What to expect in Cannes: Expert comments

The tone ahead of MIPIM 2026 remains one of cautious optimism, with an emphasis on recovery, selective investment, and the rise of emerging sectors such as data centres, logistics, and housing. 

MIPIM 2025

Key themes include AI and tech integration, sustainability, and navigating ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges.

Global Institutional Perspectives

Generali Real Estate: “This year, market conversations are centred on how capital is rotating across the most active asset classes—from hospitality and logistics to the offices of the future. We are exploring ways to adapt portfolio strategies in response to evolving demand, repricing trends, and operational performance, while balancing decarbonisation pathways with realistic investment horizons.”
Ece Demirpençe (General Manager, Akfen REIT): “My priority areas include tourism, branded hospitality, and independent living/longevity-oriented models. These segments define resilient, future-ready portfolios, particularly where demographic shifts and urban transformation converge.”
Simon Stein (Head of Large Corporates & Institutions, Nordea): “The conference provides an excellent overview of market sentiment. We are seeing positive signs, such as investors broadening into new asset classes and development projects, signalling growing confidence in markets like Denmark.”
Ulrich Höller (Managing Partner, ABG Real Estate Group): “Investment in residential and office sectors will remain selective, depending largely on financing conditions and regulatory clarity. While the global economy remains fragile, the housing market remains the most stable segment. Only office properties with a convincing long-term perspective are currently gaining access to capital.”
Chris Elliott (Gen II Fund Services): “As the industry gathers, conversations are already turning to LP allocation decisions, market sentiment, and the future trajectory of real assets.”

Strategic Shifts and Emerging Havens

Real estate specialist and B2B consultant Giulia De Mauro observes a shift in mood: “Investors are reallocating, not retreating, with a strong focus on income-generating assets like logistics, data centres, and affordable housing. Opportunistic capital is targeting distressed assets with robust fundamentals. ESG regulations remain a priority, and decarbonisation is a non-negotiable long-term goal; the challenge now lies in delivering measurable and profitable sustainability.
Markets in Canada, the Nordics, and select CEE regions are emerging as stable havens for growth. Furthermore, the shift from ‘bits to bricks’ is accelerating, with AI-ready infrastructure, smart permitting, and digital twins becoming foundational elements.”

The Role of Technology

Yardi (Real Estate Software Vendor): “A key theme will be how organisations can unlock the value of their data by connecting operational and financial information across portfolios. We also anticipate significant discussion regarding how AI is being used to forecast demand, generate insights, optimise energy usage, and support leasing decisions.”