The City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Councillor Jenny Dawe, has been invited to speak on challenges facing medium sized cities this week at MIPIM, the world's leading real estate exhibition and conference running from 6-9 March.

As well as contributing alongside Malmo in Sweden, Utrecht in Holland and Ghent in Belgium, Cllr Dawe has also been given the opportunity to present on Edinburgh’s infrastructure development, refurbishment and financing.

This will enable Cllr Dawe to promote specific opportunities for funding infrastructure growth in Edinburgh such as tax Increment Financing and Enterprise Zones. She will also have the opportunity to meet potential investors on Edinburgh's stand alongside representatives of Marketing Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Business Forum.

Also exhibiting will be a number of city regions which Edinburgh is targeting for new business and investment opportunities. These include Munich and Toronto and Cllr Dawe will have an opportunity to build relationships while visiting these stands.

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Cllr Dawe, said: "Edinburgh's attendance at MIPIM has a proven track record of bringing major investment to Edinburgh. Over £1 billion has been invested following previous MIPIM attendance including the St James development worth around £850m, which will rejuvenate our city centre retail offering, which originated at this event. Each year our team successfully broker and facilitate deals, as well as make contacts that are instrumental to continued investment in Edinburgh."

Hugh Rutherford, Chair of Edinburgh Business Forum, said: "Business and investment is now global with cities having to compete fiercely on a world stage for investment.

"Independent studies have identified Edinburgh as being well placed as a key UK knowledge based economy able to attract investment and to grow and diversify its economy. This is in line with the aims of Edinburgh's new Economic Strategy for the city.

"During the recent recession, Edinburgh has been extremely successful in attracting significant levels of inward investment testament to its high quality well qualified labour pool and the diversified nature of its economy."

Phil Miller, Chief Executive of Miller Developments, commented: "These days MIPIM is the shop window for all the major European cities seeking investment from global property investors - Edinburgh is rightly here to compete."

This year there will be 18,600 delegates from 90 countries at MIPIM including investors, property developers and hoteliers.

(GK)