Common Ground partners with Thailand’s Central Pattana

• Will open  inaugural venue in Bangkok CBD with flagship size of over 4,000 Sq m in 2019
• Central Pattana is Thailand's largest retail property development, investment company

COMMON Ground, a Malaysian coworking industry leader, on Nov 15 announced a multi-year, exclusive partnership with Central Pattana PLC (CPN), Thailand's largest leading retail property development and investment company under its parent, the Central Group; one of the largest private commercial conglomerates in Thailand.

This partnership is a strategic move by the region’s fastest growing coworking space to enhance the future of the modern-day working environment and employee productivity.

Commenting on the announcement, Juhn Teo, co-founder of Common Ground, said, “We’re ecstatic to be partnering with Central Group for our first-ever regional venue in Thailand. With the rise of the coworking culture in Southeast Asia, there’s been an increasing realisation of the opportunities coworking spaces present to the markets that Central Group operates in.

“As one of the largest companies in Thailand with US$10 billion in revenue, we’re happy that CPN, a key business unit of Central Group, is choosing to work with us to tap into the market in Thailand- and believe in the potential of the company we are growing. At Common Ground, we always emphasise on driving local value. We want to ensure that the businesses we collaborate with can also leverage on the local based value provided on top of the global opportunities presented by our partners.

“Through this partnership with the dominant Thai conglomerate, Common Ground will have access to a large group of different business models that make a strong difference in our business and offerings to our members. We are very honoured to venture into this partnership with Central Group as we put Malaysia at the forefront of the coworking space industry in the Southeast Asian region.”

Central Pattana or CPN is Thailand's largest leading retail property development and investment company, managing 32 shopping centers across Thailand under the brands CentralWorld, CentralPlaza, CentralFestival and Central Phuket.

It is a business unit under its parent company, the Central Group, which is a major player in several business sectors in Thailand, and continually contributes to the rapid growth of the Thai economy.

The Group has established a leadership position in almost all of the business sectors it has a presence in, including retail, shopping centers, real estate, brand management, hotels and resorts, as well as food servicing businesses.

Teaming up with CPN is Common Ground’s latest move to attract more like-minded business leaders, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, developers and designers to convene and work from an ergonomically designed and visually-appealing space in efforts to support the changing working lifestyle. 

“In the next 18 months, we’re looking to launch 10 venues across Bangkok. As a dominant player in Thailand's retail sector, with a total of 5,000 outlets including department stores, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants, our collaboration with Central Group opens a vast universe of resources enabling us to move aggressively into Thailand. Central Group’s large existing network of partners allows for Common Ground to further refine and develop our product in Thailand.

“Our members will also benefit from this partnership as it provides them the accessibility to various potential lifestyle amenities which will enhance their experience and the value that Common Ground brings to its members,” said Erman Akinci (pic), co-founder of Common Ground.

Common Ground will be opening its inaugural venue located in Bangkok CBD with a flagship size of over 4,000 Sq m in 2019.

“Central Pattana’s new vision for the next five years is 'Center of Life' developing CPN's shopping centers as destinations for all, where everyone can live life. The important pieces of the jigsaw are all our business partners and tenants that will co-create these new things for business success and sustainable growth.

“Under Juhn and Erman’s visionary leadership, Common Ground is redefining workspaces by building a highly-integrated coworking community in the Southeast Asian region. This partnership is a unique opportunity for us to combine our resources as we drive and support the ever-changing and evolving coworking lifestyle to our core business.

“We look forward to this transformational co-creation as we strengthen our position in the marketplace,” said Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana executive vice president – Marketing, Central Pattana plc.