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Derby, Leicester and Nottingham are gearing up for a big inward investment push at the world’s largest property exhibition – and Insider will be there to report.

From tomorrow to Friday, Cannes will play host to an international exhibition that attracts anywhere upward of 30,000 visitors per year as the global property industry comes together to do business.

According to John Forkin at Marketing Derby, MIPIM is still the place to be seen.

Forkin says Derby is sending a strong delegation to this year’s MIPIM, adding that the city is “determined to show it means business”.

This year’s Derby delegation to the world’s largest real estate show in Cannes is being co-ordinated by Marketing Derby, which says the city will be promoted once again under the banner of the 'Derby City Embassy'.

Derby’s team will be led by city council leader Harvey Jennings and chief executive Adam Wilkinson who will announce the first winners of the city’s £10m regeneration fund.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “It’s really important that we build on the £1bn invested in Derby over the past five years and start what we have finished. For us MIPIM remains an important part on our investment calendar, complementing our activity in Derby, Birmingham and London.

“I appreciate this year a number of cities will be missing but we sense the right investors will still be there in force.”

The decision by Nottingham City Council to pull put of MIPIM this year has led Tim Garratt, director at Innes England, to call for a unified East Midlands presence at the MIPIM in 2012.

Garratt said: “I am not sure that we could link with other cities like Sheffield or Leeds as we are competing with them for inward investment, but we could potentially look to join up with other cities in the East Midlands such as Derby or Leicester.

The final line up of ‘Team Nottingham’ will be Innes England, Gleeds, Miller Birch, Morgan Tucker, CPMG Architects and law firm Geldards. Also joining the team is Nottingham Regeneration Limited (NRL).

Prospect Leicestershire is to unveil "a major investment opportunity" at this year’s show.

David Hughes, chief executive of Prospect Leicestershire, is to attend MIPIM with Sue Tilley, head of inward investment.

The two Prospect Leicestershire representatives will be attending alongside Pick Everard, the architecture and civil engineering firm based in Leicester.

Partner Duncan Green is leading a three-strong delegation from the Charles Street firm. Other attendees include Kevin Harris, partner at business adviser Cooper Parry, in Leicester.

Green said his company, which like other private firms has always financed its presence at the event itself, had a long-term commitment to MIPIM.

He said: "MIPIM is a very important vehicle for us. As a firm, we made a decision that we would be going to MIPIM for five years and this is our fifth year. It has realised significant benefits to this firm in terms of the links it's provided to major investment that's coming into the UK.”

Insider will be in Cannes compiling a daily newsletter from the event each day, with the major news, announcements and interviews with key figures. If you have a story, please email Neil Tague.