WeWork Names Ryan Jans Regional President for Asia Pacific, Based in Sydney
SYDNEY — WeWork announced Nov. 9 the appointment of Ryan Jans as Regional President, Asia Pacific (APAC), effective Oct. 1, 2026. Based in Sydney, Jans will oversee WeWork's operations across eight countries in the region, where the company operates 58 locations.
WeWork described the appointment as coming at a pivotal moment for its APAC business, citing strong performance across key markets, growing enterprise adoption of flexible workspace and increasing cross-border business activity.
Ryan Jans' Background and Priorities at WeWork
Jans previously led revenue teams across APAC and EMEA, according to the company. WeWork said his appointment brings dedicated leadership closer to local teams, members and partners, combining its global operating model with an approach tailored to each market.
Jans' priorities will center on strengthening the performance of WeWork's existing portfolio, deepening relationships with members and landlords, and delivering a consistently high-quality workplace experience across its markets. WeWork said a continued emphasis on operational excellence will underpin those priorities.
John Santora, CEO of WeWork, said in the announcement: "WeWork today is a fundamentally different business, and APAC represents an incredibly exciting opportunity for us. With strong market fundamentals, a trusted brand and an established presence across the region, we have an exceptional foundation to build on. While real estate is a global business, our success comes down to strong local leadership with a deep understanding of each market. Ryan's institutional knowledge, commercial expertise and understanding of the region make him ideally placed to build on our momentum and unlock the significant opportunities ahead."
Jans said: "WeWork is in an incredibly strong position in APAC, and there is so much more ground to cover. We have an established business, talented teams and a global platform that puts us in a unique position to support companies as their needs evolve. My focus is on building on that foundation, delivering exceptional workplaces for our members and making the most of the opportunities ahead. Across such a diverse region, success means understanding what each market needs while staying true to what makes WeWork special."
WeWork Demand Drivers Across Asia Pacific
WeWork said demand drivers differ across the region, reflecting its diverse economies and evolving workplace needs. In Singapore, global technology companies, including Chinese businesses establishing regional operations, are driving demand for flexible workspace. In South Korea, demand is more locally driven, with Korean technology businesses playing an important role.
In Australia, where WeWork celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2026, the company sees opportunities to build on improving occupancy and growing enterprise demand, particularly in Sydney, as it continues to strengthen its existing portfolio. WeWork is also supporting businesses expanding internationally, whether entering APAC or using its global network to establish a presence elsewhere.
Looking ahead, the company said it will focus on translating these opportunities into long-term growth, strengthening its existing business while pursuing new opportunities where customer demand and commercial fundamentals support them.
Regional Office Market Conditions
The appointment comes as Asia-Pacific combines rising demand for flexible workspace with tightening office supply in several major markets. The region represented 34.8% of global flexible-office demand in 2026, the largest regional share, with demand rising 19% in the first half of the year against 1% supply growth. Average serviced-office occupancy globally reached 85% in 2026, the highest level in the survey's history, and 86% of surveyed markets operated at 80% occupancy or higher.
Office leasing activity across 11 APAC markets totaled 4.6 million square meters in the first half of 2026, supported by business expansion despite geopolitical uncertainty.
In Australia, vacancy has tightened amid sustained leasing activity and a constrained new-supply pipeline, and occupiers in major cities are moving more quickly to secure high-quality space, favoring well-located central business district buildings. Singapore vacancy has also tightened, while Seoul vacancy remains in the low single digits, supported by demand for well-located offices, including from foreign technology companies and AI businesses.
India accounted for approximately 72% of first-half 2026 office uptake across the 11-market sample. Flexible-space operators represented more than 30% of leasing volumes in Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai in the second quarter, exceeding the share attributed to financial firms. India is not identified in WeWork's announcement as part of Jans' eight-country portfolio.
WeWork's Global Leadership Structure and Network
Jans' appointment completes the extension of WeWork's Regional President structure into APAC. Luke Armstrong continues as Regional President, EMEA, alongside Luke Robinson in North America and Claudio Hidalgo in Latin America. WeWork said the structure brings dedicated leadership to each major region while maintaining alignment with local markets, customers and partners.
WeWork operates a global network of approximately 600 locations offering workspace solutions to businesses ranging from individuals to multinational enterprises. In February 2026, the company announced that its Coworking Partner Network had grown by more than 900 third-party operators, bringing its instantly bookable network to approximately 2,000 locations across 21 countries, including Australia and Thailand.
Outlook for WeWork in Asia Pacific
Jans' mandate centers on improving performance at existing locations and strengthening relationships with members and landlords rather than on announcing a new development pipeline. With vacancy tightening in markets such as Australia, Singapore and Seoul, and enterprise users increasingly treating flexible workspace as part of longer-term workplace strategies, the region's conditions align with WeWork's stated focus on occupancy and enterprise demand.