Guest blog: Wayne Taylor, Space°

My first MIPIM…  By Wayne Taylor managing director, Space°

It has been two years since we established Space° , an interior design and management consultancy which specialises in delivering inspirational environments using leading BIM technology to help clients in the education, healthcare, leisure and commercial industries, so I felt it was about time we hopped on Easyjet and made the annual trip to Cannes.

I’ve wisely disregarded urban legend (tales of late nights at the Martinez bar..!) and sore feet, and am focusing on meeting new people.

Joining Marketing Manchester in the Palais des Festivals is a real coup for us, we’re honoured to be sharing a stand with the City’s best property people and decision makers and we’re hoping it’ll give us even more insight into the industry.

We’re going to bring a new dimension to the stand; myself and my colleague Chris Crookes will be flying the flag for forward thinking interior design and demonstrate how we go about things differently – especially with the technology we use…

I want to show people the best of what we do. I want to come home armed with business cards of interesting people, I want to share business stories, ideas and see new property ventures and initiatives as they’re presented to the MIPIM audience.

I want to catch up with clients and get nostalgic over some of our past work. It might be naïve to say it but I’m even hoping to come home without the hangover…

If you’re around in Cannes and want to catch up, I’d be delighted to hear from you and look forward to our paths crossing as I take my first steps down La Croisette!

Wayne Taylor, managing director, Space°

Guest blog: David Pringle, NOMA

 

 

With just a few days to go until MIPIM 2012 kicks off, the NOMA team are preparing in earnest for what we anticipate will be an interesting and rewarding event. 

At last year’s MIPIM we launched NOMA to an excited audience, and now, 12 months on, we’ve got some great new developments to tell the property world about.  Probably the most important element of the NOMA development is that it is happening now. 

There are a lot of projects that have been approved, and many more awaiting funding, but NOMA has been underway for a while now, and The Co-operative Group’s £100m new head office is just months away from completion. 

At MIPIM we’ll be able to let you know about the new and refurbished office space that’s become available, as well as a lot of behind the scenes work that is integral to the project’s success.  We look forward to seeing you there.

David Pringle, director of NOMA

Guest blog: Peter Swift, Planit IE

‘Size doesn’t matter’

We have just finished agreeing the location with Eddie Smith of the artwork we have designed with Peter Saville to grace the front of the new BMX Arena. Yesterday evening we watched MCFC drub Porto 4-0 with the MCFA project team.

Even in tough times, the world continues to turn, to survive you have to align yourself with the best teams, best projects, best clients, best Cities…. Manchester is all of these things to so many of us and MIPIM is the place to celebrate your part in that family.

MIPIM IS our annual marketing budget, a big punt, but it continues to pay us back many times over… The chance meeting on a zebra crossing that led our venture south, finding out just how much some Architects liked your ‘Hang the DJ set’!

We are a small business (or at least when compared to the majority of the giants at MIPIM) but when we stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends from Manchester we feel equipped to take on the world. Size doesn’t matter, but what does is attitude, confidence and staying power.

This will be our third year as a sponsor and aside from our delight at being part of some of Manchester’s biggest developments; we are as celebratory of the small things and just as enthused to share them.

But for us 2012 is about the ‘special relationship’ between Manchester and London. We opened our studio in Clerkenwell in April and not only are we flourishing in the capital, but we have landed opportunities in Denmark (we had only dreamt of working with 3XN, now we’re competing against Fosters, Grimshaw and Hopkins!), India and the Middle East.

I would argue that without MIPIM there would be no London office and no opportunity to work alongside Peter, MCFC, MAG…. It’s not size that matters – its what you do with it.

Alas, there will be no orange Lycra this year, probably a light-hearted ‘What if…’ and definitely three themed runs along the croisette (splendid t-shirts to all who sign up!).

Peter Swift, Director, Planit IE

Guest blog: Juergen Maier, Siemens

 

Manchester at MIPIM 2012 looks set to be a dynamic event which will further cement Manchester’s reputation at forefront of progressive cities around the world. Siemens is participating in the event through Marketing Manchester for the second successive year for a number of reasons.

As a leading technology company offering solutions for sustainable buildings, transport technology and industrial infrastructure, Siemens will be highlighting its achievements in cities in the UK and around the world including  ‘The Crystal’, the Siemens centre for urban sustainability in London’s Docklands which opens in June this year.

Siemens is already a partner to Manchester’s development as a city of sustainable innovation. We will be showcasing some of the projects Siemens is involved in throughout Greater Manchester, including the use of Siemens hybrid drive technology in new hybrid buses manufactured by Optare and our contract with GMPTE to replace traffic signals with the latest energy efficient versions.

I personally am looking forward to taking inspiration from MIPIM which may help shape Siemens’ ambitious plans for the development of its own real estate at the facility on Princess Road in Didsbury.

It is an exciting time for us as we start changing the face of our facility – already known to many in Manchester as a landmark on the route into the city centre – with the construction of our new centre of competence for renewable energy.

We also have plans for further development of the site as a hub for green technologies for city and industrial infrastructure.

With funding secured from the Regional Growth Fund through a joint bid with The Greater Manchester Partnership, our plans are set to create around 400 jobs.

Watch this space! And in the meantime, see you in Cannes.

Juergen Maier, managing director, Siemens Industry, UK and Ireland.

To find out more about Siemens and its innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry, infrastructure & cities and healthcare, please visit www.siemens.co.uk

Guest blog: Nick Payne, Nikal

 

Nikal was formed in 2003, to pursue major town and city centre re-development / regeneration projects and investment opportunities.

Our brand has become synonymous with quality and we are seen as a significant player in the property arena.  Our vision is to enhance this reputation, by continuing to do what we do best: creating stimulating environments in which people can realise their potential. Our success as a company stems from this philosophy.

Nikal has supported Manchester at MIPIM since we formed the company in 2003 and the Manchester stand in MIPIM offers us a fantastic shop window, where we can catch up with existing contacts and generate new ones.  It has also given us a great platform to successfully promote many of our Manchester schemes.

Whilst we are a Manchester based developer – our head office is in the developing Medieval Quarter of the city, overlooking Manchester Cathedral – we have projects nationwide including Birmingham, Wells in Somerset and Poole in Dorset.  We’re proud to export expertise and skills from Manchester across the country and are constantly looking for development and investment opportunities.

Despite challenging times, we’re growing as a business both nationally and overseas. We’re looking forward to seeing you out at MIPIM, but if you’d like to know more about us please visit www.nikal.uk.com.

Nick Payne, Managing Director

Guest blog: Phil Doyle, 5plus architects

‘Pacing Yourself’

2012 will be the ninth occasion in the last ten years that I have made the annual pilgrimage to Cannes and each year marks a subtle development in how to tackle MIPIM. The early years tended to be about peaking too soon, getting hung-up about the unsavoury waste of champagne and the hedonistic behaviour of far too many people who ought to have known better, food poisoning and, on one occasion, having to wear the same clothes for almost three days when my luggage was left behind in Manchester – not the perfect preparation for a key project presentation!

All of this, of course, is like all things in business – it is simply part of the learning process.  They say there is no experience like experience and March in Cannes is the ultimate experience. I think it was also Einstein that said “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new”? MIPIM can seem daunting at first but if you can flourish at an event in a foreign environment surrounded by 15-20,000 people you do not know then you can be a success anywhere. In recent years we have gone with a plan, a full diary and a desire to pace ourselves to get the most out of the money we have spent being there.

People often ask me “Is MIPIM still relevant?” – twice, now, in the last 24 hours in fact.  My answer is a resounding “Yes” – in fact it is perhaps even more relevant than ever because it has been stripped back to its fundamentals. On top of this there is always something about the Spring sunshine in the South of France that makes for the perfect environment for kick starting your business development for the year – it would take the ultimate curmudgeon to not be positive in Cannes in March.

Each year we go to MIPIM, we travel as part of the Manchester Stand. The support Marketing Manchester affords the city and the stand partners is envied not only across the UK but across Europe. I don’t think that’s just Mancunian swagger saying that – the activities speak for themselves, from the Five Cities Lunch (Jim O’Neill was epic last year) to the individual stand events, dinners and welcome party. Everything is set up to support both the individual and the collective, meaning you are always punching above your weight. This particular year, we head off to Cannes in the knowledge that some of our key projects , such as the masterplan for Airport City, are going to get some significant exposure and the desire to promote our new “regional” office in London.

We’re looking forward to “what if” this year in the full knowledge (after pecha kucha last year) of what it’s like to be under the spotlight at 11.00pm in Café Mocca – “What if” we were to change our minds? “As if!”.

The Manchester 10k is now looming on the horizon and so I am packing the running gear once again – I’m told by our friends at Planit that they are planning some interesting group runs this year. So see you on the Croissette on the morning of the 6^th March and remember………..pace yourself.

Phil Doyle, Director, 5plus architects

Guest blog: Phil Cusack (AECOM) and Stephen Frood (Davis Langdon)

 

 

AECOM and Davis Langdon have separately sponsored Manchester at MIPIM in the past.  Now that the two organisations have come together within AECOM, we have raised our sponsorship level and our active participation on the Manchester stand and at Manchester functions.

As a global provider of professional technical, design and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government, we are a key member of the Manchester property sector business community.  We are and have been involved in many major Greater Manchester projects including the current redevelopment of Manchester Town Hall and Central Reference Library, Airport City, Manchester Metropolitan University’s Birley Fields development, the new extensions to the Manchester Metrolink and Piccadilly Gardens, amongst many others.  Services we provide from the Manchester offices include structural design, MEP, cost consultancy, programme management, acoustics, fire engineering, environmental, transportation in all its aspects, sustainability and master-planning.

We have approximately 45,000 employees around the world, and about 300 people based in Manchester.  MIPIM gives us the opportunity to showcase the global capabilities that we can deliver through the Manchester office as well as providing us with an unparalleled networking forum.  We can keep abreast of the latest developments in the city region as well as making a positive contribution by introducing some of our global and European contacts to other Manchester organisations to help us all to develop our businesses.

Manchester is the second largest economy in the UK.  It is the single most active construction, infrastructure and property market in the country outside London.  AECOM is the largest construction and property sector consultant in the UK.  AECOM, Manchester and MIPIM just makes sense.

AECOM will be represented on the Manchester stand every day by:

Phil Cusack, Regional Director (mobile – 07808 571481)

Stephen Frood, Director, Davis Langdon (mobile – 07710 779894)

Guest blog: Kirsty Shearer, Habitat Contracts

Habitat Contracts is extremely pleased to be a part of the Manchester Partnership at MIPIM, and we’re delighted to once again provide the furniture for the Manchester Apartment and the exhibition stand.

We’re looking forward to having the opportunity to scope out upcoming (or present) developments that might benefit from our expertise in fittings and furnishings.  

Established in 2010, Habitat Contracts provide the UK market with specialist commercial furniture from numerous leading and iconic European brands – in addition to our own products.

As an organisation that prides itself in working closely with architects and designers, as well as end users on projects; from the outset to the fruition of a development, we prioritise satisfying the design and most importantly, budget requirements. MIPIM will be a chance to learn more about developments that are currently raising eyebrows across Manchester. In particular NOMA, the Sharp Project and the ongoing growth of MediaCityUK are a few sites that I’m looking forward to learning more about.

We’re extremely excited for the event and look forward to letting businesses and developers who are interested know more about what we do… so when you see us there, come and say hello – we won’t bite!

To find out more information please see our website www.habitatcontracts.co.uk or contact me and I’ll be pleased to provide more information in person.

Kirsty Shearer, Business Developer, Habitat Contacts

Guest blog: Peter Millett, Shepherd Construction

Peter Millett, Shepherd Construction

As a company that operates nationally across a multitude of sectors MIPIM is valuable because of the incredibly diverse property audience that attends.

We have enjoyed a long association with Manchester and therefore it made sense for us to support Manchester@MIPIM and help fly the flag in promoting just how much the city has to offer for investors and developers.

We have a principal office in Manchester and over the years have completed a number of high profile projects. Currently we are on-site with a £45 million scheme to deliver student accommodation on Great Marlborough Street, which will also be one of the highest buildings in the city; and the £22 million redevelopment of Trafford Town Hall.

However we will also be talking about how, particularly in the face of the current economic climate, our company’s approach can help build-in value and deliver schemes on-time and within budget. In particular we’ll be explaining the emphasis we put on understanding the client’s objectives and drivers from the outset and our implementation of the Shepherd Way – our way of working that we embed throughout the supply chain and which delivers results through strong collaboration based on finding solutions and driving out inefficiency by adopting lean techniques. 

By working with the other Shepherd Group operating companies, Shepherd can also offer a complete Aligned turnkey solutions package, from finance to FM, encompassing development, construction, offsite modular, specialist engineering, M&E services and facilities management.

See you out at MIPIM but if you would like to know more about Shepherd Construction, click onto: www.shepherd-construction.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @SCLLtd.

Peter Millett, West Division Managing Director, Shepherd Construction

Guest blog: Bill Davidson, Indigo Planning

Indigo Planning celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year, and while we can’t claim to have been in Manchester since day one, the city was the first and most obvious choice when the practice grew and we came to look for a base outside the capital in 1999. 

To those from elsewhere, Manchester’s pull has long been clear.  Looking past the football, indie music and world class breweries – which are of course attractions in their own right – the civic pride and huge ambition that now are helping to carry us through the downturn have always been a vital part of the city’s character.

Manchester is an economic driver, not just for the region, but for the UK.  Against a sluggish backdrop nationwide, more than 7,500 jobs are set to be created here between now and 2015 (1) , and over the next decade, growth is forecast to continue at an annual average of 2.1%, positioning the Manchester City Region as a leading European economy. (2) 

Planners have a key role to play in shaping this growth.  Our team is busier than ever, working with clients such as Bruntwood, Peel and Seddons to bring forward projects that will bring homes, amenities and commercial opportunities to communities across the region.  We are proud to be helping shape regeneration plans and guiding those with ambition to bring about change through emerging national and local planning policy.

Being part of the business community that is helping to make these changes is hugely important to us.  It’s one of the reasons we helped found the Manchester Property Forum two years ago with Barclays Commercial Bank, Grant Thornton and Laytons Solicitors,.

We have been MIPIM regulars for many years and are firm supporters of the value it brings. With a focus this year on the North West, we’re proud to be part of Manchester@MIPIM, formally supporting the city, promoting its many benefits to national and international businesses, and engaging in debate about its future.

Bill Davidson, Director, Indigo Planning

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 Indigo Planning Directors will also be on the Manchester stand every day – do look us up or get in touch on the numbers below:

• Bill Davidson – bill.davidson@indigoplanning.com +44 7801 545983
• Doug Hann – doug.hann@indigoplanning.com +44 7709 461786
• Mathew Mainwaring – mathew.mainwaring@indigoplanning.com +44 7881 781717

(1) Source: Manchester Council Chief Exec’s blog

(2) Source: MIDAS