Expansion in Europe
To accommodate its growing membership, The Counselors’ European Chapter will be adding Prague-based staff to strengthen membership and programming throughout Europe. A long-term goal is to form country-based chapters. Additionally, plans are underway for an international conference in Prague in the summer of 2020.
2019 Brexit Conference
The European Chapter, in cooperation with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), also hosted a Brexit conference in London in February, with panelists offering far-reaching insight on the increasing degree of uncertainty since the United Kingdom voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union. Tomas Ctibor, CRE, chairman of The Counselors’ European chapter, Hans Vrensen, CRE, head of research and strategy, AEW Europe LLP, Lord Jonathan Hill, Britain’s former EU commissioner, and John Plender of the Financial Times, were among those exploring Brexit’s potential impact on the global markets. Real estate was generally thought to be in a relatively resilient position and a good value compared to other asset classes. The general consensus among conference speakers was that a reversal of Brexit is unlikely.
Commitment to Global Growth
Recognizing that international boundaries are becoming more fluid and emphasizing its strong commitment to global membership and growth, The Counselors of Real Estate leveraged its international presence at the 30th annual MIPIM conference in March in Cannes, France, for the 15th straight year. The Counselors’ global focus also includes the CRE Annual Convention being held in Vancouver in 2020 and the formation of a CRE Asian Chapter based in Tokyo.