A seasoned industry expert with over 43 years of global work experience across industries, including manufacturing, telecom, renewable energy, and digital sectors, his appointment strategically aligns with WeWork India’s vision of focusing on long term growth and scaling a business in the wake of the new world.
Speaking on the new role Manoj Kohli said, “I am optimistic about the potential of the flexible workspace industry in India, and believe that WeWork India is poised to play a significant role in this growth story. I am excited to join WeWork India at this pivotal point and leverage my expertise in managing and scaling up businesses. I am looking forward to working with the talented team here, and contributing towards the long-term vision and success of the company.”
In his previous role as the Country Head of Softbank, Manoj supported the SoftBank Group and Vision Fund in investing $15bn in over 25 AI-focused portfolio companies in India. He has also aided entrepreneurs and CEOs of key players like OLA, OYO, Lenskart, Grofers, Snapdeal, Uber, Swiggy, and Unacademy, among others, in addressing the regulatory and government issues and scaling their businesses by 10x, providing curated coaching on effective execution of a profitable growth strategy.
Karan Virwani, CEO, WeWork India commented, “In the past few years WeWork India has grown significantly and proven to be a profitable and scalable business. At this critical juncture of our growth journey, I am delighted to welcome Manoj Kohli and Anthony Yazbeck to WeWork India’s Board of Directors. Manoj’s experience in managing and growing businesses of scale and charting their exponential growth will be an invaluable asset for the business as well as me. This also aligns with Anthony’s industry and brand expertise, as well as his ability to navigate complex business challenges Furthermore, their relationships with global partners and investors will be extremely important as we achieve newer milestones in India.”
Manoj has previously served on the board of GSMA, held the position of Chairman of the CII Task Force on Ease of Doing Business, and is currently serving as the Chair of the CII Unicorn Forum for attracting new tech investments in India. He has worked extensively in the US, Europe, China, and Japan and built businesses in 25 countries in Asia Pacific and Africa.
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| Anthony Yazbeck |
Along with Manoj, Anthony Yazbeck, President & Chief Operating Officer, WeWork Inc. will also be joining as a board member. Having served in his current role since 2021, Anthony previously served as WeWork’s President & Chief Operating Officer, International and WeWork’s Chief Operating Officer of Europe, China & Pacific for five years where he played a key role in scaling the European business and leading the transformation of the Company’s operations in China.
Anthony Yazbeck commented, "The performance of the WeWork India business is a testament to the strength of the WeWork brand and product. Flexibility and community is proving to be a powerful combination and, with a suite of flex space solutions, WeWork India is very well positioned to meet the evolving demand for dynamic workspaces across the country. I am looking forward to partnering with the Board as we strive to achieve our shared goals of long-term, sustainable success.”
Having witnessed a consistent uptick in demand for its workspaces, WeWork India continues to be bullish about its growth prospects as seen with the recent round of funding of INR 550 crores in December 2022. This came after the company clocked a revenue of INR 1300 cr in CY22 and an EBITDA INR 185 crores. The appointment of Manoj Kohli will further bolster the company’s vision to sustain the growth momentum as it continues to offer a superior workspace experience built upon its core principles of flexibility, accessibility and community.
About WeWork India
WeWork is India’s largest office space provider, aimed at creating flexible workspace solutions for companies of all sizes. Since entering the Indian market in 2017, WeWork India has been spearheading the concept of flexible workspaces and driving the future of work with over 6.5 million sq ft of assets signed across 45 locations in NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad.
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