The Office Building Game Is a Completely Different Business

Yaron Naymark returns to the podcast to discuss the value case for IWG (London Listed). IWG is best known for their Regus brand, which competes with WeWork in the flex office space. Yaron thinks the market is discounting the operating leverage IWG will realize as they put COVID behind them and begin to accelerate their managed locations offering.   

Chapters 

• 0:00 Intro 
• 2:10 IWG overview 
• 12:05 How does the current high vacancy office space impact flex 
• 17:00 Why COVID and tech layoffs could be a tailwind for flex office demand 
• 20:05 Why office owners can't do flex themselves 
• 28:30 Discussing WeWork's brand versus IWG 
• 39:15 IWG's operating leverage and current valuation
• 52:35 Why is it taking IWG so long to accelerate their franchise business / refranchise corporate locations 
• 55:50 Is pitching value creation / operating leverage just a Waiting for Godot story? 
• 1:05:00 Looking at a potential Instant sale 
• 1:12:30 The complexities of IWG's financial reporting