Better services to office premises – Aberdeen Standard Investments and HUONE Events Hotel to collaborate
HUONE opens a new unit in Helsinki city center and takes responsibility for improving customer experience of an office property owned by Aberdeen Standard Investments
Events hotel chain HUONE International and asset management company Aberdeen Standard Investments have signed a collaboration contract whereby HUONE provides the office premises owned by a fund managed by Aberdeen with reception, restaurant, meeting, and event services at an office property on Malminkatu in Kamppi, Helsinki. This is a significant initiative for HUONE to launch their new cooperation model.
Aberdeen Standard Investments is one of the world’s biggest asset management companies, which was established in 2017 when Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management merged. It manages 643 billion euros worth of assets, of which around one billion euros is managed in Finland. In 2017, the funds administered by the company have acquired four prime real estate properties in downtown Helsinki.
HUONE is a Finnish service innovation, which expanded successfully to Singapore last year. The new collaboration model enables the concept to be seamlessly brought into office and commercial premises managed by real estate partners. Previously clinical reception services are changed to be a part of an exceptional business meeting experience, which serves the current tenants, enlivens the property, and attracts new corporate actors to the real estate.
“We believe that the recently acquired asset is a solid office investment, but about one-third of the property was vacant and part of the premises were not suitable for office use. We tried to think about how to solve this problem,” says Ville Raitio, Co-Head of Direct Property for Aberdeen Standard Investments in the Nordic countries. “The service concept of HUONE is very interesting and functional. We believe that the concept of the Events Hotel will be successful in our property and will also enhance the experience of the companies currently working there. The decision to start this collaboration was easy, and we are really looking forward to opening the new premises.”
In the new unit situated in Helsinki city center, both the tenants of the property and the guests can arrange meetings and small events using the creative meeting spaces of HUONE. Bookings and other things related to event arrangements are done by using HUONE’s reception service and online tool. HUONE, acting as a one-stop complete service provider, is also arranging the catering.
Evon Söderlund, the CEO of HUONE, comments: “Our new strategy is to work as a partner for real estate companies, which enables quicker growth for us. We are very happy to collaborate with Aberdeen to pilot our new concept. Working life is changing rapidly, and that puts more pressure on the domain of real estate, more so than in 50 years. Aberdeen Standard Investments is responding to the challenge by adding new content to the properties, and simultaneously turning the underused rooms into creative working spaces. This benefits both the property tenants and companies situated or visiting the neighborhood.”
HUONE recently appointed two experienced startup entrepreneurs, Mika Sutinen and Mika Mäkeläinen, to their board as new members. Previous board member Markko Vaarnas was appointed as Group Chairman. The aim of the company is to open ten new units worldwide during the next two years.
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For additional information:
Evon Söderlund, CEO
HUONE International Oy
+358 40 670 8828
evon.soderlund@huone.events
Ville Raitio
Co-Head of Direct Property, Nordic Region
Aberdeen Standard Investments
+358 50 544 8890
HUONE Events Hotel is an exceptional place for B2B meetings & events, a hotel without bedrooms. The future chain of HUONE Event Hotels are more-in-one venues, which are built to provide guests a solution to design their meetings. Using HUONE’s unique online platform, guests can book, design, pay, measure, and manage their events. The Events Hotels are located in Helsinki and Singapore. For more information visit www.huone.events.
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Aberdeen Standard Investments is a leading global asset manager dedicated to creating long-term value for our clients, and is a brand of the investment businesses of Aberdeen Asset Management and Standard Life Investments.
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With over 1,000 investment professionals we manage €643 billion (as at 30 September 2017) of assets worldwide. We have clients in 80 countries supported by 50 relationship offices. This ensures we are close to our clients and the markets in which they invest.
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We are high-conviction; long-term investors who believe teamwork and collaboration are the key to delivering repeatable, superior investment performance. We are resolute in our commitment to active asset management.
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Aberdeen Standard Investments is the asset management business of Standard Life Aberdeen plc, one of the world’s largest investment companies.
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Standard Life Aberdeen plc is headquartered in Scotland. It has around 1.2 million shareholders and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Standard Life Aberdeen group was formed by the merger of Standard Life plc and Aberdeen Asset Management PLC on 14 August 2017.
*Standard Life AUM/AUA data as at 30 June 2017. Aberdeen Asset Management AUM data as at 31 March 2017. All other data as at 30 June 2017.
