Sustainable growth — a powerful message at MIPIM 2008
March 11-14th, Business Region Göteborg attended the world´s property market, MIPIM, in Cannes ,France. This is the world´s most important meeting point for global investors and real estate owners.
In total, MIPIM attracted 29, 318 participants who during four intensive days looked for new business opportunities and participated in contact creating activities. Compared to last year´s MIPIM fair, the number of participants increased with 12 %. The number of exhibiting companies added up to 2, 687 and the exhibiting surface to 26,842 m2. A total of 89 countries were represented! Business Region Göteborg, BRG, exhibited for the eighth time together with numerous partners/companies within or with interest in the real estate sector and the theme for this year was sustainable growth. During the first two days at the fair, BRG arranged Coffee Bar Meetings where two of the accompanying partners, global companies NCC and Skanska, made short presentations followed with a mingle among the participants. Manne Aronsson represented NCC and presented the company and its future plans and participation of the development of Göteborg Region. Cecilia Fast represented Skanska and told about the company and its plans for the region. These meetings attracted many people who during two hours on the afternoon had the chance to mingle in the stand. Sustainable growth is something which is highly up-to-the-minute which was also shown by the great interest from other regions and organisations.
Business Region Göteborg together with Oslo under the name “Two countries- one region" invited many people for an arranged a joint seminar held in a special designed lounge. There were two main speakers who were invited to speak at this seminar with focus on sustainable growth. Representing Göteborg was Göran Carstedt, Senior Director — Large Cities Initiative, Clinton Climate Initiative. He joined this initiative more than a year ago. Besides this involvement, he is also an advisor and coach to various European, US and Asian organizations and serves as a chairman and board member for several corporations. In addition, he has a history of different executive positions in both IKEA and Volvo.
The second speaker, from Norway , was Line Bull who represented her company Snöhetta Architects from Oslo. This is one of Scandinavia´s leading architectural practices with offices in Oslo and New York. The Bibliotheca in Alexandria ,Egypt, brought them to international acclaim. In their work, they pay special attention to the ideas of sustainable city development and that also goes for Snöhätta´s contribution to the project of making the new opera house in Oslo which opens in April.
Finally, after these speakers, there was a panel discussion on sustainable development in the urban planning processes for both Göteborg and Oslo. Christer Abrahamsson, Göteborg City Planning Authority, and Berit Skarhold, Oslo City Planning Authority, participated in this panel discussion.
The successful seminar attracted more than 150 people from 10 different countries. It all ended with a cheering and outstanding show with violin player Anders Ljones together with dancer “Dark Marc".
For pictures, click here!
