UPCOMING EVENT
All sectors of activity are facing a context of significant transformations. The most prominent factors include the uncertainty of international trade due to changing tariffs, the new, unstable global geopolitical map, fluctuations in national conditions (e.g., housing, real estate, labor and relevant regulations), tension in the financial sector (interest rates, crypto, stock market developments that include divergence between the US and Europe), and technological advances.
In addition to these general transformations, changes have also occurred in the industry as a whole: segments once believed to be exhausted are re-emerging, what were previously known as alternative segments now form part of core business, and corporate operations currently constitute a new competitive landscape. Financing is diverse, but often erratic in terms of quantities and conditions, thus adding yet another component of complexity. In addition, changes now affect people: top managers and entrepreneurs are taking on new roles and responsibilities.
In this context, real estate companies have to adapt and also prosper, and this has become everyone’s goal. Some rules are easier to identify than others, including the importance of data and data processing, using artificial intelligence as a key tool, and the need for flexibility. However, other rules are less obvious and involve working with experts and deep reflection. All this will require strengthening or restructuring the organization and finding the keys to consolidate its competitive advantages.
| 08:30-09:00 | Participant reception |
| 09:00-09:15 | Opening
• Prof. José Luis Suárez, Academic Co-Director of the Meeting, IESE Business School |
| 09:15-09:45 | Labor Markets and Urban Planning: Empirical Evidence and Public Policy Challenges
Changes in employment structure and talent mobility are reshaping the urban fabric and real-estate demand patterns. This session will present new evidence on how labor markets and public policies in housing and transportation affect the competitiveness of cities, addressing the challenges faced by urban managers in an increasingly global and technologically dynamic environment • Joan Monrás, Visiting Professor of Economics, IESE, and Professor of Economics, UPF |
| 09:50-10:40 | Housing as Infrastructure
Housing should be regarded as part of essential infrastructure —just like roads, bridges, or energy networks— and as indispensable to societal well-being and economic competitiveness. Under this perspective, housing becomes an asset that supports social cohesion, talent mobility, and economic growth. Public and private developers will discuss how to redefine collaboration models to expand supply and contain prices, particularly in the country’s most dynamic areas, where demand is most intense. The session will invite participants to rethink the sector’s role in building an inclusive, sustainable, and strategic residential infrastructure • Joan Cambronero, Head of Urban Planning and Housing, Barcelona City Council Moderator: Prof. José Luis Suárez, IESE Business School |
| 10:45-11:15 | Coffee Break |
| 11:20-12:10 | The Evolution of Hospitality: A Changing Market?
The hotel and lodging sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by digitalization, new traveler preferences, and the integration of ESG criteria. Hospitality leaders will analyze how they are adapting their investment, management, and development strategies to preserve margins and remain competitive in a context of volatile demand and rising costs • Gabriel Escarrer, President and CEO, Meliá (speaker to be confirmed) Moderator: Belén Dávila, RICS Valuations Director, Accumin Spain |
| 12:15-13:15 | Workshops
On-campus participants will be divided into two groups to discuss different agenda items. You’ll be able to indicate your workshop preference when you register. You can also inform us if you don’t want to participate. Groups will be organized on a first-come, first-served basis in terms of seating capacity to encourage active participation of attendees. The topics to be discussed are: 1. Building rehabilitation in the face of the European Directive on the Energy Efficiency of Buildings and the challenges it poses The recent European Energy Efficiency Directive raises the requirements for renovating the existing real-estate stock, driving a far-reaching technical, financial, and regulatory transformation. This workshop will examine the main challenges for developers, investors, and public administrations, as well as the opportunities to position renovation as a strategic pillar of urban sustainability • Luis Irastorza, Vicepresident, Green Building Council Spain Moderator: Prof. José Luis Suárez, IESE Business School 2. Traditional vs. Alternative Investment: A Practical Case from Each Perspective The growing interest in alternative assets is redefining the real-estate investment landscape. This workshop will present a practical case study comparing the analytical criteria, risks, and returns of traditional strategies with the new opportunities emerging in segments such as living, logistics, and data centers, fostering an applied discussion among different investor profiles • Joaquín Castellví, Co-Founder and CIO, STONEWEG Moderator: Prof. Carles Vergara, IESE Business School |
| 13:30-14:30 | Networking Lunch Cocktail |
| 14:40-15:45 | New Frontiers in the Real Estate Sector
Real estate is expanding into new asset categories and business models driven by sustainability, technological innovation, and risk diversification. This segment will explore how market players are redefining their value proposition in an increasingly fragmented and competitive environment, where capital seeks long-term impact and resilience |
| 14:40-15:00 Introductory interview
• Lucas Carné, Co-Founder, 011h Moderator: Prof. Carles Vergara, IESE Business School |
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| 15:00-15:45 Discussion panel
• Jaime González, President, Grupo Arpada Moderator: Prof. José Luis Suárez, IESE Business School |
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| 15:45-16:30 | Reconfiguring the Tertiary Sector: Investment, Occupancy and Demand in Hybrid Times
Office buildings, shopping centers, and other tertiary assets are undergoing a structural adjustment following the consolidation of hybrid work and shifts in consumer behavior. Key players in the segment will discuss how they are rethinking space usage, portfolio profitability, and relationship models with tenants and investors • Ismael Clemente, CEO, MERLIN Properties Moderator: Prof. Carles Vergara, IESE Business School |
| 16:30-17:15 | Capital Recycling and Financing in the Real Estate Sector
Asset rotation, leverage management, and access to new sources of financing have become critical pillars for sustaining profitability in the sector. This panel will examine how funds, banks, and asset managers are navigating the new financial cycle, in which the cost of capital, liquidity, and sustainability shape every investment decision • Fernando Bautista, Managing Director, Blackstone Moderator: Susana Rodríguez, Chief Commercial Officer, Savills España |
| 17:15 | Closing
• Prof. José Luis Suárez, Academic Co-Director of the Meeting, IESE Business School |
Note: In case of international speakers, we provide simultaneous translation during the event.
On-campus participants will be distributed in two groups that will debate two topics of the program. When registering, you can indicate your workshop preference. The organization will assign participants to the groups in order of registration based on the capacity limit. The conclusions of each workshop group will be presented to all participants in the final phase of the workshop.
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The 12 Real Estate Meeting will be held on IESE’s new campus in Madrid
The fees for this meeting:
On Campus: € 1,000
Online: € 400
On Campus: € 900
Online: € 400
On Campus: € 700
Online: Free
PAYMENT MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO PROGRAM ATTENDANCE
2025 · Resilience and Innovation in a Challenging Economic Environment
2024 · Innovating toward a Flexible and Dynamic Future
2023 · Real Estate: winning strategies in uncertain times
2022 · Building social sustainability
2021 · The art of evolving
2020 · Real Estate in a Changing Society
2019 · The New Normal in Real Estate
2018 · Where Are We in the Real Estate Cycle
2017 · Real Estate and Society
2016 · The Renovation of the Real Estate Industry in Spain
