This year's MIPIM will be the first for the newly formed Wolverhampton Development Company (WDC). Chief executive, Stephen Catchpole, can't wait to spread the word about the Black Country's only city.

"We were formed with 236,900 people and one mission in mind: to maximise the benefits of growth for the people of Wolverhampton.

"It's our intention to transform Wolverhampton into one of the most successful cities of the 21st century. To do this, we are going to work with our private and public sector partners to increase the pace, scale and quality of growth opportunities. Every element of this activity will be crucial in attracting more of the right investment opportunities."

To achieve its ambitious aim, WDC is committed to a three-stage plan.

First is the delivery of a number of significant high quality development opportunities already in the pipeline. The technology-based business park, i54, and the £300 million retail and leisure scheme, Summer Row, together with the £140 million mixed use scheme known as Interchange are the three most important.

WDC's second focus will be the identification of future opportunities and the undertaking of associated activities, including masterplanning, gap funding applications and land assembly.

Finally, it sees a key activity being the promotion of the city to developers and their advisers.

Stephen Catchpole's enthusiasm for the city is unmistakable: "In just the few months that I've been at WDC I've been impressed with what the city has to offer and the level of commitment that I've encountered from both the private and public sector to deliver high quality, sustainable development.

"It's not just organisations that are champing at the bit either. All of the local people I've spoken to are incredibly positive about their city. We're here to inform and enable developers to be part of what is one great city of opportunity."

As chairman of WDC, Graham Mackenzie is clear that the organisation is 100 per cent dedicated to Wolverhampton becoming a city of regional, national and international significance.

"We are in a fortunate position that Wolverhampton already has a lot of positive attributes, including good transport connections, an excellent university, world-class businesses and a very welcoming community. We're saying loud and proud that Wolver-hampton is an investment opportunity not to be missed!

"In delivering the outcomes the city deserves, it's our aim to be one of the best performing urban regeneration companies in the country. Working with stakeholders, we will secure the delivery of high quality schemes on time. In doing this, we will become the preferred partner of choice.

"We're not just interested in numbers, but in quality too. We're here to create an architecturally impressive Wolverhampton that is prosperous and socially inclusive. In short, a great place to be."