The International Workplace Group (IWG), which leases out shared office spaces under brand names that include Regus, Spaces and HQ, has announced plans to double its footprint in Kenya with eight new workspace centres before the close of this year.
In a statement on Wednesday, IWG said the centres will be spread across Nairobi, Kiambu and Mombasa counties, terming it a response to rising demand for flexible working models within the capital as well as in regional commercial hubs.
The company charges for leasing office spaces on a daily or monthly basis, with the actual rent determined by location and demand for the working space.
The eight new working stations will include HQ Purple Tower, HQ Fedha Plaza, HQ Nairobi Business Park, HQ I&M Tower and Regus 1 Park Avenue all within Kenya’s capital, in addition to HQ The Brick Thindigua in Kiambu county.
Co-working spaces are communal work environments that provide individuals with a shared space to work on their projects or businesses, offering a variety of amenities such as Wi-Fi, printer access and a collaborative atmosphere.
IWG, whose shares are publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange, recently unveiled a new HQ location at City Mall in Nyali, Mombasa, a 1,000-square-metre centre comprising private offices, meeting rooms, as well as co-working and creative spaces.
The firm notes that while the flexible workspace industry is not new to the Kenyan market, its strategy marks a distinct shift in scale with rapid expansion that’s made possible by partnering with local property owners and investors.
Through this model, it states, local landlords are being enabled to pivot towards flexible workspace approaches that are proving more resilient and profitable in the post Covid-19 real estate climate by offering superior returns.
“We are establishing a stronger and much-needed footprint in Kenya with the recent opening of HQ Nyali City Mall, Mombasa, and the new locations planned for Nairobi and Kiambu,” said IWG founder and CEO Mark Dixon.
“Kenya is a dynamic business hub, and the demand for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to grow. Our model allows businesses to scale up or down cost-effectively, while enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity,” he added.
IWG currently operates 12 centres in Kenya, with the planned openings set to grow the number to 20 by the end of the year.
The Switzerland-headquartered multinational was founded in 1989 in Brussels and has a presence in over 4,000 locations across 120 countries.
