Team Derby delivers key investment messages at MIPIM

A delegation that represented Derby at MIPIM has been reflecting on a successful week delivering the city’s key investment messages to a global audience.

Today, Team Derby, which is made up of members of Marketing Derby’s inward investment team, along with public and private sector officials, will return home following a busy few days at the world’s biggest property investment show, which has been taking place in Cannes, in the south of France.

Their activities were rounded off last night with John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby giving a speech at the Department of Business and Trade’s Midlands Reception.

At the event, which included an address by Lord Dominic Johnson, the Minister of State for Investment, Mr Forkin gave an endorsement for further Midlands collaboration especially on international platforms, arguing that we needed to co-operate at a city, region and national level supported by the Government.

Reflecting on the week, Mr Forkin said: “I think we did both Derby and Derbyshire proud.

“20,000 delegates makes MIPIM a very noisy and busy event yet it does provide cities like Derby the opportunity to get noticed.

“Our delegation did just that, mixing events with one-to-ones and always acting as ambassadors for our key messages.

“The proof of success will be in follow-up conversations back home and eventual visits to the city and county.”

MIPIM attracts investors from all over the globe – and Team Derby were there to promote the major projects taking place in the city, in the hope of attracting further investment to Derby.

Highlights from the week included Paul Simpson, chief executive of Derby City Council giving a pitch about Derby’s investment opportunities at the Invest City Focus event, in the EG Pavilion.

He then took part in a debate called ‘City and Growth: Opportunities for Investment and Partnerships’, alongside Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and Huw Thomas, leader of Cardiff City Council.

On the same day, Bob Betts, chairman of Marketing Derby, and Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, collected Derby’s award for its placing in the prestigious Financial Times’ fDi European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023 rankings.

Derby was placed fourth within the Top 10 Small European Cities for FDI Strategy category, which recognises the cities who have devised the strongest strategy for attracting investment.

Mr Forkin said: “It was also a real bonus for Derby to pick up a prize as being in the top five in Europe for attracting international investment in the smaller cities category.”

On Wednesday morning Team Derby held a special breakfast event at the Eden Hotel, in Cannes, which delivered a focused message to an invited audience of investors and stakeholders, detailing Derby’s exciting pipeline of future projects.

They heard from speakers including Mr Simpson, Councillor Poulter and David Williams, deputy chairman of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

At the event, Mr Simpson outlined the major names who had already committed to investing in the city’s future – and discussed three key city centre schemes, which were ripe for investment – the new Assemble learning theatre on the site of the Assembly Rooms, the University of Derby’s new Business School and wider plans for city centre campus and Derbion’s masterplan to create hundreds of new homes and commercial space.

The event also included a presentation by Mr Williams about proposals for a devolution deal for the East Midlands, covering Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Marketing Derby will be holding a special Bondholder Breakfast event at Déda on Tuesday 21 March, where people will be able to find out more about Team Derby’s activities at this year’s MIPIM.

Taking place from 8am to 9.30am, attendees can hear about the latest developments and schemes that were showcased to promote the UK Capital for Innovation to a global audience.

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