MIPIM 2012 Features Asia as a Growth Market for Real Estate

PARIS, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Asian companies' increased activity in attracting international investment and in deploying capital outside their region is reflected at MIPIM 2012. Delegations from 10 Asian territories, including Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, China and South Korea, are heading to the Cannes-based international real estate event.

"On March 6, MIPIM's Asia-themed programme will feature a series of dedicated conference sessions and networking events, emphasising East-West connections and opportunities for growth, which are key to international investment in the challenging world economic context," says MIPIM Director Filippo Rean.

The first day of MIPIM will offer a dedicated programme centered on Asia: a conference entitled "Asia: a business hub of choice," will bring together David Watt, International Director at DTZ, Peter Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA) and Kumar Tharmalingam, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Property Incorporated (MPI), to explore the real estate offer in the Asia Pacific region.

Another session, co-organised with Cushman & Wakefield, will focus on "China: investment diversification" as the country's Gross Domestic Product is again one of the global growth drivers for 2012. Frank Khoo, Global Head of Asia at AXA Real Estate, who oversees all investment and asset management activities in the Asia Pacific region, will share his views with two other key experts: Choy-soon Chua, Managing Director at SEB Investment GmbH, and Yue Tang,  a real estate, corporate and mergers & acquisitions partner in the Beijing office of Jun He Law Offices.

MIPIM delegates will also have the chance to meet during a breakfast seminar on the Japanese market - "Real estate investment opportunities in a time of crisis". Masafumi Yokota, Director of the Real Estate Investment Market Office for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, will detail how the Ministry has provided support to the real estate industry following the earthquake. Then Shuji Tomokawa, Managing Officer at Mitsui Fudosan, will look into the lessons to be learned from Japan's financial crisis in 1997/1998. Panel discussions will follow, drawing parallels with the current financial crisis in the Euro zone and the related real estate opportunities. Dr. Leonard Meyer zu Brickwedde, President and CEO of Kenzo Capital Corporation, will conclude on how the European crisis influences the investment flow.

The Asia Lunch, which is sponsored by the Chinese City of Chongqing - attending MIPIM for the second year in a row with an important delegation - provides another opportunity for MIPIM participants interested in the Asian market to network, discover new business opportunities and present their projects.

To wrap up this full day dedicated to the Asian region, MIPIM Director Filippo Rean will give a special press conference on March 6 at 3pm, in the MIPIM Press Club on level 01. He will be speaking with Justin Chiu, Executive Director, Cheung Kong Holdings Limited and Francis Li, Vice Chairman – Greater China, DTZ (Hong Kong SAR), and unveiling what's new at MIPIM's sister show MIPIM Asia, which will take place in Hong Kong, November 7-9, 2012.

The MIPIM exhibition zone will also provide a showcase for over 40 Asian companies, from 10 Asian countries.

The region's largest delegation, from Japan, includes a stand regrouping real estate management companies such as Diamond Realty or XYMax Corporation, and the official Tokyo Pavilion. Teaming up with the private sector and a representative selection of key private developers in the country, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), will showcase its project of a Special Zone for Asian Headquarters, in the Riviera Hall on stand R33.24. "We, with the cooperation of the national government and the private sector, are keen to take this occasion to encourage strong interest towards Tokyo and use it as a step to promote foreign investment in Tokyo.  We hope to attract 500 foreign companies by 2016, therefore we want to make many contacts during MIPIM 2012,"says delegation leader Shigeru Watanabe, Senior Director of Policies, Headquarters of the Governor of Tokyo.

Other territories will showcase their projects in the MIPIM exhibition zone, such as Taiwan with FarGlory, one of the leading development and construction companies in Asia, revealing its brand new development in Abu Dhabi, on stand R29.39.

Ranking among Vietnam's leading constructors and real estate developers, Song Da Thang Long, will also exhibit for the first time at MIPIM, on stand 10.09, showcasing U Sea City project, which is located in the heart of Nha Trang, one of the most rapidly developing cities in Vietnam. The development welcomes international investment, offering a flexible scheme for investors to join four different phases: Iconic Tower & Centre Retail Mall, Zen Garden Villa & Public House, Riverside Residences, and Water Front Point House, all to be completed by 2017.

Asian-based building projects feature particularly heavily in the list of MIPIM Awards finalists with no fewer than seven projects in contention for a prize. Among them: the Six Senses Con Dao project from Vietnam in the Best Hotel & Tourism Resort category, Singapore's Reflections at Keppel Bay project in the Best Residential Development category, Hong Kong-based Cubus development and South Korea's D-Cube City, both featuring in the Best Shopping Centre category, and all of the three projects competing in the Best Futura Mega Project category - Hong Kong "Express Rail Link West Kowloon Terminus", South Korea "Jeju Airest City" and Singapore "Marina South." The winners in each category will be unveiled during the MIPIM Awards ceremony on 8 March, which will start with a red carpet entrance and a cocktail at 6:30 PM, followed by the actual prize-giving at 7:30 PM, in the Grand Auditorium on level 1.

To learn more about MIPIM programme on Asia, please click here.

To learn about MIPIM Asia which will take place in Hong Kong from 7 to 9 November 2012, please visit booth 19.03 during MIPIM, on level 01 in the Palais des Festivals.

Notes for editors

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