WEBINARS and virtual events may still be considered the safest ways to socialize, but there is no substitute for the warmth and energy of in-person events. After two years, with higher vaccination rates and lower case counts, leading workspace provider Regus hosted business cocktails with corporate brokers. The intimate gathering was kept exclusive and al fresco at the veranda of The Pig and Palm.
All of the top real estate firms attended, including JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle), Colliers International, KMC Savills, Leechiu Property Consultants, CBRE and Santos Knight Frank, with Lobien Realty Group joining virtually. They were warmly welcomed by the executives of International Workspace Group (IWG), Regus and AppleOne Properties Inc. (API).
IWG is the world’s largest flexible workspace provider, present across six continents, with Regus as IWG’s leading brand. IWG Philippines country head Lars Wittig, IWG head of partnership growth in the Philippines Rowena Natividad and Regus Cebu area manager Gina Palen were all glad to reconnect with partner brokers.
In the Visayas, the Regus license is exclusively held by AppleOne. It is the Cebu-based and homegrown developer behind a mix of commercial, residential and hospitality projects such as AppleOne Equicom, Sheraton Mactan Cebu, the AppleOne Medical Arts building in VisayasMed City Center and the upcoming Mahi Center in Lapu-Lapu. Mahi will house the newest Regus center, more office spaces and 180 hotel rooms to be managed by Marriott’s Fairfield Inn and Suites.
AppleOne’s president and chief executive officer Ray Go Manigsaca, chief operating officer Joy Veloso, assistant vice president for corporate and shared services Ria Ledesma, assistant vice president for commercial leasing Valeiry Flores, and assistant vice president for marketing and communications Javier Marcalain were glad to catch up with industry partners and share updates on AppleOne’s and Regus’ projects underway and in the pipeline.
“The idea is to zero in and saturate the market by putting up a Regus center in strategic areas which are closer to the potential market,” said Flores of expansion plans to provide more flexible offices in Cebu.
Regus currently has 23 centers around the Philippines, including Cebu’s prime districts. In Cebu, Regus is located on the 11th floor of AppleOne Equicom Tower in Cebu Business Park and on the 5th floor of Park Centrale in Cebu IT Park.