
Meet our Team
Introducing the attentive, knowledgeable facilitators behind every exceptional stay.

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Josh Danan | CEO
Josh has been working in the student accommodation space since 2007, when he set up a platform for students to book before arriving in their new city. During these years, the limitations of standard student housing options were glaring. They simply didn’t suit most international students' requirements. Driven to offer flexibility, comfort and service to students (and quite often their parents), Josh Co-Founded Student Luxe in 2019 to solve the challenges that many students faced when looking for an apartment. Today you’ll find Josh working closely with the Sales team helping to find the perfect apartment for each student, or typically their concerned parents preparing to send their teenager off to London to get a first class education. On the weekends, expect to find Josh on a tennis court, or spending some quality time with his family.
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Thanathorn 'Mo' Oui-Panich | Head of Sales
Mo joined Student Luxe in 2022, and has quickly become an integral part of the team. With an impressive CV of hospitality-related roles in her native Thailand, she came onboard after completing her MSc in Real Estate Management from Bristol. As our Head of Sales you’ll likely speak to Mo when making an enquiry for an apartment via our business WhatsApp, or by phone. Her knowledge of luxury accommodation options in London - and their corresponding hotel-style amenities - is unrivalled. During the week you can find Mo buzzing around the office, doing apartment viewings - and going above & beyond to ensure guest expectations are exceeded. Outside the office she’s a keen tennis player, big foodie & avid drinker of matcha lattes.
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Edoardo Martelli | Partnerships & Operations
Edo joined Student Luxe in October 2022 after working in a variety of significant roles in the hospitality industry. You will likely encounter Edo right from any initial enquiry all the way through to making payments and extending your stay. His warm, genuine and meticulous approach makes him a hugely popular figure with guests, partners and our team. However, he is Italian by heart & soul, so for the love of god don’t mix chicken and pasta in front of him! When he’s not on the job he enjoys learning Mandarin, working his way through new recipes, seeing new places - and is a keen amateur footballer. Fun fact - Edo’s family own a deli in back in Prato, Tuscany.

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Alex Obertelli | Head of Marketing
Alex has been an integral part of Student Luxe since its founding in 2019, bringing with him over a decade of experience in building premium brands within the leisure and hospitality sector. Holding an MSc in Marketing from Oxford Brookes University, Alex combines strategic insight with a sharp creative eye - consistently finding thoughtful, elegant solutions to complex brand challenges. His deep understanding of guest expectations and industry trends makes him a cornerstone of the Luxe team. Whether he’s refining campaign messaging or exploring new growth channels, Alex brings an unwavering commitment to detail and quality. Most days, you’ll find him - espresso in hand - leading collaborative sessions in the conference room, always focused on elevating the Luxe experience for our discerning clientele.
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Katria Bates | Sales Team
Born and raised in London, Katria brings a wealth of experience in luxury real estate, with a strong background in sales and marketing tailored to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals both in the UK and abroad. Prior to joining Student Luxe in November 2022, she played a key role at one of London’s most prestigious property agencies, where she honed her skill for identifying exactly what discerning clients are looking for — and delivering it with precision and care. Katria’s intuitive understanding of guest needs and her ability to match them with thoughtfully selected, high-end student accommodations make her an invaluable part of the Luxe team. She is sharp, attentive, and genuinely passionate about creating exceptional living experiences. Away from the office you’re likely to find her exploring the city she grew up in, brunch spot hopping and gallery snooping.
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Dana Danan | CRM Architect
Introducing Dana, our fantastic CRM architect who's the brains behind the company's entire operational system. Dana joined Student Luxe 2 years ago and ensures we're a well-oiled machine behind the scenes. With her background of CRM combined with Marketing and Business Development, Dana is able to visualise the student's entire booking process from start to finish to ensure we can provide the 5* star service our guests deserve. In her free time Dana finds her 'zen' in the kitchen - baking delicious treats and creating yummy dishes from scratch for her loved ones, as well as enjoying forest walks with her family.

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Lina Staugaityte | Guest Experience, Sales
Lina became a part of Student Luxe in July 2024, but it feels like she's been here for years! She joins us with a strong hospitality background, and a track record of setting high standards & exceeding guest expectations. An expert communicator, Lina’s role with us as Guest Experience Manager is centred around ensuring guests feel at home in their new apartments. Lina’s proactive attitude is a true asset to the business, and her problem solving skills guarantee our guests are well looked after. Outside of work, her interests include yoga, hiking, swimming and visiting art galleries. She’s a big animal lover, and her dream is to one day own a house with lots of land to house chickens, dogs, horses…and highland cows.
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Rongrong Luo | Sales Team
Originally from Shanghai, Rongrong joined Student Luxe in April 2023 and has lived in Bristol, Manchester and London. As a Sales & Marketing specialist, Rongrong is in charge of handling all bookings and ongoing guest support for our Chinese clients. She also assists with our international marketing efforts, and creates content for our social media platforms. Rongong excels at understanding the delicate needs of international guests, and provides excellent support to make our clients feel safe and comfortable for the duration of their stay with us. In her spare time she’s always up for a nice 2-hour bouldering session or trying out a good coffee shop (or any new hotpot restaurant).
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Sasha Chen | Sales Team
A seasoned accommodation expert with over 10 years in the industry – including time with Unite Students – Sasha helps students find the best luxury apartments in Barcelona and Paris, while her background as a former Senior Customer Service Manager for Berkeley Group gives her an intuitive understanding of London’s rental market, especially new homes. An accomplished marathon runner, she brings energy, determination, and perseverance to every search, going the extra mile for guests. Originally from Taiwan, Sasha speaks fluent Mandarin and loves helping international students feel at home.

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Sam Smithies | Supply Chain Manager
Sam joined us in April 2024 and is a responsible for overseeing the operators we work with. By effectively managing our relationships in this area, Sam helps us expand our inventory and ensure the apartments we provide meet the highest standards in quality and safety. Sourcing new operators and meeting with them is a core part of Sam’s role, as is onboarding new properties. Sam has extensive experience in the luxury accommodation industry, having worked for both agents and operators over the last 12 years. Outside of work, Sam is a keen music fan with an extensive collection of records and an enthusiasm for a wide range of styles. Give the Student Luxe Spotify playlist a listen to check out some of his favourite tunes.
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Paige Grinter | Growth & Partnerships Manager
Paige builds strong, lasting partnerships with new universities and language schools, working closely with our sales team to establish key agreements that help us support more students and expand our network – including our capacity for group bookings. A former operations leader for educational services company Kaplan, Paige has a deep knowledge of the student experience, having worked directly with students at Kaplan, supporting them with everything from vetting to accommodation services. Paige's face-to-face work with students and academic institutions has taken her to over 30 countries, both in the UK and abroad. So, you could say she's a bit of a globetrotter.
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Stefan Hrebenciuc | Sales Team
Stefan joined the Student Luxe sales team in March 2025 as a Booking Specialist. A former Uber driver in London, he brings a first-class knowledge of the city, which he harnesses to source the best apartments in the best locations. Originally from Romania, Stefan has longstanding expertise in sales and relationship-building, having worked in key account roles for over 10 years. And has found his feet helping students book their dream stays. When he’s not fielding enquiries from guests, he’s on the road doing apartment viewings and showing off his navigation and customer service skills. Outside of work, Stefan loves a Thames walk and a spot of cooking – he’s especially fond of Indian food.

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Alyssa Chen | Sales Team
Alyssa is part of the sales team and works directly with Student Luxe’s Chinese guests. She joined in March 2025, and responds to enquiries that come in via WhatsApp, Google Ads, and Rednote (a Chinese social media platform), connecting students with the best luxury apartments. She has an MBA, a BA in Hotel Management, and a background of supporting big hotel chains in a sales capacity. Alyssa is bilingual, which is enormously handy for dealing with Student Luxe’s international guests. Outside of work, she likes golf, scary movies, and taking photos.
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George Toskov | Marketing Executive
George joined Student Luxe in October 2024 and supports us with marketing, lead generation, and content creation. His role has evolved from bringing our apartments to life with attention-grabbing profiles, to providing crucial marketing support that helps grow the business. George learnt the ropes of marketing running a digital marketing agency as a co-founder, and working for an international broker. An avid trader, he lives for data and analysis and is no stranger to a smart investment.
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Anton Constantinou | Content Lead
Anton is Student Luxe’s Content Lead. He writes our blog posts and area guides, and works behind the scenes to analyse our content and optimise its performance, as well on road, photographing and filming around London. Anton has worked in editorial for the past nine years, including for serviced apartment operator, SilverDoor Apartments. And brings a wealth of knowledge in content creation and delivery. His hobbies include reading, travelling, going to gigs, and reviewing fragrances.

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Lillian Cheng | Content Creator
As Content Creator, Lillian is in charge of posting social media content aimed at Student Luxe’s Chinese guests, including area guides and apartment walkthroughs. She is also responsible for sales, working with the sales team to sift enquiries and book stays for our international guests. Lillian is a creative person at heart, with a BA in International Journalism and a Master’s in Ethnographic and Documentary Film. Originally from China, she moved to London in 2022, and, having worked for an uber trendy coffee shop in the city, makes an epic cappuccino.
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Aleksandra Bitjukova | Financial Controller
Aleksandra looks after our financial operations as a business, including our compliance, budgets, and cash flow. Working with key stakeholders to ensure our accounting is streamlined and efficient and delivers the best service possible to guests, operators, and our staff. She also helps build and shape our finance strategy as a business. Aleks has over 10 years’ financial experience, including 10 years of working for hotels in a finance capacity, and two years finance experience in fashion. Outside of work, Aleks is big into motorbikes and regularly attends (and participates in) motorbiking events.