FLEXSA - Key Persons
As Head of Business Development at Workspace Group, a FTSE 250 Real Estate Investment Trust, Andrea is responsible for evolving the brand and business strategy, and adding value to Workspace's customer experience.
Her previous roles include: Portfolio Manager overseeing a large proportion of the company's assets; and Head of Club Workspace, which saw Andrea introducing one of London's first large-scale network of members' co-working spaces.
Prior to joining Workspace in 2003, Andrea held a number of roles at Regus, including a customer-facing centre manager and, subsequently, Project Manager, developing the business' value proposition
Job Titles:
- Vice - Chairman of the Board
- Commercial Director at Bruntwood Works
Andrew Butterworth is Commercial Director at Bruntwood Works, working on all aspects of commercial property with a particular focus on commercial transaction and asset management strategy. He looks after 80 buildings and circa. 2,000 customers across Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham, as well as overseeing the well established inhouse team of surveyors, interior designers and product specialists who all contribute to Bruntwood Works' customer journey.
With over 20+ years of experience within the commercial real estate industry, Andrew has a range of expertise in supporting our customers to find different types of premises, workspaces and meeting rooms to help create spaces that allow them to thrive.
Job Titles:
- Service Provider Member Representative
Denise has worked in the flexible workspace industry since 2008 as a valued team member at Bracken Workspace Plus, a boutique flex space provider in Leeds with over 55 client companies across a 50,000 sq.ft. portfolio.
Joining the Board of Directors at Bracken and becoming Group Operations Director in 2019, Denise has multiple roles within the business and specializes in sales, marketing and managing the company's niche position in the rapidly evolving flex space market.
Denise is currently leading the strategic addition of a co-working facility within the workspace. A new venture for Bracken Workspace Plus.
As Head of Business & Corporate at The Deep, one of the UK's most successful tourist attractions, Freya's responsibilities extend beyond overseeing the day-to-day needs of 45 tenants employing upwards of 230 people in The Deep Business Centre.
She is also charged with developing and managing a full programme of social and corporate events, from weddings and business meetings to such prized occasions as the Olympic Torch Relay, the Queen's Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games and the draw live on BBC TV for the Third Round of the FA Cup.
Freya previously served on the Flexible Space Association Board (then the BCA) from October 2004 until May 2006. She became Chairman in 2019.
Jane Sartin joined the Flexible Space Association as Executive Director in October 2018. She oversees the running of the Association, as well as representing the organisation.
She plays a key role in FlexSA's many events, behind the scenes and in hosting aspects of the annual conference and dinner, and smaller events including webinars and roundtable meetings. She is always available to speak with FlexSA members.
Jane regularly takes opportunities to speak or write on behalf of the flexible workspace industry, giving insights into the role it plays in supporting businesses of all sizes, and through that the UK economy.
She is a member of the Mayor of London's Workspace Advisory Group.
Prior to joining FlexSA Jane had a diverse career, including time spent in local government, the civil service and working for a national charity. She also worked in a public affairs role for another trade association, and spent 9 years in the Chief Executive's office at the British Library. Outside of work, she is active in her local community.
Jeff Morton joined the Board in September 2020. Jeff is a Chartered Surveyor with 30 year+ track record of UK & European direct and indirect investment experience and has completed c£3bn of acquisitions and sales.
He has enjoyed a diverse property career, successfully managing large portfolios such as at BlackRock where he was a Managing Director and Head of Investment for the £3bn BlackRock UK Property Fund. He has also operated outside the UK within Germany and Holland creating serviced office industrial parks working with experienced entrepreneurs and has significant operational and P&L expertise.
He is passionate about property, valuation, customer service and the serviced and flexible office sector in particular. Having financially backed, via BlackRock and Workspace a c£135m+ highly successful joint venture business known as BWPT he also established and is co-founder in 2017 of the Biz Hub serviced office brand.
Job Titles:
- Chief Marketing Officer at the Instant Group
- Joint Broker Representative
John Williams is Chief Marketing Officer at the Instant Group. He has worked there for 10 years, having been at Knight Frank before that.
Michael Millard joined IWG plc. in 2020, where he is now the Operations Director for London and the AML Compliance Officer for the UK.
Through his journey Michael has redefined audit standards, introduced a time in motion study for his teams and taken on a variety of project roles including heading up the UK Troubleshooting team and restructuring the Virtual Office AML Compliance team with a strategic focus on clarity, stability and efficiency.
Prior to IWG plc. Michael was the UK Country Manager in the Retail Sector, with extensive experience on the consumer journey, using an Omnichannel approach and was responsible for the P&L in excess of £120m in revenue.
Nick Riesel - Founder, Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Managing Director
- Joint Broker Representative
Nick Riesel is the Founder and Managing Director of FreeOfficeFinder.
Nick started FreeOfficeFinder in 2002 to bridge the gap between flexible workspace and organisations requiring a simple, all-inclusive space for their teams. He is responsible for leading the company in addition to the day to day running of the business - which has now become one of the leaders in the industry.
Tom is Chairman of UBCuk Ltd, and was previously Managing Director and Finance Director of the company.
Having qualified as an accountant in 1982 he worked with some large businesses, Redland, Hawker Siddeley and Alcoa before joining a small IT business in 1998, which grew to be not so small and which he ran as managing director until the business was successfully sold.