Cushman & Wakefield appoints EMEA flexible leasing lead

Emma Swinnerton, Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield has hired Emma Swinnerton as EMEA Head of Flexible Leasing Solutions, a region-wide consultancy role focusing on the flexible office and co-working market.

Emma’s experience includes working for Regus, where she held the role of Global Commercial Director for Spaces & New Formats. She began her career with British Airways working up to a senior role in global product development. This included delivering new customer propositions and overseeing a $300million commercialisation programme around in-flight technology.

Emma, who will join Cushman & Wakefield as an International Partner, will provide strategic advice to operators, landlords, investors, and new entrants on how to respond to the changing dynamics of the market.

Colin Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, EMEA, Cushman & Wakefield, said: “The flexible office market has shown significant growth recently, moving rapidly to the mainstream in many of the markets across Europe. All participants need to understand the fast-moving dynamics and how they can adapt, react or play a leading role in this change. Emma’s sector experience, as well as her previous roles developing new offers, will be critical for our clients to be able to respond to this rapidly-evolving and technologically-driven change.”

Emma Swinnerton, EMEA Head of Flexible Leasing Solutions, Cushman & Wakefield, said: “The rise of the flexible sector is an area of genuine transformative disruption in the office sector. All sides are still getting to grips with the significant growth which will only increase in the next few years. As providers hit a scale, they need to deliver a consistent brand promise to consumers while also looking at where next to grow. Landlords and investors, meanwhile, need to understand the opportunities, as do new entrants into the market looking to establish a product which can differentiate and deliver value. Cushman & Wakefield has long been recognised as agency leaders within the sector and I am delighted to be joining them to drive further growth.”

Cushman & Wakefield’s Co-working 2018 report shows demand for flexible workspace across the world saw record growth in 2017. Central London has led the way but other EMEA cities including Amsterdam and Berlin have also witnessed a surge in demand. Revealing the extent to which the sector has evolved and matured, the report predicts that, in the future, every large multi-let building will have a proportion allocated to flexible workspace as owners look to take advantage of growing demand and seek to meet the needs of potential occupiers.