Selina’s Global Art Director.

Global Studio team management, mentoring and training. Ensure Hub Designers final graphics, layouts and creatives are visually appealing and on-brand standards, either for offline or online brand communication. Ensure consistency of brand and creative across digital customer touchpoints, and that all materials are within the current style and tone guidelines.

Global Studio responsibilities: Improve ways of working, processes and design audit and quality control. Develop visual language for key Global Projects like global campaigns, partnerships, key presentations... Develop illustrations and designs. Use and guarantee the appropriate Brand guidelines & Visual language for each project and in all communication touch points, for Global Studio.

Collaborate with marketing team and all relevant stakeholders, in global projects. Work with the digital marketing and brand team to ensure aesthetics also are aligned with usability, accessibility, and web standards.

Art director. Global Team.
Contract started 1o.o6.24
Contract terminated 16.o8.24

Selina.

Selina is one of the world’s largest hospitality brands built to address the needs of Millennial and Gen Z travelers, blending beautifully-designed accommodation with coworking, recreation, wellness, and local experiences.

Custom-built for today’s nomadic traveler, Selina provides guests with a global infrastructure to seamlessly travel and work abroad.

Founded in 2014, each Selina property is designed in partnership with local artists, creators, and tastemakers, breathing new life into existing buildings in interesting locations worldwide – from urban cities to remote beaches and jungles. Selina’s portfolio includes 150+ open or secured properties across 25 countries.

Selina Hospitality collapsing in insolvency.

Once valued at $1.2 billion, the “digital nomads” lifestyle brand has been delisted from the Nasdaq.

The Board of Directors of Selina Hospitality filed a statement with the Securities Exchange Commission on Monday stating the company no longer has any reasonable prospects of avoiding an insolvency.

The company that has lost almost all of its value since going public in December 2021 with a $1.2 billion valuation has appointed Andrew Johnson, Samuel Ballinger and Ali Khaki of FTI Consulting LLP as Joint Administrators. The Joint Administrators do not have funding to provide ongoing support to the company’s operating subsidiaries and are exploring all options available to the company, which may include a sales process of some or all of the operating subsidiaries and other assets of the group, subject to the Joint Administrators obtaining the necessary funding to run such a process.

As a result of the company filing for administration, it will not be able to regain compliance with the listing requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Exchange and it is expected that its securities will be delisted from the Nasdaq.

“Unfortunately, the company was unable to reach its growth aspirations following the COVID-19 pandemic. The group subsequently struggled to raise sufficient capital to deliver a turnaround due in a large part to increased interest rates and weaker trading performance," said FTI's Johnson. “The Joint Administrators are considering options for the company on an accelerated basis and we will continue to support regional management where possible to minimize disruption to guests, employees and other stakeholders. However, as a result of the insolvency, Selina Hospitality PLC is unable to continue to provide financial support to the company’s subsidiaries.”

Selina made a name for itself globally by catering to digital nomads looking for co-working space and experiential programming. It had close to 30,000 beds at its hostel-like locations earlier in 2024. In May, Selina reported total revenue for 2023 of $201 million, up 9% compared to 2022 and based on 52.3% occupancy for last year. The company went public in a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2022.

According to a document submitted to the SEC, Selina failed to repay a $50 million loan to IDB Invest and on July 15 failed to make an interest payment of $455,000. As part of the breach, IDB can take over the collateral that Selina has provided, which includes many of the company’s assets in Latin America.

That multiple-tranche funding announced in June 2023 was part of the company’s plan to strengthen its balance sheet as it tried to achieve profitability and cash flow positive operations.

During 2Q23, Selina released more than 350 full-time employees at the unit and corporate levels to realize $5.8 million in saving and incur a one-time restructuring cost of approximately $1 million. In 1Q23, Selina total revenue of $54.2 million marked an increase of $13 million, or 31.6% compared to first quarter 2022, driven primarily by an increase in bedspaces from newly opened locations, higher occupancy rates, and higher total revenue per bedspace. Selina did not open any properties during 1Q23, ending the period with 118 properties and 29,600 open bedspaces versus 103 properties and 24,159 open bedspaces at March 31, 2022. Selina also began the selective exit of leases of underperforming locations to achieve long-term financial sustainability. It has closed properties in Mexico, the U.S., Greece, Austria and Costa Rica.

The Joint Administrators assumed management of the company’s affairs, business and property, in lieu of the company’s Board of Directors, as of July 22, 2024.

As the Joint Administrators have not been appointed over the company’s operating subsidiaries, control of the day-to-day business of the operating subsidiaries remains with the directors and management of the operating subsidiaries.

From Joining Selina to Witnessing its Collapse.

A wild ride into the corporate universe.

In the ever-volatile world of startups, few tales are as harrowing and instructive as the 12-week journey of David Quiles Guillo at Selina.

Joining a sinking ship is never easy, but what unfolded for David at Selina—a company once heralded as a game-changer in the hospitality industry—was nothing short of a tempestuous odyssey.

Enthusiastic Beginnings.

David Quiles Guillo joined Selina as the Global Art Director with a blend of optimism and trepidation. The company, known for its vibrant co-living and co-working spaces, had recently been struggling, but David saw potential. As he met the global team, spread across various time zones, he was struck by their dedication and passion. The initial days were a whirlwind of introductions, creative strategy sessions, and absorbing the company's ongoing urgencies and ambitious vision.

Confronting Chaos.

However, the initial sheen quickly wore off as David delved deeper into Selina’s operations. He discovered a company grappling with logistical nightmares, financial strain, and an ever-increasing gap between vision and reality. Communication issues plagued the global team, and the once-invincible startup was now mired in a chaotic struggle for survival. David's role as Global Art Director was clear: adapt quickly, identify the cracks, and infuse creative solutions to reignite the brand’s allure.

Adaptation and Strategy.

David's adaptability was put to the test as he navigated through the disarray. He initiated a series of emergency meetings to address the most pressing issues, from streamlining creative processes to enhancing brand cohesion across locations. His approach was systematic—first, understanding the root causes of the chaos, then rallying the team to implement swift changes. His efforts began to bear fruit, and there was a glimmer of hope as minor victories started to accumulate.

Delivering Under Pressure.

Despite the progress, the financial realities of Selina’s predicament became increasingly dire. David's ability to deliver under pressure was pushed to the limit. He spearheaded cost-effective creative campaigns, sought collaborations to boost the brand's visibility, and leveraged the unique aesthetic of Selina’s spaces to attract a broader audience. His relentless drive kept the team motivated, but the underlying financial instability was a persistent shadow.

The Fall.

The situation took a turn for the worse when Selina.com was delisted from Nasdaq. The news hit the company like a tsunami, shaking the confidence of employees, investors, and customers alike. The delisting was a significant blow, signaling to the world that Selina's golden days were over. David, amidst the growing uncertainty, tried to keep morale high and focused on maintaining the creative integrity of the brand.

The Last Stand.

As Selina entered an administration process, David's role shifted drastically. The focus was now on damage control—managing the company's brand assets, ensuring that the creative team was supported, and helping to document the company's aesthetic legacy. His efforts to salvage what he could were commendable, but the writing was on the wall. The company that once brimmed with promise was now on life support.

The Two-Week Notice.

In the final two weeks, things grew uncertain and awkward. David received his two-week notice, a period filled with a mixture of anticipation and dread. The atmosphere was tense, with colleagues unsure about their futures and the overall fate of the company. David continued to perform his duties, tying up loose ends and ensuring a smooth transition, all while navigating the complex emotions of impending departure.

The End.

As the notice period concluded, David Quiles Guillo was officially let go. His termination was a result of the company's ongoing collapse and the unavoidable downsizing. The dismissal was a harsh end to a tumultuous journey, but it was not a reflection of his contributions. David had entered Selina at its most precarious moment and had given his all in an attempt to steer the creative direction through the storm.

Reflection

David's 12-week stint at Selina is an art performance full of high-stakes challenges and rapid adaptation. He joined with hope, confronted chaos, adapted, delivered, and ultimately faced the harsh reality of a failing company. His journey is a testament to the unpredictable nature of the startup world and the resilience required to navigate it.