The international real estate industry is increasingly confronted with geopolitical crises and the associated uncertainties. EXPO REAL, taking place from 5 to 7 October in Munich, addresses this situation in its conference programme. The aim is to offer participants guidance and strategic perspectives in a challenging market environment. Claudia Boymanns, Exhibition Director of EXPO REAL, emphasised that the programme highlights the central challenges of the real estate sector, from developments in Germany and international markets to concrete solutions and technological innovations. She stressed the importance of expert dialogue, diverse perspectives, and trend-setting debates.
Over all three days of the fair, participants can expect an extensive programme with more than 200 panels and over 650 speakers. The opening of the conference programme on 5 October at 11:00 will feature a discussion among international investors critically examining Europe's attractiveness as a real estate location and identifying areas for action. Participants in this discussion include Martin Towns from M&G Real Estate Ltd., Michael Neal from Savills Investment, Brad Gries from LaSalle Investment Management, and David Green-Morgan from ANREV. Subsequently, from 12:20, Prof. Dr. Moritz Schularick, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, will analyse global economic developments and their impact on Germany, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the real estate location and necessary political reforms.
Geopolitical Risks and Their Consequences
A key part of the agenda is addressing whether geopolitical crises are becoming the new normal and what implications this has for the economy and society. On the second day of the fair, Wolfgang Ischinger, the long-standing head of the Munich Security Conference, will deliver a presentation at 11:00 in the Investment Forum on "Geopolitical Risks: On Security in Insecure Times". He will analyse the effects of global conflicts, strategic rivalries between major powers, and shifted power axes on the markets. Ischinger will emphasise that stability is no longer a given but must be actively shaped.
Expansion to Include Investable Infrastructure
A novelty this year is the introduction of a dedicated forum for investable infrastructure, complemented by a comprehensive conference programme and a special exhibition. Claudia Boymanns explained that EXPO REAL is thus consistently expanding its product portfolio, bringing another long-term stable investment segment for investors into focus alongside commercial and residential properties. This promotes the increasing convergence of the real assets asset class. In addition to this new focus, eleven other forums, stages, and conferences offer space for in-depth industry discussions and exchange with market participants. These include the Flexible Housing Forum with a special exhibition on forward-looking housing concepts, the Grand Plaza Stage as a central marketplace in Hall B3, and the Transform & Beyond Forum, which is dedicated to future topics in the real estate industry.
- —Asia Investment Conference, 06.10.2026, 14:00 to 17:00 | Hall B3, Room B21
- —Housing as a Key to Growth: Labour Needs, Immigration, and Regional Bottlenecks, 05.10.2026, 14:00 to 15:20 | Hall B3, Stand 420
- —What Will Make Our City Centres Attractive Again in the Future? 05.10.2026, 11:00 to 11:50 | Hall B3, Stand 230
- —Defence Industry – Opportunity for the Real Estate Sector? 06.10.2026, 11:00 to 11:50 | Hall A3, Stand 420
Further relevant events on the programme include the Asia Investment Conference, a keynote by Mathias Günther from the Pestel Institute on housing demand, and a discussion with the participation of State Secretary Nils Hilmer from the Federal Ministry of Defence on the defence industry as an opportunity for the real estate sector. The economic and capital market outlook from Gertrud Rosa Traud, Helaba, will also be discussed on 07.10.2026 in the Investment Forum.
