WeWork is the dominant coworking player in Boston, comprising 3.2 percent of tenancy across the 72 million-square-foot office market. Image courtesy of WeWork
WeWork’s charismatic but controversial CEO is stepping aside from the communal office-space company he founded, another moment of reckoning between the fast-growing startup and its disenchanted investors.
The New York-based company said Tuesday that Adam Neumann will be replaced by two co-CEOs: Artie Minson, formerly co-president and chief financial officer, and Sebastian Gunningham, formerly vice chairman. Neumann will remain on its board as non-executive chairman.
WeWork’s meteoric growth and carefully designed spaces with cool offerings like free beer and meditation classes gave it the aura of yet another tech company led by a magnetic personality. It was initially valued at $47 billion by private investors.
But Wall Street began raising questions after the company delayed a planned initial public offering earlier this month. The company was having trouble drumming up interest in the offering after revealing massive losses in its IPO filings. WeWork’s revenue rose sharply to $1.8 billion in 2018, but the company lost $1.6 billion the same year.
Reports emerged Monday that some board members connected to Japanese WeWork investor Softbank were working to remove Neumann from his role amid disatisfaction with his leadership.
WeWork has office space in 111 cities worldwide.
Co-working providers occupy 3.8 million square feet of office space in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville, according to recent research by brokerage Avison Young. The latest WeWork deal expands its local footprint to approximately 1.6 million square feet and recently signed a lease for another 87,000 square feet in Back Bay. However, the size of its local footprint has raised concerns about how it might impact the city office market in any eventual recession.
Skepticism about WeWork’s business model has mounted in recent weeks after it delayed a planned initial public offering. WeWork leases buildings and divides them into office spaces to sublet to members, which include small businesses, start-ups and freelancers who can’t afford permanent office space. But with location operating expenses – mostly rent – amounting to some 80 percent of revenue, it has been heavily reliant on cash infusions from its private investors.
Adding to its problems have been concerns about Neumann’s behavior. He used some of his WeWork stock to secure a $500 million personal loan prior to the IPO. He also drew criticism after The We Company – WeWork’s recently renamed parent – paid him nearly $6 million for the trademark “We.” He returned the money following the backlash.
Potential investors also questioned the company’s governance. Neumann owns four of the buildings WeWork leases, for example.
“While our business has never been stronger, in recent weeks, the scrutiny directed toward me has become a significant distraction, and I have decided that it is in the best interest of the company to step down as chief executive,” Neumann said in a statement.
Tim Derdenger, associate professor of marketing and strategy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, said WeWork’s board clearly realized that Neumann’s conflicts of interest and management style weren’t a good fit for a company that will face even more scrutiny once it goes public.
He said keeping Neumann on the board could be a win, since it will allow him to keep doing what he does best – promoting and marketing the company – while leaving oversight to others.
“This is a good time for them to reset and refocus and move forward with their business model,” Derdenger said.
In a joint statement, Minson and Gunningham said they are evaluating the optimal timing for an IPO.
“Our core business is strong and we will be taking clear actions to balance WeWork’s high growth, profitability and unique member experience,” they said.
