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Despina Katsikakis

Global Chair of Strategic Consulting • United Kingdom

Despina Katsikakis (image)
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125 Old Broad Street
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Despina Katsikakis

Global Chair of Strategic Consulting • United Kingdom


About

Despina is one of the leading voices in the office sector. For nearly 40 years she has led innovation, research, and implementation of transformative workplace environments for global corporates and the visioning of exemplary real estate developments for investors worldwide.  

She pioneered the role of workplace consultancy in the 1980s and led the transformation of the workplace as an experience. In her role at Cushman & Wakefield, she provides input across the firm’s global business on the rapidly changing context of work and its impact on employee engagement, productivity, wellbeing, and the future role of the workplace to deliver social value and business performance. 

With these factors increasingly determining the real estate decisions of leading corporations, Katsikakis’ unrivalled insight on the future of work benefits occupier clients – as well as building landlords and investors – through repositioning commercial real estate to deliver top line performance, cultural aspirations, and ESG commitments. 

She was the most recent President of the British Council of Offices (BCO).  

Katsikakis regularly lectures, writes, and contributes to media, research and publications on the future of the workplace. She serves on various advisory boards including Delos™, the founders of the WELL Building Standard.

in the News

Authority Magazine Article Despina (image)
“Why we need to take a hospitality mindset" with Despina Katsikakis

We need to bring new skills to the industry; we don’t need more chartered surveyors, we need more analysts, tech designers, curators, experience managers, human behavior experts, and environmental and wellbeing experts. We as an industry need to take a hospitality mindset to focus on customer satisfaction and ongoing loyalty and service rather than transactions.

Read article

CNN Feature (image)
Lessons from China: How global business has changed forever

Commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield has built a prototype called the "Six Feet Office," which encourages workers to continue social distancing when they return to the office.

Read Article

Fast Company (image)
Our offices will never be the same after COVID-19. Here’s what they could look like

It's hard to imagine now, but we will one day have to go back to our offices. So how will work...work? That's the question Cushman & Wakefield is answering already.

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Despina Washington Post (image)
The post-pandemic workplace will hardly look like the one we left behind

Through Cushman & Wakefield’s joint venture with Chinese real estate developer Vanke, the firm has already advised thousands of companies in Asia about returning to work.

Read more

Business Insider feat Despina (image)
10 Real-Estate Insiders Lay Out the Future of Flex-Offices, and How Employers are Preparing Now

The costs for flex operators will be similar to those at traditional at traditional offices, Despina Katsikakis, Cushman & Wakefield's head of occupier business performance said.

Read more

ABC News (image)
What offices may look like in a post-pandemic era, if they exist at all

Cushman & Wakefield developed a best practices guide and has also made a prototype of a "Six Feet Office," a reimagined office space that encourages social distancing at work and implemented a full-scale example.

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Related Insights

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Podcast • Workplace

The Team Around the Table Podcast

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Workspace For Today’s Workforce: Diverse and Inclusive

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Workspace for Today’s Workforce: Connection and Collaboration

Explore how modern office design focuses on fostering in-person connection, collaboration, and team productivity.
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Research • Workplace

The 4-Day Workweek Podcast

Join host Michael Creamer, Despina Katsikakis, Executive Partner & Global Head, Total Workplace at Cushman & Wakefield, and Charlotte Lockhart and Andrew Barnes, co-founders of 4 Day Week Global, to understand how the discourse surrounding work should transition from time to outcomes in terms of productivity.
11/12/2023
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Podcast • Workplace

Podcast: Black Women in Real Estate

Join host Michael Creamer, Hanna Afolabi, MRICS, founder of BWRE (Black Women in Real Estate) and Joelle Allotey, Associate Director at Cushman & Wakefield, as they explore the unique challenges of black women navigating the real estate landscape.
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Podcast • Workplace

Podcast: Managing Successful Teams in a Hybrid World

Join host Michael Creamer and Bella Vuillermoz, Strategic Advisor and Non-Executive Director as they discover the importance of equipping managers with the knowledge and skills required to lead hybrid teams effectively.
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Podcast • Workplace

British Council for Offices' Forces of Change Podcast: The Social Value of Real Estate

In today's evolving work landscape, the social value of real estate takes centre stage as we explore the compelling reasons behind the resurgence of interest in office spaces.
Despina Katsikakis • 24/08/2023
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Podcast • Workplace

Where is my office? A discussion with Chris Kane

Join Michael Creamer and Chris Kane, Co-founder of Everythingomni, as they discuss how the commercial real estate industry can address current challenges of the workplace that impact businesses financially and employee satisfaction, and how to turn them into opportunities.
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Podcast • Workplace

Podcast: How the Future Works

In this episode, learn how today’s employees want choice in when and where they work, and delve into the power of flexible work arrangements and how they can unlock the true potential of the workforce.
Bryan Berthold • 26/06/2023
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Podcast • Workplace

Podcast: Reworking the Workplace

In this episode, Michael Creamer is joined by Nicola Gillen, Richard Pickering, Sophie Schuller and Zoe Humphries, lead authors of our new book ‘Reworking the Workplace’ published by Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Nicola Gillen • 06/06/2023
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Research • Workplace

A New Reason for the Office: Connection and Inspiration

Technology has enabled the workforce to be more virtual and as most employees now have choices of where to work, there’s something different about the office these days. It’s not just the casual attire, the prevalence of videoconferencing or the hybrid work environment. 
Despina Katsikakis • 05/06/2023

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Total Workplace brings industry leading thought leadership, strategy and guidance to help clients implement innovative solutions that shape the future of work and place.
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Experience per SF™ is Cushman & Wakefield’s proprietary tool that gives you insight into the engagement and experience of your workforce.
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