Background
Global is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies, home to some of the UK's most recognised radio brands including Heart, Capital, Classic FM, LBC, Radio X, Smooth and Capital XTRA. Reaching more than 50 million people every week across radio, digital, podcasts, outdoor advertising and live events, Global has built a reputation for innovation, creativity and a strong workplace culture.
As the organisation continued to grow, Global partnered exclusively with Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Head of Facilities for its London headquarters. This was a strategically important leadership appointment, requiring an individual who could deliver a first-rate workplace experience while supporting a fast-moving media organisation.
The Challenge
Global needed an experienced facilities leader who could shape the future of its workplace strategy while ensuring the smooth day-to-day operation of its busy London headquarters. The successful candidate would be responsible for creating a workplace that reflected Global's culture, balancing operational standards with employee experience, technology and continuous improvement.
Key responsibilities included:
- Developing and delivering the organisation's facilities management strategy.
- Leading all workplace operations across the London headquarters.
- Managing hard and soft facilities management services.
- Driving innovation and workplace technology improvements.
- Leading and developing the facilities team.
- Managing supplier relationships and outsourced contracts.
- Overseeing health & safety compliance and statutory obligations.
- Managing operational and capital budgets.
- Supporting workplace projects, refurbishments and future planning.
- Acting as the senior point of contact for all workplace and facilities matters.
The role called for a leader able to operate strategically while staying closely connected to day-to-day operations. That combination is rarer than it sounds: head-of-function candidates in facilities often come either from an operational background with limited exposure to strategy and budgets, or from a corporate real estate background with limited feel for the building itself.
Our Approach
Following an in-depth consultation with Global's leadership team, Maxwell Stephens built a detailed understanding of the organisation's culture, values and long-term workplace ambitions. This allowed us to design a targeted executive search focused on leaders who could combine technical facilities management expertise with commercial awareness, innovation and strong people leadership.
Our search focused on candidates with experience in:
- Corporate workplace and facilities management.
- Multi-site operational leadership.
- Supplier and contract management.
- Health & safety governance.
- Workplace technology and innovation.
- Strategic planning and budget management.
- Team leadership and organisational development.
- Stakeholder management at executive level.
Within one week, Maxwell Stephens presented a shortlist of five candidates. Three progressed to interview, and one was appointed to the role.
The Outcome
The successful candidate brought extensive experience leading workplace operations within high-profile corporate environments, together with a modern, people-focused approach to facilities management.
Since joining Global, they have:
- Strengthened workplace operations across the London headquarters.
- Developed a clear facilities strategy aligned with business objectives.
- Improved supplier performance and contract governance.
- Improved the employee workplace experience.
- Introduced new workplace technologies and processes.
- Led and developed a high-performing facilities team.
- Supported the continued growth of one of the UK's leading media organisations.
"For the second time now, Peter has secured me an truly unbelievable and unique role. Peter's understanding of my desires when seeking a new role as a client has now been demonstrated twice - he knew what I was looking for and didn't present anything back until it was the right match. The process was easy, straight-forward, stress free, no fuss and honest, no question too big or too small and the guidance and insight provided were spot on throughout the interview process. Without doubt, I would recommend working with Peter and will undoubtedly do so again. Thanks Peter and the Maxwell Stephens team."
Why This Placement Worked
For organisations like Global, facilities management is about far more than buildings — it is about creating an environment where creativity, collaboration and innovation can thrive. The consultation at the start of the search mattered: understanding what Global wanted the workplace to say about the brand made it possible to assess candidates against that ambition, not just against a list of services to manage.
By combining specialist industry knowledge with a disciplined executive search process, Maxwell Stephens helped Global appoint a Head of Facilities able to support both its people and its growth plans. If you are recruiting a senior facilities or workplace leader for a headquarters where the environment is part of the brand, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach the right candidates quickly. Get in touch with our team.