MIPIM has unveiled the third cohort of its Challengers initiative, which has been designed to foster inclusivity and elevate emerging talent in the built environment sector.
The latest group of Challengers will include 43 real estate professionals under the age of 31, who will take part in the full MIPIM programme next March in Cannes. The Challengers benefit from complimentary tickets and invitations to dedicated sessions and events.
Successful entries were received from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (see full list of Challengers below).
A new element of the programme requires Challengers to nominate two senior executives from their organisation as part of the application. The selected Challengers will take part in a pre-MIPIM interview with one of their nominated executives, during which they will discuss the future of real estate. These interviews will be shared across MIPIM’s channels.
At MIPIM, Challengers will take part in conference roundtables and contribute to a thought leadership paper alongside senior executives from the world’s most influential property companies. They will also attend a dedicated networking cocktail event.
Nicolas Boffi, MIPIM director, said: “Congratulations to the 43 MIPIM Challengers who will join us in Cannes next March. This is our biggest and most diverse cohort yet, with passion for topics such as neurodiversity, accessibility and social mobility, and it matters. These young professionals will bring ideas and questions that push us to think differently about how cities evolve. We have deep technical expertise in this industry, but we need voices that understand how their generation wants to live, work and move.
“Last year’s Challengers showed the value of this exchange with practical proposals like treating embodied carbon as an asset and using blockchain for material passports. These were not abstract concepts, they already work and shape asset values and resilience. The programme is about creating space for real dialogue, where experience meets fresh thinking. I can’t wait to see what this group brings to the table.”
This year’s Challengers are:
Abiola Ogunsami, Graduate Development Manager, Muse Places (UK)
Alexandra Prendiville, Associate Global Client Group, Redevco (Netherlands)
Alice Gardner, Principal Planner, DPP Planning (UK)
Alizée Dhorbait, Development Officer, GSE (France)
Arnaud Bourgery, Valuation Manager, EY (France)
Axel Chartrel, Actuarial Data Engineer, Quanthome (Switzerland)
Benjamin Hobbs, Graduate Regeneration Officer, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (UK)
Charlie Bolam, Consultant, Remit Consulting (UK)
Christopher Mizen, Associate, Newmark (UK)
Cristina Mock, Architectural Designer, KPF (Panama)
Daniel Sponheimer, Real Estate Sustainability Manager, Catella Investment Management (Germany)
Darcy Edwards, Executive Officer to the Chairman, Rolton (UK)
Dariya Chornomidze, Lawyer, Advant Altana (France)
Diogo Germano Cardoso, Finance & Business Analyst, VIZTA (Portugal)
Ella Cheung, Analyst, CapitaLand Investment (UK)
Esther Oyewole, Investment Specialist, Legal & General (UK)
George Hooton, Director, Hootons (UK)
Georgia Turner, Assistant Project Manager, AtkinsRéalis (UK)
Gianluca Martinelli, Director Real Estate Finance, Airbus Bank (Germany)
Henrietta King, Junior Consultant, Remit Consulting (UK)
Hugo Smith, Apprentice (Asset Management), JLL (UK)
Isabel Erben, Project Manager, MOMENI Group (Germany)
Jack Hyland-Knight, Principal Mechanical Engineer, Cundall (UK)
Jakiat Jitu, Major Projects Support Officer, Southampton City Council (UK)
Jonathan Heron, Senior Structural Engineer, Symmetrys (UK)
Katharina Heinzler, Portfolio Manager Value Investment, BEOS AG (Germany)
Katie Beard, Head of Nottingham Partners, Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (UK)
Lucy Torr, Property and Construction Public Relations Manager, Cartwright Communication (UK)
Lydia McGuinness, Site Manager, Wates Construction (UK)
Maheer Khan, Researcher, Futurecity (UK)
Marlene Furthner, Project Management Urban Development, Hand (Austria)
Matthew Waterworth, Asset Manager, ELITE UK REIT (UK)
Max Keeler, Surveyor, Colliers (UK)
Maximilien Schmitz, Analyst – Fund Management, AEW (Germany)
Meryem Ben Dhiaf, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY (France)
Olivia Sutcliffe, Associate Director, Savills (UK)
Paul-Edouard Granoux, Associate, Flying Point Real Estate (France)
Ruslan Hajduk, Transactions Manager, ATP Properties (Poland)
Sarah Aldag, Senior Key Account Manager, Syte GMBH (Germany)
Sergio Storino, ESG Analyst, Atenor S.A. (Belgium)
Stéphane Theophilos, Real Estate Project Manager, Atelier Alya (France)
Susanne Sekkesæter, Founder, MASE Home (Norway)
Tim de Goede, Analyst Asset Management Residential, CBRE Investment Management (Germany)
William Hartley Mora-Figueroa, Transaction Analyst, Redevco (Netherlands)
