Yugo, the First Global Student Housing Operator, Appoints Aly El-Bassuni as CEO

Following its launch in July 2021 as the first global student housing operator of its kind, Yugo announces the appointment of Aly El-Bassuni as its new Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.

Aly’s appointment follows an extensive global recruitment process and marks another significant milestone for the business. Based at Yugo’s headquarters in Denver, Aly will lead the company with energy to make a real difference, focusing on strategic growth, embedding value and driving global operational performance for all key stakeholders.

Aly’s experience will enhance trusted relationships in the United States and other global markets as the business expands its presence across key higher education cities. Working closely with the executive and senior leadership team over the past two months has ensured Aly’s comprehensive transition into the business and culture – including visiting global locations across Europe, the UK and the US.

Aly has over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality sector with an extensive background in hotel operations, branding and franchising, and is a talented leader who embodies the Yugo values. Prior to joining Yugo, Aly was Chief Operating Officer of Radisson Hotels for the Americas, where he successfully led several Radisson Hotel Group brands and increased the value proposition through executing on core initiatives to improve efficiencies and profitability.

His strong track record, ability to build deep relationships and operational expertise will support Yugo deliver on its US and global growth strategy, providing investors with access to a unique proposition delivering environmentally and socially conscious, emotionally supportive and safe living spaces.

Yugo will support Gen Z students to live their best life with purpose and impact. Yugo’s student-led approach provides students with continuous opportunities to express their needs through training and workshops that support their transition to and from student life, while educating them about sustainable living – an issue of huge importance to this generation of students.

Research conducted by Yugo shows that 58% of students across our markets who take part in environmental, or sustainability causes do so because they believe they’re the most important issues of our time. From the same survey, 49% of students have taken part in a demonstration to support these causes in the last three years, which clearly highlights what students care about and what Yugo stands for.

Nicholas Porter, Founder and Executive Chair of Yugo, commented:

“I am very pleased to welcome Aly to our business. His in-depth knowledge of the US and international markets within the hospitality industry will support us to deliver our global strategy in student housing across the world. Aly is a talented leader who embodies our values. I am sure that he will have a hugely positive influence on the business and indeed on the lives of the students who live with us.

“As we emerge from these unprecedented times, the higher education sector yet again has proven its resilience. Yugo is ideally positioned to take advantage of the significant opportunities that exist in the US and other global markets, and I am excited about what we can achieve together.”

Aly El-Bassuni, Chief Executive Officer of Yugo, commented:

“I am delighted to join Yugo at such an exciting time for the business and the sector more broadly. Yugo has an exceptional team with the opportunity to scale massively as the first global student housing operator located across nine countries. I have been incredibly impressed with its coordinated student-led approach and commitment to sustainability, coupled with the passion and desire of the teams to build a better future for students.

“Yugo’s platform focuses on providing differentiated living experiences through three core pillars of YugoEco, YuPro and YuGrow, which ensure students’ intellectual, personal and professional growth is supported throughout their higher educational journey. Yugo has the ability to be a competitive change maker in the student housing sector and I’m very much looking forward to leading the team and making a real difference.”

About Yugo

Yugo is the first global student housing operator, created to enhance students’ overall experiences throughout and beyond university life. Yugo offers a truly differentiated living experience that is environmentally and socially conscious, emotionally supportive and safe. Based in Denver, Colorado, the business was created through merging three successful international operational brands – The Student Housing Company, Nexo Residencias and Uninest Student Residents with the U.S. operations of UComm, which were previously all under Global Student Accommodation (GSA), the leading real estate and investment asset manager. Yugo’s experienced leadership team builds on decades of experience to help more students across the globe learn, grow and thrive.

Yugo’s global portfolio will encompass 95 properties (living spaces) in nine countries, with 45,000 beds in more than 75 of the top cities in the world for higher education, stretching from Seattle to Melbourne. In the U.S., Yugo’s 29 living spaces span 19 states in cities such as Philadelphia, PA, Columbia, MO, Minneapolis, MN, and Seattle, WA, and college towns such as Madison, WI, Tallahassee, FL and Tempe, AZ, among others

Learn more at www.yugo.com.

About Aly El-Bassuni

Aly served as Chief Operating Officer, Americas, for Radisson Hotel Group, leading all hotel brands for the group across the region, with responsibility for elevating the Radisson’s competitive positioning and delivering industry leading owner services and value proposition. Previously he spent 17 years at Wyndham Hotel Group in roles including brand leadership, field operations, new property integration and franchise services. Before that he worked for Cedant in operational positions across the Howard Johnson International, Travelodge and Ramada brands. He began his career with Marriott, successfully completing the supervisory and management training program.

Aly holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on hotel, restaurant and tourism management (HRTM) from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he also served as an adjunct professor in the HRTM department and an advisory board member for the college of business. He earned his MBA degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania’s John L. Grove College of Business. Aly is a US citizen.

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