Bob W boosts southern Europe growth with two senior hires

Southern Europe: Tech-powered hospitality operator Bob W has expanded its southern European team with two new real estate directors, as it targets further growth in Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Badis Boudjakdji joins as real estate director for Iberia, and Renato Sciannimanico as real estate director for southern Europe. Both appointments were confirmed on 13 May 2025.

Bob W said the two hires will focus on growing footprint in key city locations. The company already operates serviced apartments in Madrid, Milan and Florence, and is looking to scale across top ten cities in Iberia and Italy.

Boudjakdji and Sciannimanico will work closely with landlords, developers and asset managers to convert underused commercial buildings into branded short-stay accommodation.

Boudjakdji previously led Iberian business development at Urban Campus, a pan-European co-living operator, and has a background in M&A and structured finance from roles at PwC, BNP Paribas and Covivio.

Sciannimanico joins from Tristan Capital Partners, where he managed real estate transactions across Europe. His earlier career includes portfolio roles at Allianz Real Estate, now part of PIMCO Prime.

Boudjakdji said: “Our strategy is focused on expanding in top 10 cities, excluding resort or seasonal destinations, across Spain and Portugal through both leases and management contracts.

“I am looking forward to collaborating closely with private, family and institutional investors, as well as developers, to create lasting value for them and deliver exceptional experiences to our end-clients. With our established presence in Madrid, Bob W is ideally positioned for significant growth across Iberia.”

Sciannimanico said: “Italy offers a wealth of repositioning opportunities in the hospitality sector and is a very attractive market for our business. I’m excited to help accelerate Bob W’s pipeline and unlock long-term value with our real-estate partners.”

Bob W co-founder and chief executive Niko Karstikko said: “These appointments are another step in our mission to launch Bob W in every major European market. Badis and Renato bring the relationships and expertise to secure more buildings and grow our brand at pace.”

Highlights: 

• Bob W appoints two real estate directors to drive growth across Iberia and southern Europe
• Expansion targets city centre buildings for conversion into serviced apartments
• Operator now active in 16 countries with more than 5,000 apartments in progress or completed