Background
Clarksons PLC is the world's leading provider of integrated shipping services, supporting clients across the maritime, offshore, trade and energy sectors. Listed on the London Stock Exchange and operating from more than 50 offices worldwide, Clarksons combines global reach with deep industry expertise.
Clarksons appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Head of Facilities Management for its headquarters at Commodity Quay in London. This senior appointment would lead all workplace, facilities and building operations across the headquarters, keeping the business running safely, efficiently and to a high professional standard.
The Challenge
The Head of Facilities Management role combined strategic leadership with hands-on operational responsibility. It needed an experienced facilities professional who could manage a complex corporate headquarters while delivering a high standard of service to employees, visitors and stakeholders, and who would keep the building fully compliant, operationally efficient and in line with what Clarksons expects of its workplace.
Key responsibilities included:
- Leading all facilities management operations across Commodity Quay.
- Managing hard and soft FM services, including cleaning, security, maintenance and parking.
- Delivering refurbishment, renovation and workplace improvement projects.
- Ensuring full compliance with health & safety legislation and statutory requirements.
- Developing strong relationships with landlords, tenants, contractors and specialist consultants.
- Managing procurement, supplier performance and contract negotiations.
- Controlling operational budgets and delivering value for money.
- Providing technical leadership across building services.
- Acting as the senior point of contact during emergencies and business-critical incidents.
- Driving continuous improvement across workplace operations and service delivery.
Clarksons required a highly organised leader with strong technical knowledge, commercial awareness and the interpersonal skills to engage confidently with stakeholders at every level of the organisation.
Head of FM roles in a single headquarters building are often harder to fill than multi-site equivalents. The post-holder is visible to everyone in the business every day, has no regional layer to delegate to, and is judged as much on how the building feels as on the compliance file. That combination narrows the field to people who are technically credible and comfortable operating at board level at the same time.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens worked closely with Clarksons' senior leadership team to build a detailed understanding of the role, the organisation's culture and the operational demands of its headquarters.
Using our specialist facilities management network and executive search methodology, we identified professionals with proven experience leading facilities operations within complex corporate environments. Our search focused on candidates who demonstrated:
- Senior facilities management leadership experience.
- Strong technical understanding of building services.
- Health & safety and statutory compliance expertise.
- Commercial contract and supplier management capability.
- Financial management and budget control experience.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
- A proactive, solutions-focused leadership style.
Every shortlisted candidate went through a rigorous assessment of both technical capability and cultural fit, so that the eventual appointment would support Clarksons' long-term operational objectives rather than only its immediate needs.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens appointed an experienced Head of Facilities Management who brought the technical expertise, leadership capability and commercial acumen required to lead the facilities function at Commodity Quay.
The successful candidate quickly took responsibility for workplace operations, supplier management and compliance, helping ensure the continued smooth running of one of the maritime industry's most prominent headquarters. The appointment has:
- Strengthened leadership across workplace and facilities operations.
- Improved the management of hard and soft FM services.
- Improved contractor governance and supplier performance.
- Maintained health & safety and statutory compliance.
- Supported the effective delivery of workplace projects and building improvements.
- Given Clarksons long-term operational support for a safe, efficient and professional working environment for employees, clients and visitors.
Why This Placement Worked
Maxwell Stephens specialises in the recruitment of senior facilities management, workplace and property professionals across corporate headquarters, financial services, legal, professional services and commercial real estate. That focus meant the search started from an existing network of Head of FM candidates rather than from a blank advertisement, and the assessment could concentrate on the two things a headquarters role turns on: technical depth in building services and the ability to hold the confidence of senior stakeholders.
If you are recruiting a Head of Facilities Management or a similar senior workplace leader for a corporate headquarters, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach candidates who combine technical expertise with commercial and leadership capability. Get in touch with our team.