The official Team Leicester delegation to the vast MIPIM property conference in Cannes next spring is beginning to take shape.
So far 12 companies have joined the team, to travel out to the south of France and collectively champion the development and investment opportunities the city and county have to offer.
While some are promoting schemes, others will be promoting their services to representatives of private and public sector organisations also attending.
The annual event, which runs from March 10-13 and uses the same exhibition centre which hosts the Cannes film festival, is seen as an effective way for people to start talks and make contacts in both formal and less formal settings which might otherwise take months to arrange back home.
Two of the latest organisations to join Team Leicester for 2020 are architects Stephen George & Partners, which has new offices just outside the city near junction 21 of the M1, and Leicester-based student accommodation provider Code Students.
Code students managing director Jamie Lewis is currently building a £51 million, 384-bedroom apartment scheme in Leicester’s Waterside regeneration area called Merlin Works. He is a regular at MIPIM.
He said: “We’re a Leicester-based company specialising in student accommodation and co-living throughout the 海角视频 and are currently building one of the largest residential developments in Leicester.
“MIPIM is one of the best property events in the annual calendar. It offers access to thousands of investors, developers and companies from across the globe – all looking themselves to do new business.
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“Being associated with a region opens doors to an array of contacts and prospects, and provides opportunities to network with an audience at dedicated events.
“This is something you wouldn’t get by going alone and is why Code Students is part of Team Leicester at MIPIM 2020.”
In past years 26,000 investors, developers, land owners, property agents, lawyers and planning consultants have attended the global property conference to discuss the sort of multi-million and multi-billion pound opportunities that will shape whole cities and regions in the years to come.
Next year the official Team Leicester delegation will promote a “healthy growth, healthy people and healthy business” theme, highlighting the business opportunities around the city’s football, rugby, cricket and basketball clubs, as well as Loughborough University’s place as a global centre of sports excellence.
It will also use Leicester City’s new £100 million training ground going up in the north of the county as an example of what is being achieved here.
It also fits in with the city and county’s industrial strategy to create a “healthy environment for growth” and to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Team Leicester is a private/public sector partnership made up of business leaders and representatives of Leicester City Council, County Hall, the county’s universities and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, among others.
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Previously the delegation has promoted the city’s Waterside area and £480 million Ashton Green housing development in north Leicester, as well as the 200-acre Loughborough University Science & Enterprise Park and the Enterprise Zone at the MIRA vehicle research facility, near Hinckley.
The team is led by Rob McGuinn, director of MDA Consulting, Richard Osborn, regional director at Excello Law, and Mukesh Patel, managing partner at Freeths.
Backers confirmed for 2020 include property developer Bradgate Estates, which is the headline partner, Excello Law, Freeths, MDA Consulting, Obstrat, Harworth, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, SGP, Code Students, East Midlands Chamber and Student Zone.
It is also supported by the Leicester Business Festival, Department for International Trade and events company Associate Events.