Some 2,300 international investors have registered for the 21st edition of MIPIM on 16-19 March. "We foresee that this year's edition will prove that confidence is starting to come back among investors, developers and end-users," commented Bernardo Retana, Senior Associate at Qatar-based Qinvest. "We expect to discuss interesting opportunities in investment and financing and look forward to seeing where the trend is going in 2010."

MIPIM organisers Reed Midem also point to the recent Investment Property Databank report, which was more positive. Focusing on commercial property, MIPIM has added investment to its title from this year for the first time. It will feature a cycle of five conferences entitled Recovery Positions, organized in partnership with IPD. "Prompted by the crisis, investors are tending to go back to basics and take a hard look at returns on assets and investment vehicles," organizers say. The program will therefore review various asset classes such as distressed debt, securitized bank loans, and listed property companies.

Among investors already signed this year include Allianz Real Estate, SEB Investment, Union Investment Real Estate (Germany), BNP Paribas, Natixis, Société Génerale (France), Aviva Investors, JP Morgan, The Royal Bank of Scotland (United Kingdom), Pension Danmark Ejendomme (Denmark), Mutual Insurance Company Fennia (Finland), Niam Ab (Sweden), Credit Suisse (Switzerland), Islamic Development Bank Group (Saudi Arabia), Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Paramount Group, Inc., Pramerica Real Estate Investors (USA) and La Caixa (Mexico).