Sponsors sign up for Midlands move on Cannes

Sponsors are being urged to support Nottingham as it prepares to ramp up its profile at next year’s MIPIM, the world’s largest property conference, when it joins a Midlands-wide team.

For the first time ever, there will be a Midlands Pavilion at the property fair in Cannes next spring, promoting its place at the heart of the UK economy and putting the spotlight on the Midlands Engine.

In 2017, Nottingham will be one of many East and West Midlands cities, counties and local enterprise partnerships which will contribute to a much bigger Midlands pavilion.

In 2016, Nottingham attracted 18 private sector sponsors to sign up to support the city and county at MIPIM.  In 2017, Nottingham could attract even more support, says Lorraine Baggs, head of inward investment at Invest in Nottingham.

Lorraine said: “The Midlands Pavilion will be a major focal point close to the main exhibition area and close to the London stand.

“We will be joining with our neighbours from across the East and West Midlands to sell the region to national and international investors. Our combined commitment to the Midlands Engine will be evident at MIPIM 2017 and will be a really strong message.”

A number of sponsors from across Nottingham have already signed up to support the city, said Lorraine, and she is looking for even more sponsors for 2017.

“We believe there is a vast amount of opportunity and we have sponsors who are very keen to get behind Nottingham at MIPIM next year,” she said. “It promises to be a major attraction at MIPIM in 2017 and will allow the Midlands to shine on the international stage.”

There were 18 private sector sponsors which supported Nottingham at MIPIM in 2016. It was the highest number ever of private sector sponsors to support Nottingham. The combined public-private sector team at MIPIM together highlighted a number of key sites in and around the city and county.

The MIPIM 2017 Midlands Pavilion will be made up of local enterprise partnerships covering Nottingham, Birmingham, Solihull, the Black Country, Coventry & Warwickshire, Leicester and Leicestershire, Stoke & Staffordshire, Derby, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Worcester, the South East Midlands and the Welsh border.

The pavilion will take up a large space in a prime location, said Lorraine. She said the pavilion was being co-ordinated by Marketing Birmingham on behalf of the Midlands partners – with UK Trade and Investment contributing to the cost.

The Team Nottingham delegation will be organising a number of networking events at MIPIM and there will be events organised collectively in the Midlands Pavilion.

This year’s Nottingham sponsors include Miller Birch, Innes England, Inside Land, CPMG Architects, Maber, Couch Perry Wilkes, RizkMCay, Cartwright Communications, Nottingham Post, Sladen Estates, Godwin Developments, Invest in Nottingham and Marketing Nottingham & Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City Council.

MIPIM takes place from 14 to 17 March centred round a large scale exhibition in the Palais de Festival in Cannes in the south of France which attracts tens of thousands of visitors. Nottingham will be hosting a dinner for Team Nottingham members and investors to highlight the opportunities.