Founder
Nicholas Porter
Nick is a pioneer in the student housing sector for over 30 years. His unparalleled reputation at expanding into new markets, innovating the sector and creating unique student experiences is testament to his career to date.
Nick founded Yugo, the first global student housing brand and operator that offers a truly differentiated living experience. He is also CEO of The Dot Group and founder of GSA.
Chief Executive Officer
Rui Barros
A life lived with purpose and impact: that’s Rui’s vision for each of our students. An expert in leading international teams, he brings 30+ years of hospitality experience to his role as Yugo’s CEO. And before that, as our Global Chief Operating Officer.
Life before Yugo included COO positions at Habitas and Quarters Co-living, where he also steered the business safely through Covid as their CEO.
Chief Operating Officer
Joe Persechino
A student and residential housing specialist with over 20 years of experience in global operational real estate. Joe is leading world-class team and focused on optimizing the student experience and ensuring investor results.
His experience covers major markets such as USA and Europe, with a proven track record in developing businesses and teams to deliver operational results.