development.

Unless places like Manchester can deliver net zero by 2050, then the UK won’t deliver by 2050 and we're destined to fail. Those changes are here and we have to deal with them as a way forward. We need to up our game."

Melanie Leech said “We know the built environment is fundamental to the growth story. We are a huge economic engine in our own right but we underpinned everyone else’s economic activity so we have to be fundamental to the story to get things moving.

"We have towns and cities that are struggling to repurpose and find their heart. People should be at the heart but we need to find a way of repurposing the built environment to allow people to be humans and do what they do."

Valerie Vaughan-Dick said “A building has a fundamental impact on all aspects of our lives. We need to think of a building as a tool to help people and our planet to prosper. We need to be living in and building places that really meet the needs of the community.

”Individuals are now saying ‘we want to be involved, because we need to think of this as part of my life.’ Things have changed and you have to make sure in the design, you think about the needs and think outside of the box about future needs of the community."

Eamonn Boylan closed the session by saying "I'm optimistic about the resurgence of great cities. The old cliche of business on a global level is incredibly true for my city and it's something I’m incredibly proud of."

View the livestream here.

Then it was time for our closing reception to celebrate a successful end to MIPIM 2024 and to thank our partners for sharing their insights and projects with us.

At the closing reception Joanne Roney CBE said “We come here to do business and my word, have we done business. We’ve worked hard. We’re here, we talk with each other, we talk globally and learn from other cities.

"Everyone I've spoken to over the past few days has said Manchester has smashed it this year. It's an honour and a privilege to work with our partners to deliver this event.”

Eamonn Boylan OBE said “It’s always a privilege and a pleasure being here with the partners and putting the message out. But actually, believing it because I’ts true. Were celebrating a success story.

"We have an awful lot to look back on with great great pride, it’s been a journey over those years but it’s just been more and more successful because of the commitment of everyone in the room"