The after-party of the jamboree – time for a more considered conference?

By Polly Warrack

After a long period of absence, the property industry finds itself back at MIPIM. I am here for the second time after a three-year absence, but there are people I have spoken to who are here for the first time, and others who are clocking their 25^th MIPIM.  

And yet, despite MIPIM attendees being a real mix of newbies, veterans, and others - like myself - somewhere in the middle, we can all agree on our first impressions of this year’s conference: it is quiet.

How MIPIM would play out this year has been a discussion point for months - in the first instance because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Omicron wave, and more recently because of the terrible situation unfolding in Ukraine. 

But whether MIPIM is fit for purpose in a world that is striving for greater sustainability, diversity, equality and inclusivity has been a question for much longer. Indeed, my colleague and fellow MIPIM-attendee, Tali Robinson, recently discussed this in a blog post, which highlighted some of the long-standing questions and concerns that have dogged MIPIM across the years – most notably, the event’s reputation for being an old boys’ club.

So, is the party finally over? Is today’s quiet, more sedate MIPIM a sign that the property industry’s ‘jamboree’ is on its way out? Maybe – but not in the way you might think.

Let me put it to you this way: earlier this week, I attended a panel discussion about the future of the office, during which panellists talked about how the industry reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic, predicting the end of the office; comparisons were made to similar predictions about the demise of tall buildings in the wake of 9/11. Neither of these predictions turned out to be true - in fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has improved flexibility around working, leading to the next step in the evolution of the office, rather than to its demise - but both events have had an impact on how we use and perceive certain buildings. 

I think the same can be said for MIPIM. Yes, the event is less of a party; but rather than this being due to the demise of the conference, perhaps this is because the industry is evolving, and we are only now starting to see this filter through. For instance, instead of events that (just) revolve around drinking, this year at MIPIM there are more and more opportunities to network via sport, hear industry leaders speak, and focus on more meaningful conversations.

So, if MIPIM is the litmus test for the industry’s ‘old school’ nature then perhaps that culture is finally being neutralised in favour of a more diverse, inclusive, and thoughtful industry that has its eyes set on the future, rather than the past.