Urban Rest Appoints Jip Van Driest as Head of Real Estate APAC to Accelerate Portfolio Growth

Urban Rest, the market-leading flexible living operator for corporate accommodation, has appointed Jip Van Driest as Head of Real Estate APAC as the company continues its rapid expansion across core business hubs within the region.

The appointment marks a significant step in Urban Rest’s ongoing evolution as a leader in tech-enabled corporate accommodation, with the company diversifying its portfolio beyond serviced apartments into large-scale Hotel Management Agreements (HMAs). Most notably, securing the management rights for 23–33 Lonsdale Street and leading a multi-million-dollar renovation which will see the property relaunched as Urban Rest Melbourne CBD in early 2026, with further HMAs in the pipeline set for launch in late 2025.

Van Driest brings over a decade of experience within the property sector, with a proven record in large-scale acquisitions, portfolio strategy, and development. With previous senior roles across Asia Pacific and EMEA at Seibu Prince Hotels and Resorts, Frasers Hospitality, and JLL, her appointment bolsters Urban Rest’s ability to structure and scale partnerships with developers and institutional owners, leading the next phase of growth in its portfolio of boutique corporate accommodation.

David Whelan, Founder and CEO of Urban Rest, added, “Jip’s appointment reflects the acceleration of our APAC expansion and our commitment to redefining how living assets are operated. Her deep investment and development experience will help us scale efficiently as we grow our footprint globally, leveraging the Urban Rest technology platform to connect assets and corporate travellers in more personalised ways than ever before.”

Urban Rest offers premium and flexible accommodation solutions across the living sector.

An industry-leading technology platform allows Urban Rest to partner with developers and property owners as both a brand and operating solution, powering boutique stays made for the modern corporate traveller.

Operating a portfolio of over 85 properties across Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom, and with a network of over 1,000 blue-chip corporate clients, Urban Rest is reimagining business travel, bringing comfort, consistency and joy to how people travel for work.