Journey To Regeneration
The Social Hub: Charlie MacGregor on Building Business Through Human Connection
Published: 26 March 2026 at 05:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Charlie MacGregor, founder and CEO of The Social Hub, about rethinking hospitality as a platform for social and economic value creation. Originally launched as The Student Hotel, the company has evolved into a hybrid model that integrates student housing, hotels, co-working, and community spaces to foster interaction across diverse groups. MacGregor explains how regulatory constraints in housing led to an unexpected innovation in hospitality design, and how the company’s mission deepened through engagement with the European refugee crisis. The conversation explores how social connection can be operationalized as a business model, from talent development and local economic integration to measurable “social value” generated for cities. It also addresses the challenge of aligning investors with purpose-driven strategies and demonstrates how profitability and social impact can reinforce one another when embedded structurally. Ultimately, the episode offers a compelling case for viewing business not just as an economic actor, but as a builder of social infrastructure in an increasingly fragmented world.
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