Albert Civit, INCASÒL’s director, told Iberian Property during MIPIM that «we can see that this was a good edition for MIPIM. We observed a lot of activity and interest in Barcelona and Catalonia. We saw a great demand for housing operations, sharing protagonism with the interest in co-living or the student residences. There is also a great interest in the logistic sector, especially in large developments».
«Our Project at MIPIM is a success of public cooperation between admnistrations, and also a success in terms of public-private cooperation. We are a reference in this area. Barcelona Catalonia works very well as a working platform for the companies that joined us. During the fair, our stand was always full of activity».
Also during the fair, Mário Rubert, from the Ajuntament and Promotional Director for the City of Barcelona told IP: «we are very happy with our presence at MIPIM. We registered a sustained growth in the last few years», noting that «10 years ago Barcelona had a 50 sqm stand and took part in the event as a City, today it represents the city, the region, the metropolitan area, with 30 private companies involved. We work as an umbrella, gathering all the business opportunities the companies and the region have to offer to foreign investors».
Project 22@ was one of the highlights of the Barcelona’s promotion at MIPIM this year. Mário Rubert comments that this is «a project that makes a mark on Barcelona, from which other cities also took inspiration to develop economically active urban areas». He adds that «the first stage is practically finished, and we now have a new stage called 22@ Parte Norte, 80 new hectares to develop a mixed project with commercial and housing areas. This project is part of a complementary and global offer, which is Barcelona’s metropolitan area, which must communicate with all the 33 municipalities which compose it».
Xavier Casas Masjoan, Director at Metròpolis Barcelona, told IP that «the investors’ expectations are high, within Barcelona and Catalonia, the levels of economic growth and talent attraction are significant, and the investors believe they can meet their expectations and help fulfil their projects in the region. There are real possibilities in Barcelona, in the metropolitan area and in Catalonia, for these projects».
At MIPIM, «private companies show what they have to offer, resources, houses, apartments, among others. In terms of public companies, we presented opportunities such as terrains which are being developed, the most important projects for each of Barcelona’s metropolitan municipalities, where investors can develop their activity, such as 22@, projects in Villadecans, from industry to logistics, and especially offices and services», he concluded.
Barcelona Catalonia Conference: Talent Fuels Economy
Barcelona Catalonia celebrated at MIPIM its conference second edition. Under the title ‘Talent Fuels Economy’, private agents headquartered in Barcelona emphasised how companies are confronting each other in a ‘fight for talent’ and the role of cities on attracting and retaining this talent. Before over 120 people, Carles Vergara, lecturer on Finance and Real Estate at the IESE Business School, moderated the session with the speakers Anna Gener, Chairman-CEO of Savills Aguirre Newman Barcelona; Philippe Jiménez, South Europe & Brazil Sales Vice President of International Workspaces Group, and Jordi Torrent, International Affairs Officer of Barcelona Tech City.
Catalonia and Barcelona are awarded the fDi Magazine prize from the Financial Times Group
The publication fDi Magazine, from the Financial Times Group, awarded once more Catalonia and Barcelona for the strategies of its government in investment raising for companies and knowledge, a strategy managed from Barcelona and its network of 40 offices around the globe to attract new foreign investment projects. The price is called ‘Investment Promotion Agency of the Year - Highly commended’ and gives prominence to Catalonia over the 112 locations around the world. The prize was received by Trinitat Bofarull, FDI director at ACCIÓ.
This is the third year in a row too that Barcelona is recognised as the city with one of the best strategies for foreign investment raising in areas such as ‘City Branding, Innovation and R&D Support’. The prize was received by Xavier Mayo, Head of City Promotion Abroad from Barcelona’s City Council.