Women-centric coworking space The Wing has promoted marketing chief Jen Cho to the role of CEO.
The operator has been plagued with cultural and financial issues over the last few years, and this move aims to help rebuild its reputation that has been suffering.
Along with naming Cho as its new CEO, the company plans to expand its flexible membership options and its European footprint. The firm is also prioritizing its code of conduct for members, visitors, and employees that focuses on creating a better experience for everyone.
Members will have access to a tiered membership that aims to adapt to hybrid arrangements, allowing users to either work from one of The Wing’s locations on a short-term basis or have unlimited access.
“I think it’s important to rebuild the brand and really understand the landscape as it is now, as it’s completely different from what it was before,” said Cho.
For the first few months, Cho will be advised by Lauren Kassan, cofounder and former CEO. Kassan, who served as COO prior to becoming CEO, will remain on the company’s board and hired Cho with the intention of succession.
The Wing has had a mildly tumultuous few years, starting with allegations of staff mistreatment and racist incidents. This led cofounder and previous CEO Audrey Gelman to step down and the closure of 11 locations during the beginning of the pandemic. Last spring, the company has reopened five locations in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
“I think it’s important as a leader to make sure that I’m living it, enforcing where needed, and supporting our teams as we live through some of these new policies and procedures that we’ve created,” said Cho.
As hybrid work policies grow in popularity, coworking operators are positioning themselves as the ideal solution for workers that want an alternative workspace outside of their homes and their employer’s main office.
