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Message More than a platform

Introducing

It started with an idea. As many things often do. But this time, something was dierent. This idea didn’t just seek to create another corporate booking platform – it made us pause and reect on what hospitality truly means. As we open doors to thousands of people around the world each month, how do we ensure a warm welcome? TheBeginning

For centuries, hospitality was built on trust. A handshake. A shared meal. An unspoken connection between host and guest. Then, technology took over. But did it make things better? Or did we lose something along the way? Meet Xenia – Situ’s enterprise-grade technology platform, designed to make nding and booking serviced accommodation eortless. Where does the name come from? Here’s an interesting story. The ancient Greeks revered the concept of ‘Xenia’ – hospitality beyond obligation, an unbreakable bond between host and guest. It was more than a custom: it was sacred. Every citizen was bound by this principle, for at any moment, Zeus himself could be disguised as a traveller, testing their devotion to Xenia. It was a ritual – built on the idea of opening doors and giving a traveller a home away from home and forging connections between TheBeginningstrangers, transforming them into something more. When we heard this story, the decision was clear. Xenia had to be the foundation of our platform. For a company built on the idea of human connections and warm interactions, Xenia was a match made in Olympios. Just as the Greeks honoured their guests, we ensure that each traveller who steps into our world experiences hospitality at its nest. It started with an idea, but it became so much more. More than a tool for booking, more than a platform to elevate industry standards – it became our purpose. Our way of making the experience eortless. Our way of redening what it means to arrive. Our way of saying, welcome.

TheArchitectEvery great innovation starts with someone asking, ‘Can this be better?’ For Xenia, that someone was Paul Lynch. Paul didn’t set out with a blueprint for just another platform. Instead, he questioned how technology could make booking accommodation feel less like a process and more like an eortless experience.

His vision wasn’t about features: it was about people. Technology is only as good as the humans who design it. Paul understood this from experience. Before Situ, he spent years leading teams at ITV and SKY, shaping technology and business operations that not only transformed the way organisations worked but which also prioritised people at every stage. “When you walk through the door at Situ, you can’t help but be wowed by the energy and commitment to service of the people who work here.” Paul reects. “So when thinking about how we transform our technology ecosystem, it felt natural to make our team the stars of the show and ask – how can we give something back to them? Our answer was to invest in the same detailed research and design thinking that would go into a B2C product. We made accessibility a core guiding principle, not because we were compelled to, but because accessible design is simply great, intuitive design. This has enabled us to see hidden challenges and nd new ways to give back to our teams the most valuable thing of all – time.” Paul’s approach has always been human-rst. He believes that technology should enhance, not replace, human connection. A human-centric design means understanding the real needs of users before a single line of code is written. It’s about creating experiences that feel natural, intuitive, and eortless – where the technology disappears into the background, allowing people to focus on what truly matters. This belief shaped the very foundation of Xenia. The result? Not just a platform, but a bridge – a seamless connection between the simplicity that users crave and the power that enterprises demand. A system designed not just to function but to feel eortless. A product that speaks the language of its users, making complex operations simple, intuitive, and seamless. As with any true architect, Paul didn’t just design Xenia – he envisioned and constructed something far greater. He built an experience, ensuring that at its core, it serves the very people it was created for.

TheExpertSome ideas change industries. But turning an idea into reality? That takes expertise. The kind that doesn’t just build solutions – it reshapes the future.

There’s no journey without a mentor. With the ambitious goal that Situ set out to achieve, we knew that we needed a guide through our quest. We needed a partner who would help us deliver a transformative outcome and create a truly enterprise-level solution, that redened industry standards and elevated the bar. With a task like that, vision alone isn’t enough. You need the architects of technology, the minds that have solved the toughest challenges before. That’s where BJSS comes in. BJSS aren’t just developers. They are problem-solvers, engineers, innovators – people who don’t just build technology but shape industries. With decades of experience delivering enterprise solutions for some of the world’s most complex organisations, BJSS brought something invaluable to Xenia: the ability to transform an idea into a seamless, scalable, and powerful platform. We could have gone with any developer, any rm. But we weren’t just building software – we were setting a new standard. And for that, we needed experts who understood the weight of the challenge. We didn’t just need someone to write code. We needed a team that understood the signicance of what we were building – how it had to work awlessly, eortlessly, and at the scale of a global operation. BJSS met that challenge head-on. They interrogated every assumption, pressure-tested every decision, and brought the kind of engineering discipline that only comes from years of experience delivering high-stakes technology. Because building Xenia wasn’t about features. It was about trust. Stability. Seamless execution. The kind of foundation that can carry an industry forward. Expertise isn’t just about knowledge; it’s about knowing how to make the right decisions when it matters most. That’s what BJSS brought to Xenia. But expertise alone isn’t enough. The real challenge was understanding the world through the eyes of those who book and manage accommodation every day. And that’s where the odyssey began. TheExpert

TheDiscoveryEvery journey of discovery begins with a question – a willingness to challenge what exists and to imagine what could be.We had assumptions, of course. We thought we understood the problem. But the more we listened, the more we realised: the real issue wasn’t technology. It was friction. Complexity. A system designed around processes, not people. That had to change.

TheDiscoveryAnd so, the journey truly began. We sat down with travellers, corporate bookers, and operators. They told us about their frustrations – the lost time, the ineciencies, the processes that felt more like obstacles than solutions. And one thing became clear: booking shouldn’t feel like work. Using a human-centred design approach, guided by the well-established double-diamond framework, Situ and BJSS embarked on a ve-week discovery journey, structured into two main phases: Discover and Dene. We spoke to specic companies across industries that frequently buy serviced accommodation, from mobility and corporate travel to insurance. Every conversation peeled back another layer of ineciency, revealing not just where existing tools fell short, but how the process itself could be reimagined. Then we turned the lens inward. Through interviews, workshops, and real-time observations, we examined the day-to-day realities of our own teams. How much time was spent on manual, repetitive tasks that drained energy from more meaningful work? How could we shift the focus from an administrative burden to high-value interactions? How could we empower our people to prioritise, adapt, and ultimately, serve customers better? Slowly, the noise faded. The patterns emerged. What we needed wasn’t more complexity – it was clarity. The solution wasn’t just about xing ineciencies – it was about simplifying workows, enhancing search functionality, improving visibility and prioritisation, and minimising delays in communication. The way forward was no longer a question; it was a necessity. In short, we needed to build a system that allowed our teams to embody the very essence of Xenia. This discovery phase led to the creation of detailed service blueprints, mapping out user and customer journeys with upstream and downstream dependencies. With the expertise of product and service designers, data and business analysts, and architects, we identied the fundamental problems that needed solving. We committed to adopting accessibility standards and frameworks to reduce cognitive load, improving data quality, validation, and automation to remove unnecessary complexity. And most importantly, we set out to create something greater than just a system. We set out to make booking feel as natural and seamless as the journeys it supports. Eortless, as it was always meant to be.

TheBreakthroughThere’s a moment in every journey where the fog lifts, where scattered pieces snap into place, revealing something undeniable. The ‘aha’ moment. The kind of clarity that reshapes everything that follows.

Our discovery phase didn’t just highlight ineciencies. It exposed a truth too long ignored – systems weren’t failing because they lacked tools. They were failing because they lacked ow. Every conversation, every data point, every frustration pointed to a common theme: the problem wasn’t just ineciency. It was friction. Complexity. Systems built for processes, not for people. The industry had adapted to this over time, working around broken workows, accepting delays, tolerating inconsistencies. But why should it have to? We had more tools than ever, but they weren’t making things easier. Instead, they were multiplying the complexity – more logins, more fragmented systems, more steps to achieve what should have been simple. The disconnect wasn’t just between processes and people; it was between expectation and reality. Between what booking corporate accommodation should be, and what it had become. The answer was to strip away the noise, the friction, the unnecessary layers until only what mattered remained. It was like nally seeing the full picture after staring at fragments for too long – once the clutter was gone, the answer was clear. As the research was analysed, we ensured that the learnings were incorporated into every decision, shaping every aspect of Xenia’s evolution. This was not about incremental change – it was about redening the experience from the ground up. Every feature we built was directly tied to real-world pain points. We didn’t just build a platform, we built a response to the frustrations of those who use it every day. Some discoveries challenged our assumptions. We saw where automation could accelerate processes, but we also uncovered moments where human intervention was irreplaceable – where technology should empower, not replace, the expertise that makes service truly valuable. The breakthrough wasn’t just about eciency. It was about balance. As we pieced together insights from our research, four major themes emerged – guiding principles that shaped the foundation of Xenia’s development. TheBreakthrough

TheTeamTechnology connects systems. People connect ideas. And it’s people, not processes that turn vision into reality. From the start, we knew that the success of Xenia would be dened by the team behind it. But how do you build a team that doesn’t just survive under pressure, but becomes unstoppable? The dierence isn’t just skill – it’s trust, purpose, and the willingness to push forward together.The challenge at hand was dicult. Situ already had a skilled P&D team in-house, but it needed to evolve – not just in size, but in structure, capability, and expertise. We weren’t just assembling a team: we were creating an environment where autonomy, mastery, and purpose would drive everything we built.

To ensure expertise was applied where it had the greatest impact, the team was structured into self-contained agile squads, each focused on a core business value stream – booking, content, and data & AI. This approach created seamless collaboration between disciplines, accelerating progress and keeping innovation tightly aligned with business needs. BJSS brought more than expertise – they brought a new way of thinking. Product and service designers, business analysts, architects, and platform engineers challenged assumptions, introduced fresh perspectives, and embedded best practices into every stage of development. Every interaction sharpened skills, deepened knowledge, and strengthened Xenia’s foundation. The impact was immediate. Situ’s P&D team wasn’t just working on Xenia; it was evolving because of it. The team didn’t operate in isolation. We engaged the wider business, redesigning workows alongside the Product Design Authority, bringing in real-world feedback through shadowing sessions, ongoing collaboration with operations, and fortnightly Show & Tells. Every decision, every iteration, remained grounded in human-centric design – ensuring that what we built wasn’t just powerful, but truly useful. For two teams to work together, synergy had to be more than an idea – it had to be instinctive. Like a Formula 1 team, where the driver alone can’t win unless the pit crew is perfectly in sync, every person in the Xenia project had a role to play. The success of one depended on the precision of all. At the nal stage of team building, we scaled up. New people were recruited to add to the strong core we had created. This wasn’t just about growing a department. It was about building capability. Strengthening the foundation with expertise that would drive Xenia forward – Data Science, AI, Platform Engineering, and Integration specialists. Bringing in Academy engineers, giving them a start in a tough market. Ensuring quality wasn’t just a step in the process, but a mindset embedded in everything we build. Working together with BJSS, delivering the vision, and overcoming obstacles along the way is what shaped the team – welding them together through pressure, challenge, and the heat of shared ambition. Great teams don’t just communicate. They anticipate. They act together, almost instinctively, in pursuit of something bigger than themselves. Just like for Xenia, there was always a bigger picture for the team. What started as a scale-up had to become something greater – a fully-edged department, built to push Xenia beyond its rst milestones and into the future. What started as ve became sixteen. More than a team – an engine of innovation, a force connected by people, built for the challenges ahead. We didn’t just build a platform. We built a team ready to take on any challenge.TheTeam

TheFortressThe strongest fortresses aren’t built overnight. They are designed with intention, reinforced layer by layer, made to withstand the unimaginable. From the moment Xenia was conceived, security wasn’t an afterthought – it was the foundation. In a world where data breaches, cyber threats, and vulnerabilities grow more sophisticated by the day, trust isn’t given. It’s earned. And trust begins with protection.

But protection isn’t just about building walls – it’s about fortifying from the inside out. No weak points. No blind spots. No room for error. Xenia isn’t basic protection. It’s enterprise-grade security, built from the ground up on globally recognised frameworks. The Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) Application Security Standard (ASVS) Level 2 ensures that every safeguard is in place. This level of security is designed for businesses that process payments, execute critical activities, handle B2B transactions, and manage sensitive data – not as a patchwork of xes, but as a meticulously designed system of defence. No leaks – only layered encryption. Every piece of data is shielded at every stage, encrypted both at rest and in transit. Even within our own systems, data masking ensures that sensitive information stays hidden, adding another layer of protection. No exposure – only a fortied perimeter. Xenia eliminates unnecessary entry points, ensuring public cloud services are accessed through private networks. Isolated environments limit lateral movement, reducing risks before they can spread. No weak links – only a security-rst foundation. Xenia was built for resilience, operating on an enterprise cloud landing zone that integrates security, compliance, and governance from the start – not as an add-on, but as an unshakable core. Security isn’t something that happens once – it’s an ongoing mission. Modern systems evolve by the second, and so does the nature of threats. That’s why Xenia operates on a ‘trust-but-verify’ approach – constantly assessing, adapting, and reinforcing its defences. Our security isn’t static; it’s proactive. To ensure that vigilance never lapses, Xenia is monitored 24/7 by independent third-party security services from two industry-leading organisations. This means real-time threat detection, immediate incident response, and rapid containment – an added layer of assurance that nothing is taken for granted. Resilience, not invincibility, is the hallmark of great security. Given enough time and eort, any system can be breached. But Xenia has been designed to be a tough nut to crack – hardened enough to deter all but the most advanced threats. Our strength isn’t in claiming we are unbreakable, but in ensuring that we can respond at speed, adapt faster than threats evolve, and remain steadfast no matter the challenge. Because in the end, security isn’t just about technology. It’s about trust. And trust is built on the certainty that no matter what happens, Xenia stands resilient. TheFortress

TheOpen DoorThe strongest fortresses have gates. Because true security isn’t about isolation – it’s about knowing when to open the door.

Xenia was built with one guiding principle: barriers should never stand in the way of progress. The world of serviced accommodation is vast, dynamic, and constantly evolving. To navigate it eectively, we needed more than just a platform – we needed a system that could seamlessly connect, adapt, and respond in real time. Openness isn’t just about accessibility. It’s about having the right connections at the right time, to create opportunities rather than obstacles. Situ’s diverse connectivity gives us real-time access to property features, availability, and pricing from apartments, houses and aparthotels across the world. This instant visibility means our teams can spend less time searching and more time matching the perfect property to our clients’ unique needs – at competitive prices. This is Situ’s advantage. Champions of Connection. A network that goes beyond technology, built on relationships, expertise, and the ability to solve even the most complex accommodation challenges. With direct links to the world’s leading professional property operators, Situ gains immediate access to new properties the moment they enter the market. The value of this can’t be understated – early access, priority availability, and seamless integration into our supply chain. And the benets don’t stop there. These direct connections eliminate unnecessary third-party layers, reducing complexity and ensuring that pricing remains competitive. By removing ineciencies, we allow businesses to move faster, secure better options, and experience true exibility in their accommodation strategy. Xenia was never designed to be a walled garden. It was built to integrate, connect, and expand, creating an ecosystem where accommodation, technology, and service operate in sync. The strength of an open door isn’t just in what it lets in – it’s in the possibilities it creates when the right connections are made. Because in the end, technology connects systems, but people connect opportunities. And with Xenia, those opportunities are limitless. TheOpen Door

TheMilestoneEvery great transformation starts from within. Before a company can change an industry, it must rst rene itself. Before a vision can scale, it must prove itself.

That’s why Xenia’s journey didn’t start with expansion – it started with precision. The rst milestone was the launch of Xenia’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) – a foundational step, not just to build technology, but to build the future of how bookings happen. An MVP is not the nal product; it is the rst proof of concept. A working version that demonstrates real impact, renes processes, and sets the stage for something bigger. And the impact was immediate. We didn’t begin by rolling it out to the world. We began at home, within Situ. We built Xenia to rst enhance our own operations: cleaning house, streamlining workows, and preparing to scale. Because transformation doesn’t start at the edges – it starts at the core. The results weren’t just incremental improvements; they were a fundamental shift in the way we operate. A leap forward. A tangible demonstration of what happens when innovation meets execution. • More than halved the time to quote – reducing friction, enabling faster decisions, and giving clients the speed they need to act with condence. • Expanded diversity, quality, and volume of properties in non-urban locations, ensuring that wherever a traveller needs to be, the right accommodation is there. • Enriched data for better search & compatibility matching, making the process of nding the right property not just faster, but smarter. • Overhauled communication, ensuring clarity and simplicity in every interaction, from the moment of booking to check-in, for both bookers and guests. This wasn’t just about eciency, it was about redening the booking experience from the ground up. It was about proving that the complex could be made simple, that technology could do more than just support operations – it could elevate them. The MVP was more than a launch – it was a signal. A statement that Xenia isn’t just another system. It is the infrastructure on which the future of serviced accommodation will be built. And this is only the beginning. A proof of Xenia’s power, a foundation built for scale. What started as an internal revolution is now set to expand beyond Situ, to transform the entire serviced accommodation industry. A milestone is not the nish line. It’s a marker on the journey – a glimpse of what’s coming next. And for Xenia, the journey has only just begun. TheMilestone

TheFuture

Imagine a future where human connection and warm interactions are blended with state-of-the-art technology to deliver unrivalled service That future is already in motion. Where booking platforms were once rigid, Xenia will oer uidity – from static systems to self-service portals, tailored to each client. From disconnected supply to a unied ecosystem where operators can manage their own inventory, in real time. From reactive support to AI-augmented workows that anticipate needs and accelerate service. The roadmap is still unfolding, but the destination is clear: a smarter, faster, more human way to book accommodation – one that redenes the standard, again and again. Because Xenia isn’t just a platform. It’s a platform that evolves. TheFuture