Generating business

Mar 19 2008 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

SEAN KEYES, 41, is a director of Liverpool-based structural engineering company Sutcliffe, which operates across the north of England.

His role includes assessing buildings destined for hotel and office conversions, as well as new build developments. This is an account of one of the days he spent last week at MIPIM, the world’s largest real estate convention, held in Cannes. Sean attended with his managing director, John Sutcliffe. This is an account of his day on Wednesday last week.

7.30am: Feel in surprisingly good shape despite a late finish. We watched the Inter Milan v Liverpool game in a busy Irish pub on the Cannes quayside. It was then back to our villa to compare notes on a first full day at MIPIM. We are sharing a luxury place on a hillside out of town with four other Liverpool firms – the law firm Weightmans, our PR agency Paver Smith, the CGi specialists Evolve Productions and business consultants Davis Taylor.

9.15am: Having checked emails and made calls back to the office, we head into town, about 25 minutes away. We have a hire car because delegates think nothing of waiting an hour for a cab that may never turn up. My first impression of Cannes is that it’s just overwhelmed by MIPIM – 30,000 people are simply an occupying force. It doesn’t feel French or even European – it’s international.

10am: The Palais Des Festivals is populated with hundreds of stands from every nation, region, city and every kind of company in the real estate world. John and I have planned our days around the events on the Liverpool and Manchester stands. Many exhibitors also charter yachts, moored at the quayside for lunches, dinners and drinks receptions. The two-presentations-a-day structure on the main stands makes it very easy to network.

10.50am: Have a coffee on the Liverpool stand and in a short space of time manage to catch up with Bill Addy from Iliad, who we are working for on their hotel project in Victoria Street. Also have a good conversation with Ann Lodge and Paul Houghton from Downing – one of the main sponsors of the Liverpool presence here.

11.45am: A moment of levity for all Scousers – I’m watching an extremely slick presentation on the Manchester stand on the second floor of the main convention centre, the Palais de whatever. The balcony doors open and across the street a Beatles covers band starts performing from another balcony. Please Please Me nearly drowns out MIDAS chief executive Colin Sinclair in full flow about Bolton’s future. You hear a fair bit of chat about the Manchester v Liverpool stands, which is best. It’s not a cop out to say both are impressive. Liverpool’s is clean and not at all wedded in the past, what with the superlambanana and all.

12.30pm: John and I have light lunch on the Kier Construction yacht. We have just completed a project with Kier for a new education block at Hope University. None of the Kier Liverpool team are on the boat but it’s good to meet the national guys – we work right across the North of England.

2pm: Back to the Liverpool stand for John Prescott. I believe he’s standing in for Tom Hicks, who was due to speak about Liverpool’s new stadium. He makes all the right noises about Liverpool having turned the corner. Still, the former deputy prime minister seemed a bit off the cuff. I take a call from the office about the Heywoods Building project we are working on in Liverpool, converting it into a hotel.

4pm: Back at the villa for a barbecue we are jointly hosting with our other house guests. Some hilarity over the claim that it’s “four minutes in a cab” from Cannes’ centre – words which somehow ended up on the invite. Apparently one taxi driver was so amused he got on the radio and told his friends. Have a great chat with Gavin Sorby from architects Buttress Fuller, who are here in force and who opened in Liverpool last year. Ours is a classic MIPIM event – all over in about ninety minutes then everyone heads off to the next thing. Dave Percival, a partner at Weightmans, does unexpected heroics manning the BBQ. I don’t know what he charges by the hour but if he ever gets tired of the law.

7.45pm: Back into town for a dinner with Bank of Ireland. They helped fund our office in Harrington Street and we stay in touch with Ronnie Watson, who arranged the deal for us. Afterwards, we check out the Morrison Hotel, venue for tomorrow’s last night party hosted by Liverpool. The Everton and Spurs supporters in our contingent are disappointed by UEFA cup exits on penalties – so we help them drown their sorrows with a few pints.