The Flex Market in Transition

Esd clara euler brave mute event london 2026 2 7

With Mark Bott as MC and panels moderated by Jessica Morgan and Zoe Ellis-Moore, the afternoon explored how traditional leases and flexible space are converging, and what that means for the businesses providing office space.

The conversation covered shifting competition, changing supply, and the customer habits that are rewriting the rules for flexible workspace.At Mantle these trends aren't just theoretical. They reflect exactly how we build and position our portfolio. Here are three key takeaways and how they map to our approach:

1. Forget the jargon, focus on positioning. The panel noted that terms like "serviced", "managed" and "coworking" often confuse occupiers. We don't hide behind industry buzzwords. Our message is simple: it works to work local. We remove the gruelling city commute by offering premium, flexible space close to home, so people arrive fresh, focused and ready to support their local communities.

2. Brand beats commoditisation. As leases and flex space converge, 50–60% of workspace search traffic now comes from people searching for a brand rather than generic terms. A strong brand needs a clear identity. For us, that means a real commitment to wellbeing, premium, design led interiors and environmental responsibility, from our "refurbish, not rebuild" approach to our target of zero waste to landfill by 2030.

3. Transparency over gatekeeping. The panel called out the growing demand for trustworthy market data and challenged the old habit of hiding pricing behind enquiry forms. We couldn't agree more. Building a loyal community means being straightforward and accessible, and treating occupiers as partners from day one.A huge thank you to Caleb Parker, the team Mute. and fellow panellists for a brilliant, insight-packed afternoon.

hashtagPhoto credit: Mute & Brave Corporation