1. Will weWork change everything?! with Steve Urwin, Kernel Property

In our kick-off episode, we talk about co-working now and in the future, with leading tenant advocate, Steve Urwin of Kernel Property.  And it is hard to have that discussion without continued reference to the biggest show on the global stage, weWork!

Steve explains who is actually using these type of services, how different industries differ in their approach to flexible office space, how weWork is growing its focus on big enterprise, and what the crystal ball is telling him about the future of it all.

Steve also shares his passion for environmental causes, and how Kernel Property embraces this passion in its approach to its own office space.

Notes from the podcast

Law firm use of offices - UK vs Australia (4:45)

Law firm vs accounting firms - approach to space generally (6:40)

weWork does not look like a tech startup space! (9:05)

Who is using co-working spaces in Australian market? (11:00)

weWork's enterprise model (12:20)

Co-working spaces are taking smaller tenants from traditional office landlords (14:02)

Traditional landlords are being cautious with their 'flexible' space offerings (16:40)

Discussion on some current traditional landlord flexible space offerings - DEXUS Place, Space & Co (GPT) (17:15)

Law firms are not factoring in co-working providers as part of their space planning (20:10)

Deloitte is requiring its new Melbourne landlord to provide a common use function space (23:45)

The importance of brand to internalising function space (24:00)

Law firm partnership structure drives a different type of decision making to traditional corporates (24:50)

Law firms are becoming consulting firms (26:10)

Is ‘big tech’ culture impacting the style of the traditional workplace? (28:00)

Sit-stand desks need to be available to all, or not at all (31:15)

What is weWork trying to be? (33:00)

weWork's recent capital raising and valuation (33:30)

weWork's enterprise business (33:50)

weWork's use of SPVs and higher bank guarantees on leases (35:45)

weWork's potential longer term play - will it remain a lease intermediary, or become the virtual layer between landlord and tenant? (37:30)

IWG (owner of Regus) - comparison of valuations with weWork (40:20)

IWG changing its business model to align more with weWork (42:00)

Steve Urwin, the environmentalist (45:20)

Sophia Skarparis - amazing young Australian conservationist, driving the ban of plastic bags in NSW (46:50)

Dr Michael Seo of CSIRO's Graphene Membranes group - developed a carbon nanomaterial "GraphAir" (derived from simple waste oil) - a filtration membrane with potential future application in every household (47:15)

Don't offer Steve a plastic bag!! (47:50)

The benefits of reusing office fitout - the beginnings of a sequel? ;)  (48:20)

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