User:Tomunleashed/sandbox

About
Global Student Accommodation Group (GSA Group) is the first truly global leader in student accommodation, providing communities for students to live in across the best real estate and university markets worldwide. With twenty five years of experience in creating and driving the sector, GSA Group prides itself in understanding the opportunities presented by continual expansion of international higher education. GSA Group has a clear vision for the evolution of branded student accommodation around the world.

GSA Group has twenty five years of expertise in designing, developing, financing and managing over 50,000 student accommodation beds in over 30 cities across three continents. The original pioneers of purpose built student accommodation industry in the UK, the management team have set the benchmark, creating industry standards and establishing the sector as an institutional grade asset class.

GSA Group’s particular expertise is building and managing the best all-inclusive student accommodation on the market, delivering the highest levels of occupancy and rental income. The group has partnered with universities for over two decades so its expertise is founded on in-depth research-based knowledge of the needs and aspirations of student customers, their parents and the stakeholders. Ultimately, Universities seek guarantees of best service levels, with the knowledge that accommodation plays a vital role in attracting and retaining students.

Vision
Inspired by the business model of giants in the global hotel industry, GSA Group’s vision is to expand and improve the scale, reach and service levels associated with student accommodation, strengthening their authority as market leader in every operational market territory. The Group uses its history, expertise and knowledge to deliver the best and most culturally appropriate student living experience in every market.

The Product
The accommodation is built in the best locations, factoring in transport links, the size and nature of local social hubs and proximity to universities, resulting in all-inclusive rents and teams providing excellent customer service. Safety features are of paramount importance, with student residents benefiting from state-of-the-art building design and technology systems which monitor and control access to the building as well as on-site staff 24/7.

GSA Group strives to deliver an optimal living environment with key features including:

•	High quality, contemporary designs •	Cultural and local market adaptation of products •	Innovation in accommodation design •	Extensive shared and communal facilities •	Mixed use, where appropriate •	Communal external spaces, in the form of roof gardens and terraces •	Quality construction and long-term lifecycle costs a priority •	Sustainable development at the heart of the business

Business Structure
GSA Groups’ business structure is based on and incorporates key pillars:

Development – well designed and purpose-built properties

Student accommodation management – providing world class customer service in places where students want to live Investment & asset management – the GSA management team has been instrumental in transforming student accommodation into an institutional asset grade real-estate class. Also, the team has significant experience in acquiring student accommodation portfolios, re-positioning the assets and driving higher revenue and value

Fund management – established the sector as an asset class in the UK

Research & consultancy– a detailed understanding of the strongest real estate and university markets in and around operating areas, and consequent ability to identify future trends to help others satisfy their housing requirements

University partnerships – GSA Group understands that universities work hard to create and protect their brand to attract both domestic and international students and creates and maintains successful relationships with universities

The Brands
There are currently two brands in the GSA Group: Uninest & Urbanest

At the centre of both brands is the safety and security of customers, providing the core around which GSA Group’s portfolio of purpose-built student accommodation is built

The Team
Individually the management team each has between 10- 25 years’ experience in the student accommodation industry and have collectively pioneered the purpose built student accommodation industry in the UK, setting industry standards and establishing the sector as an institutional grade asset class. •	Nicholas Porter - Founder and Executive Chairman •	Simon Loveridge - CFO GSA Group •	Tim Mitchell - CEO, GSA Europe •	Steve Grant - CFO, Urbanest Group •	Johnny Manns - Managing Director, Urbanest UK •	Brian Nickel - CEO, Urbanest Australia