Conferences at MAPIC 2009: Competitive Strategies to Beat the Crisis

PARIS-(Business Wire)-September 10, 2009 - What is the outlook for the fast-changing retail real estate sector? Which growth strategies are best suited to addressing these changes? Will the economic crisis and its impact on changing consumer behaviour mark the start of a new cycle? The MAPIC 2009 conference programme will provide concrete answers to these questions by focusing on topical issues facing retailers, local authority representatives, developers and investors.

Tailored to retailers’ concerns, “MAPIC is a powerful platform to learn about leading strategies and successful stories by retailers in markets across the world. In the current economic situation, having the most updated and accurate information is essential to choose the best locations and projects," explains Isak Halfon, Member of the Board and Executive Vice President for International Expansion, Mango (Spain). In his keynote to be given on Thursday, November 19^th, Isak Halfon will use the example of the second largest exporter of Spanish textiles to illustrate the keys to a successful development strategy. He will concentrate on the brand’s current market positioning and future ambitions. A second conference by Michael Lemner, Group Managing Director for franchises, developing markets, and MIM and NewLook (France), will review NewLook’s globalisation policy, with a particular focus on new-growth regions much sought after by retailers such as Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and the Russian Federation.

Driven by economic considerations, new consumption patterns generated by pricing, the growing success of e-commerce and the return of the convenience store are reshaping the future of commercial real estate. According to Dan Stanek, Executive Vice President, Retail Forward (USA), tomorrow’s shopping experience will be totally different from today’s. This specialist in retail market research and consumer opinion will look at the factors triggering this change, so that professionals can get a clearer grasp of the strategies needed to meet these new challenges.

In response to the new consumer interest in convenience stores, local authorities are playing a leading role in addressing this development by focusing on their own downtown strategies. The MAPIC conference programme will highlight the trend in its "Spotlight on Cities" sessions. This platform of interactive presentations was successfully launched last year, and will offer an opportunity for a dozen international cities to unveil a broad range of business challenges to an audience of retailers, developers and investors. As Country of Honour at this 15^th MAPIC, Germany will receive special attention, with a session devoted to presentations from three German cities.

To help developers in search of new growth markets in the current economic context, the MAPIC conference programme will offer a full overview of specific markets and pinpoint potential opportunities. Europe, for example, will be analysed in a conference focusing on the "Big Five" countries of Western Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Although affected by the crisis, these markets appeal to developers for their maturity, transparency and stability. In addition, several conferences dedicated to future growth markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Federation of Russia, India and China, will review their short and medium-term potential. In a session to be held on Wednesday, November 18^th, the spotlight will switch to a particularly interesting set of countries and identify which partners are best suited to thrive in these regions as master franchises. One conference, for example, will focus on the Middle East and will draw on the expertise of Philip Evans, Director, Retail Leasing, Al Futtaim Real Estate Development (Egypt).

It is impossible to look at the future of commercial real estate without covering the topic of retail industry investment. This will be discussed by a panel of experts who will debate about such vital issues as: Is commercial real estate always a stable investment asset? How does it compare to other real estate sectors? Does it play a large role in investors’ portfolios? In addition to this overall strategic vision of the market, the MAPIC conference programme will also offer investors a wide range of business opportunities via the “Speed Matching" sessions. In all, fifteen retailers and ten shopping-centre developers will each have seven minutes to describe their innovative concepts and plans, and convince potential partners.

View the full programme of MAPIC conferences at www.mapic.com/conferences

For editors:

Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional, international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and digital content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia, MIPIM HORIZONS and MAPIC for the property and retail real estate sectors.

Reed MIDEM is a division of Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading events organiser, with over 470 events in 37 countries. In 2008 Reed brought together over seven million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 38 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 470 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering, manufacturing, environment, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, medical education, printing & graphics, property & real estate, security & safety, sports & recreation, travel.

For further information about Reed MIDEM visit www.reedmidem.com.

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