NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Upflex Inc., the largest global network of workspaces, today announced Vincent Lottefier as its newly appointed Chief Strategy Officer. Lottefier, former JLL senior executive leader and current strategic advisor to IWG plc, will be tasked with evolving the business as it focuses on servicing enterprise customers and providing flexible workspaces to thousands of employees across the world. This news of the company’s first CSO follows the company’s earlier appointment of former IWG plc executive Liassine Talbi as global sales lead and the launch of Safe Spaces™, a coworking industry program in collaboration with Colliers International.
“Over the past eight months, as Upflex has evolved into an enterprise SaaS model, it became very clear we need a partner like Vincent,” said Christophe Garnier, Co-Founder and CEO of Upflex. “He is a proven leader with expertise in every aspect of the commercial real estate industry, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to Upflex as we focus on multiplying relationships with both brokerage firms and enterprise clients globally in 2021.”
Vincent Lottefier has worked for three decades in the corporate real estate industry. At JLL, he was most recently its Global President of Integrated Services. Prior roles also included Global Director and the CEO of JLL Corporate solutions for EMEA, CEO of JLL India, and Head of International Desk in New York. Lottefier will bring his expertise working across global accounts to Upflex, where he’ll focus on building relationships with brokerage firms and enterprise clients, amidst a worldwide shift to remote work and a breaking down of traditional corporate offices.
“In less than two years, Upflex has been able to create an industry-leading digital platform offering simple, easy-to-buy products across more than 5,500 locations, covering 75 countries and more than 650 flex office brands,” said Lottefier. “I’ve been waiting for the explosion of co-working spaces and the modern, flexible office for many years, and I am absolutely convinced that large and small enterprises, spanning all sectors across the world, can leverage Upflex to drive productivity, reduce cost, and be fit-ready for The Future Of Work.”
With companies such as Twitter and Square announcing a permanent remote workforce, other companies are likely to adopt a flexible workspace even in a post-pandemic world. This is good news for the coworking industry. Despite a recent slowdown in growth in the market sector in the past year, the number of coworking and flexible workspace locations around the country is expected to double or triple within the next five years, according to a report from Colliers International.
Upflex has seen a similar positive trend on its own platform in the past year and has responded to increased demand with the addition of 2,500 locations in 2020. The company’s enterprise-grade technology platform, coupled with a global flex marketplace, is designed to allow large employers to embrace employee flexibility for up to tens of thousands of employees.
For employers looking for a more personalized solution, Upflex’s new white-label solution provides employers with their own branded app to equip employees with access to the Upflex global network and their own offices. The Hub & Spoke solution also provides teams with one or multiple dedicated HQs as well as access to the entire Upflex network of workspaces, so that large enterprises to fast-growing startups can increase employee flexibility, no matter where they are. As the business evolves toward servicing enterprise customers, Upflex is positioning itself to work with all the large brokerage firms across the world including Colliers International, CBRE, JLL, and Newmark.
2020 has been a pivotal year for Upflex, as it closed a seed round of $4.1M in January, announced a global sales lead, won two major global Enterprise accounts for global mobility, and landed partnerships deals with major brokerage firms including Colliers International, which initiated a global brokerage partnerships strategy. The partnership introduced Safe Spaces™, a coworking industry program designed to help businesses of all sizes safely ramp up operations as COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns are lifted. For more information about this partnership or the company, visit www.upflex.com, download the app on the Apple Store or on Google Play, or follow the company at @UpflexAppGlobal.
ABOUT UPFLEX
Upflex is the world's first sustainable and flexible flex office marketplace for businesses. The platform is a global network providing access to over 5,500 workspaces in 1,600 cities across 75 countries. Co-founded by Christophe Garnier and Ginger Dhaliwal, Upflex focuses on the needs of the changing workforce, reducing costs, and making a positive environmental impact. Upflex closed a $4.1 million seed round from leading Silicon Valley investor Ecosystem Integrity Fund. Upflex has partnered with Trees.org to plant a tree for every area booked using its platform. The company has already planted 10,000 trees thanks to its first 100 clients. For more information, visit https://upflex.com/ and follow @UpflexAppGlobal.
