How to be a staggering success

THE CONSULTANT

What will people be talking about at MIPIM?
Real estate investment trusts, the share prices of UK developers and the Middle East boom, but the big one will be sustainability. With Part L coming in and all big buildings having to have an energy rating, you could end up with first-class and second-class properties. It's a big question for the occupiers.

What are your targets for the show?
We'll be looking to promote the brand and our experience in retail and PFI, and generally generate business opportunities.

Who do you want to meet?
MIPIM is really a chance to spend time with old friends and contacts, as well as meeting new people. But we're looking to introduce some contacts to our German partner, Drees & Sommer.

What will be the week's unmissable event?~
The beach lunch party we're holding with D&S, of course. But there will be lots of great events - [Sir Robert McAlpine director] Benny Kelly's birthday party, and the Wates lunch where you fly by helicopter to a restaurant inland.

What will you avoid?
The bar in the Martinez after dinner - you think it's a good idea, but it never is.

How will you recover after the show?
I'm going to take three days to drive home and stay at some chateaux. There are about 35 of us in 18 cars and two bikes, so it should be relaxing.

THE CONTRACTOR

What will people be talking about at MIPIM?
There will be a lot of talk about the Olympics, now that the chief executive and chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority have been appointed. Their plans for procurement will cause a lot of interest. There will also be a fair bit of speculation over the PFI, and what the government is planning for health and for Bart's hospital.

What are your targets for the show?
We're exhibiting our Technology Centre on a shared stand with the Association of Consulting engineers. That's a good draw for people to see what we are doing. I also like the opportunity to get a feel for how the different market sectors are developing.

Who do you want to meet?
There's nobody in particular. It's always good to renew acquaintances and to make new ones. The key is to make sure you‘re available and to speak to as many people as possible.

What will you avoid?
Over-eating and over-drinking - you've got to try to stay healthy!

What will the best party be?
Hopefully ours - but there are so many excellent parties, it's impossible to pick one.

THE DEVELOPER

What will people be talking about at MIPIM?
REITs will be a big issue, as will the resurgence of the office market. Retail trends will also be important - things are going up and down there. Shops were forecast to have a bad Christmas, and in fact it was pretty good - but then January was poor. There won't be much debate about online shopping, though - that's not really a worry for shopping centres, because people still like buying their clothes in shops.

What are your targets?
Really I just want to meet lots of people, network and catch up with old contacts - at MIPIM you can meet everyone at the same time; there's no event like it.

Who do you want to meet?
To be honest, in terms of business opportunities, people are more likely to want to meet me than the other way round!

What will be the week's unmissable event?
Benny Kelly's birthday party - it'll be the who's who of the property and construction industries. There's also the Wates lunch - I'm looking forward to that.

What will you avoid?
Too many afternoon cocktail parties. They finish you off for the evening.

THE ARCHITECT

What will people be talking about?
For me it's a question of finding out about the latest projects - big regeneration schemes like King's Cross Central.

What are your targets for the show?
I'll be talking about The Cube, our mixed-use scheme in Solihull, on the Birmingham stand, so I want to get the message out about that. But it's also a social thing, of course, and I quite enjoy that.

Who do you want to meet?
People I already know but can't see that often - especially the other architects, as I tend not to come across them that much.

What will be the unmissable event?
My talk on The Cube.

What will you avoid?
Getting too tired. It's all pretty exhausting, with the breakfast meetings and late nights, so I'll try to take it steadily.

What will the best party be?
Benny Kelly's birthday, without a doubt. It's normally the best, the most ridiculous.

How will you recover after the show?
I'm planning to stay on for the weekend. I've never done that before. It'll be good to spend 24 hours in Cannes without having to run around at the show.

THE EUROPEAN CLIENT

What will people be talking about at MIPIM?
I think the big question will be the environment. It's a serious cost issue for developers and end users. There will also be a lot of interest in the strength of the office market in French cities.

What are your targets?
We have a big announcement to make on our Euromed centre in Marseilles, and we want to spread the message to the investors.

Who do you want to meet?
There's always a lack of end users at the show, so they're always interesting to meet. We also want to meet contractors - teaming up with them is the next step for us.

What will be the week's unmissable event?
It used to be the Auguste-Thouard party at the Carlton - they used to invite about 2000 people. But that's off this year, so I don't know yet. Bouygues' last year was excellent. I'm looking forward to that.

What will you avoid?
The conferences. They're interesting, but there's just so much business to do.

How will you recover after the show?
I'll probably have a weekend at home drinking lots of mineral water and eating fresh salad.