The Art of Survival - MAPIC 2021

Last week, the Innesco team hosted its Survivor's Lunch to mark the finale to the 2021 MAPIC conference - the world's Retail Real Estate Market expo. It's a tradition we started well over a decade ago, and its purpose is to take stock and reflect on the progress, achievements and relationships forged - not just during the MAPIC event, but in the months leading up. It is a private, Chatham House rules event for clients and close contacts - investors, developers, brands and journalists; an opportunity to speak freely over superb seafood and a glass of decent rosé.

This year of course was different, and the art of survival meant so much more to the 50+ guests attending or dropping by, taking further time out of their diaries in Cannes to acknowledge, reflect ...and exhale. This year we have survived so much more - professionally and personally. For the 4,000+ who braved the journey - many with heightened Covid restrictions to be there in the South of France - to see, showcase, and generally get a true sense of where the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors are going, there was no better place to be; only a handful were paralyzed by uncertainty and decided to stay at home.

"The art of survival is a story that will never end."

Innesco were proud partners of the event's Innovation Forum, delivered the event's campaign brand for the fourth year in a row, as well as representing several clients exhibiting, presenting, or making significant media announcements. I must applaud my team - who pivoted and pirouetted their way through the pandemic with grace, grit, and creativity - and it is these moments of crescendo and high stakes at a remarkably busy conference when they truly shone; the results were remarkable. Bravo!

As professionals, we recognise the secret sauce not just for survival, but for reinvention and success - putting projects, concepts, companies and funds on the world stage - in some style. In this age of fast obsolescence, witnessed like a slow train crash by some quarters of the real estate sector, what better time to reposition real assets, and articulate their purpose and value clearly to the market.

MAPIC's various sectors all showed great promise, ingenuity and inventiveness - much of which was evident across the Palais in spades - and this bodes well. An air of positivity emerged triumphant, and we all raised a glass. One thing we can be sure of in these uncertain times is that the art of survival is a story that will never end - and we're keen to write the book.