Interview with Sofia Oragano, Senior Director of International Sales at Synergy

Sofia Oragano is the Senior Director of International Sales at Synergy and is responsible for sales leadership of the EMEA and APAC regions. With 13 years of experience in the serviced apartment industry, her extensive background encompasses various roles in operator, aggregator, and hybrid serviced apartment companies.

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Marianne Curphey

3 June 2025

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Sofia has held various positions in business development and account management at Oakwood, SACO Serviced Apartments, SilverDoor Limited, and Foxtons. Her interests are sustainability, connectivity, and inclusivity, and she’s dedicated to shaping the future of the industry. She’s also a proud GBTA Ladders Mentee, contributing to her continuous growth and development.She is our panellist for the Global Leaders Forum on June 4, an exclusive gathering of senior leaders and subject matter experts in international global mobility, leadership, and global education. In a time marked by geopolitical uncertainty, economic volatility, and shifting regulatory landscapes, this forum will provide a space for high-level dialogue, real-time insights, and shared strategies for navigating complexity. Panellists will offer sector-specific perspectives on how their organisations are adapting to current challenges, from mobility and talent strategy to cross-border education and global leadership. This will be an interactive session, with audience members drawn from international leadership, global mobility, education and HR encouraged to contribute to the conversation.

How positive experiences can be a retention tool

Retention and making sure people are happy and productive are essential components of every assignment or business trip, Sofia says.“Employee experience is something I am driven by and which is really important. Business travel and global mobility are closer than ever, and that convergence has brought real innovation, and it's reshaped how we think about talent.”There has also been a rapid growth in hybrid working spaces. Different brands offer a variety of work environments now, and the shift towards remote or partially hybrid working is becoming more significant.“There is definitely a divide between hospitality and property, but we are seeing commercial properties being repurposed, especially in places where people haven’t returned to offices post-COVID,” she says. “Thanks to the rise in remote working, more people on project-led business travel or relocations are opting for rural areas rather than staying close to an office. This has implications for cost and employer duty of care.”

Emerging country hotspots

India is growing rapidly and is now one of Synergy’s core markets. New schools are opening up there to cater for the new demand. The US market is also evolving, especially with political shifts like a potential new Trump administration.“We are also seeing a lot of new demand in the Middle East, and in Saudi Arabia in particular,” Sofia says. “Conflicts like those between India and Pakistan, despite a ceasefire, still create instability, and it means travel and global mobility managers remain vigilant in case they need to assist.”

Sustainability still matters

Across many developed markets last year there was a strong focus on sustainability, both in the travel experience and in the materials and resources used in building and refurbishing housing. However, with tight budgets and different priorities, it has become less of an issue for many companies.“Sustainability still matters, although there is a perception that people wonder what tangible impact they can make,” Sofia says. “While it has slipped down the agenda slightly, it has not disappeared. Overall, the need to manage budgets has been paramount, and cost remains central, with employee experience key to a successful relocation. However, sustainability won’t go away, and companies still have pledges to meet, and they must be seen to be taking action.”

Safety and security for women business travellers

“Safety is critical—for everyone, not just women,” Sofia says. “Every travel manager will tell you that having safe, vetted accommodation is their top concern. It is about ensuring that suppliers are compliant and that you can track and locate your travellers and assignees at any point? These are non-negotiables. At Synergy, women make up a significant portion of senior leadership at around 67 per cent.“My own personal experience has only been a positive one, and I can only really speak to that. The space has changed a lot, and the new emerging talent from a leadership perspective is predominantly female.”

Purposeful mobility in a changing landscape

“We are definitely seeing a rebound in mobility, though it is clear it will never return exactly to what it once was. The focus now seems to be more purposeful. Graduates and internships are driving much of the activity, while relocations are still down overall—but that is compared to historic highs, not necessarily in absolute terms. Companies today are much more intentional about who they relocate and why. That makes the employee experience more important than ever: organisations want to ensure effectiveness, productivity, and return on investment for each assignment.”

Sector trends: growth and new opportunities

Sofia says technology is bouncing back after a steep downturn, particularly semiconductors, cybersecurity, data centres, and pharmaceuticals, which remain strong. An unexpected growth area has been professional students—essentially, high-net-worth families relocating their children for international education. It has become a solid, long-term business opportunity globally, and Synergy is tapping into universities and other student mobility programmes more strategically. By “professional students,” she means affluent international students whose parents are funding premium accommodation while they attend universities or colleges abroad, which is a fast-growing area.Entertainment and professional services remain strong, particularly for established programmes.

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The return of the lump sum

Many companies that previously shifted to lump sum models for their assignees are now reconsidering, Sofia says. The idea was to give employees a set amount and let them manage their own relocation, often choosing platforms like Airbnb or private landlords to save money. But that model has drawbacks, particularly around safety, security, and employer duty of care.“We are seeing more organisations pivot back to managed programmes—or at least to hybrid models—because unmanaged experiences can negatively affect employee satisfaction, productivity, and ultimately retention,” she explains. “A bad move experience, even if not the company’s direct fault, still reflects poorly. We are focusing now on appealing directly to these “consumer” movers, offering more flexible, tiered services—including unfurnished apartments or partial support—for those who do not need everything. The shift from managed to unmanaged and back again is also driven by companies realising the duty-of-care and visibility risks when moves aren’t tracked or supported.”

Creative housing in difficult locations

Cost remains the number one priority. In some emerging locations, Synergy is having to book sophisticated hostels, mobile homes, or caravans—whatever the local infrastructure allows. One client, for example, operates battery plants in remote areas, so accommodation options are extremely limited, and flexibility is essential.“One of our clients builds batteries for electric vehicles,” she explains. “Their teams are sent to facilities that are literally in the middle of nowhere. In some cases, employees are staying in caravans or mobile homes. That’s just the reality. People have to keep an open mind.”She says Synergy has seen significant growth in second- and third-tier cities and in alternative countries. For instance:

In Asia-Pacific, relocations are increasingly focused on Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, rather than just Singapore or Hong Kong.
India is booming across industries, but cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore are reaching capacity.
In EMEA, the focus is shifting depending on whether projects are office-led, remote-led, or project-led.

Cost, infrastructure, and the move away from global cities

Overall, Sofia says Synergy has seen a general shift away from major urban hubs due to cost, infrastructure limitations, and workforce flexibility. For example, some of the banks in London’s Canary Wharf are relocating to less expensive locations, partially because they can’t get employees back into city-centre offices.“We are seeing a massive surge in outbound mobility from China,” she says. “China’s economy is under pressure, so we are seeing more professionals relocating to the US, which brings an entirely different set of needs and expectations. Understanding your audience is essential.”

Tailoring to individual experiences

Wellness also affects the overall employee experience.“It is about understanding the demographic and what is going to make them feel happy?” she says. “We need our global mobility managers and our travel buyers to tell us what the requirements are so we truly understand them. Most travel buyers—whether in corporate mobility or travel—ultimately want their employees to feel that they have choice within a framework.”Cultural expectations also play a major role in shaping that experience. “For instance, Indian travellers might want a full kitchen, a rice cooker—basic things that make them feel at home. If someone is vegetarian, they may want to know where the best supermarkets are, or where the nearest temple is. These are simple considerations, but often forgotten.”As international assignments and employee deployments increase, personalisation becomes more important. While no company can tailor accommodation to every individual’s preferences, especially if they are trying to find housing in new or difficult locations, many are now trying to provide mobility options based on a deeper knowledge of the employee and the project.“When someone sends in a request, how well does the booking team really understand what that person needs? The product—the bricks and mortar—has to meet those expectations. Some people want coworking spaces. Others hate them. They would much prefer a quiet, 600-square-foot apartment with a desk and privacy. These factors directly affect the employee’s wellbeing and performance during the assignment.”

Creativity despite cost pressure

One theme remains consistent across mobility portfolios is cost. It doesn’t matter how big the budget is, cost is always the number one priority, and it is about delivering value.For companies deploying people to remote locations, particularly in heavy industry and manufacturing, options are limited.Growth in new geographies is now aligned with the footprint of international schools, indicating long-term commitment. Where there is expansion in education infrastructure, there is often parallel corporate interest.”These shifts have also contributed to the rise of Employer of Record (EoR) models—an approach that allows companies to test new markets without establishing a full legal entity. “There’s a definite rise in organisations using EoR partners to dip their toes into new markets, especially in the APAC region,” she says.As second- and third-tier markets become more prevalent, so too do compliance risks. These are not just about immigration or payroll. This includes health and safety, data protection, housing quality, and cultural integration.This is precisely where trusted brands, long-standing vendor relationships, and deep regional knowledge matter most.“The risk is just greater in these newer locations,” Sofia explains. “You can’t afford to get it wrong.”

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