Making Real Estate Work
Modern Working help occupiers, operational businesses and property owners unlock greater value from real estate
Modern Working
We are a specialist real estate advisory business, combining decades of international experience with genuine passion for our sectors. The way real estate works is changing — on-demand workspace, rising ESG expectations and a move away from traditional norms are reshaping how property owners position their assets. We help occupiers, operational businesses and property owners respond, delivering strategic advice and execution across Corporate Real Estate and Operational Real Estate. Modern Working champions its clients in a competitive market taking a prescriptive approach to deliver best-fit, commercial solutions - clear, independent advice from a senior, partner-led team you can trust.
The way people work is undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift, reshaping how businesses use real estate
83%
of employees say a hybrid model is optimal
(Accenture Future of Work Study)
66%
Flexible workspace in regional markets now accounts for 66% of overall demand, up from 54% in 2020
(The Instant Group, Global Flex Market Report (2025))
The Team
Corporate Real Estate & Operational Real Estate Expertise
Together, Modern Working's founders bring 52 years' experience. Nigel Barnes offers 29 years across commercial property, flexible workspace growth and M&A-linked property. A senior IWG executive for 16 years, he led a 550-site, 11 million sq ft roll-out across Asia Pacific and, as UK Property Head, managed a 300-site, 7 million sq ft estate; at DTZ he built a market-leading Shanghai tenant-representation business serving Standard Chartered, eBay and Dow. Olly Cully adds 23 years in real estate, corporate advisory and operational development — advising Microsoft, Disney and Citibank at CBRE, leading IWG's Asia account and delivering ten Merlin attractions in China.
Why Modern Working
Specialist Occupier Expertise
We are focused on occupiers, operators and operational real estate platforms. Combining flexible workspace, corporate real estate and OpRE experience, we bring deep sector knowledge and practical insight. This allows us to align property strategy with how businesses actually operate, ensuring real estate decisions support performance, flexibility and long-term growth.
Senior-Led, Execution-Focused
All mandates are led directly by experienced partners, not delegated to junior teams. We combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery—managing transactions, negotiations and roll-outs with pace and precision. This ensures accountability, consistency and high-quality execution across every stage of the real estate lifecycle.
Aligned, Client-First Approach
We act as an extension of our clients’ business, providing independent, commercially focused advice. Our priority is to champion client outcomes—bringing clarity, transparency and flexibility to complex decisions. We build long-term partnerships, ensuring real estate strategies remain aligned with evolving business needs and market conditions.
425,000 sqft
transacted in 2-YRS
Over 500
flexible workspaces delivered by the Team
50+
years of combined transaction experience
