WeWork CEO: My firefighter dad taught me how to lead
J ohn Santora eyes my tie with a look not far from envy. Dressed in a sports jacket, chinos and brown loafers, the American's eyes then move jealously across my suit.
'Ah,' he says, gesturing uncomfortably at his casual garb: 'I still can't get used to having to wear this stuff.'
Santora, you see, is the lifelong suit, tie and brogues man helicoptered in to run that most relaxed of temporary-office providers, WeWork. Many of the 68-year-old's customers, as we see in its flagship venue in London's Waterloo, are the kind of thirtysomething tech bros who think wearing jeans not deliberately ripped at the knee is 'dressing up for work'. Santora feels obliged to follow, but stands out like a dad at the school disco.
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