Urban Rest names head of real estate for APAC

APAC: Flexible living operator Urban Rest has appointed Jip Van Driest as head of real estate for APAC.

Van Driest brings more than a decade of experience within the property sector to her role with Urban Rest. She joins from Frasers Hospitality where she served as director of development and investments for New Zealand. 

Prior to Frasers, Van Driest worked for companies including Seibu Prince Hotels and Resorts, Elanor Investors Group, JLL, among others, across Asia Pacific and EMEA.

David Whelan, founder and CEO of Urban Rest, said: “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.”

Van Driest joins the team as the company diversifies its portfolio beyond serviced apartments into hotel management agreements (HMAs). A property at 23-33 Lonsdale Street in Melbourne will relaunch as Urban Rest Melbourne CBD in early 2026 with further HMAs in the pipeline set for late 2025. 

Highlights:

• Urban Rest appoints Jip Van Driest as head of real estate for APAC.
• Van Driest previously led development and investments for Frasers Hospitality in New Zealand.
• Her background includes roles at Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts, Elanor Investors Group and JLL across APAC and EMEA.
• The appointment supports Urban Rest’s expansion and shift into hotel management agreements.
• New HMAs include Urban Rest Melbourne CBD, set to relaunch in early 2026.