Roux Gerber, Development Manager and Vlad Valcea, Asset Manager at Atterbury Europe, recently attended the inaugural MPC Echo Conference, hosted by our Serbian partner MPC Properties. The event was a vibrant hub of new trends and innovative business practices in the real estate industry, with a particular focus on sustainable operations within the MPC and Atterbury Europe portfolios and the practices of their tenants.

The discussions highlighted various contemporary trends, including sustainable business operations and innovative practices adopted by leading companies in local and global markets, providing valuable insights into the future of real estate.

Highlights from the conference

Among the many engaging sessions, two stood out for Vlad. The opening presentation by Jonathan Doughty, an award-winning expert with 45 years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industry, set the tone for the event. Jonathan’s talk on contemporary trends in hospitality sparked constructive discussions.

Roux says the message from Jonathan was clear:

  • The pre Covid customer now visiting malls wants more on all levels. More service, more choice, more authentic and unique experiences. This means that traditional food-court and cinema offerings need to adapt to avoid becoming prehistoric. There is a strong drive towards food market concepts and ten pin bowling as family entertainment is making a comeback. The successful formula is “family sport entertainment” without the customer needing to change his clothes.
  • The historic customer of the past must be treated as a royal guest, as she/he has many choices and options.
  • Home is not the office and must be respected: Home must always come first, but when in the office, it must be special and not a downgrade from home. We need to offer a variety of places to work from in the office including a space to relax which will make the workplace a better place to be.
  • The trend of a significant increase in hospitality is also an indication that people are still living in fear of another pandemic. Air-travel and hotel reservations have already exceeded pre-Covid levels. People want MORE!
  • Authentic (the real thing) family entertainment offerings are making a strong comeback. “I want more of the real thing” is a strong focus.

Another notable session was the panel discussion on office spaces, hybrid work models, and the impact of modern technology. Vlad said this session provided valuable insights into how large multinational companies envision their ideal rented office spaces, considering the evolving needs of their employees.

According to Roux the message from the panel was clear:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay and is transforming the workspace into a more creative environment rather than a place where repetitive actions are being performed. Therefore, a more creative environment must be created to align with the future.
  • Indoor and outdoor spaces are becoming a must have in a sustainable environment.
  • More must be offered to the workforce, as human capital should be the real focus of business.
  • Lastly, do not try to create home in the office, respect the home but provide a superior atmosphere in the office with the focus on different spaces for different occasions.

“Listening with an open mind helps in identifying ideas worth implementing in our assets.” – Vlad Valcea

Key learnings

Vlad said his key takeaways from the conference, highlighted the importance of listening and keeping an open mind. “It’s challenging to have a one-size-fits-all solution,” he noted. “However, the most important learnings come from identifying ideas that may be worthwhile and relevant to implement in our assets and then striving for their success.”

Roux emphasised that the customer is now a special guest who has choices and wants more on every level of engagement. He added that this provides food for thought to developers on what comes next. “Authentic experiences are part of the quest for more,” he said.

With respect to the office environment, flexi working hours and a reduced working week, the challenge remains to create a “home-like environment, not home, where to company’s human capital can thrive to achieve its full potential.

The MPC Echo Conference was an enriching experience, offering a wealth of knowledge and fresh perspectives. At Atterbury Europe, we are committed to staying at the forefront of the industry by continuously exploring innovative and sustainable practices. Roux concluded that Atterbury’s new proposed Mall of Limassol development in Cyprus ticks all these trend boxes highlighted at the conference. “The proposed Mall of Limassol will offer more authentic, more different, more sustainable guest experiences. It was truly refreshing to hear that we are on track with implementing these trends in our new schemes.”

Join us in embracing a new era of innovation and sustainability in real estate, inspired by the insights gained at the MPC Echo Conference.