Facilities, Health & Safety Appointments for Informa

About Informa

Informa is a global knowledge, information and events business, operating across publishing, events, training, market intelligence and specialist information services. It is one of the world's leading organisers of international events, exhibitions and conferences, operating across more than 30 countries and delivering thousands of events each year. In London its offices include Maple House and KNect House.

Our work with Informa

Maxwell Stephens has recruited two roles for Informa:

• Facilities Manager for its central London offices, Maple House and KNect House.
• Health, Safety & Security Manager (Europe), leading health, safety and security across the European events portfolio and advising the Group on travel risk.

Facilities Manager, Maple House and KNect House, London

Informa needed a Facilities Manager to run two busy central London offices and maintain a safe, efficient workplace for employees, visitors and internal stakeholders. The brief covered:

• maintenance, security, cleaning, waste and associated workplace services across both offices
• leadership of service coordinators and front-of-house employees
• health and safety policies, procedures and working practices
• statutory compliance, company standards and recognised best practice
• negotiating and managing facilities contracts and suppliers
• internal audits and business continuity planning
• acting as a key facilities contact for internal stakeholders
• managing facilities projects alongside day-to-day demands

Running two occupied offices is a different proposition from running one. The manager is rarely in the building where the problem is, so the role depends on well-briefed coordinators, reliable suppliers and clear reporting lines as much as on personal presence. We searched our FM network for professionals who had run high-quality corporate offices, and assessed for people management, IOSH training or qualifications, health and safety knowledge, supplier and contract management, prioritisation and communication. Cultural fit was weighted equally with technical capability.

The appointee brought extensive FM experience, strong leadership and a detailed understanding of health and safety, and strengthened the management of both buildings: oversight of essential workplace services, clearer management of coordinators and front-of-house, closer compliance oversight, stronger contractor accountability, participation in audits and continuity planning, and better communication between facilities and the business.

Health, Safety & Security Manager (Europe)

With an expanding European events portfolio and a growing focus on operational resilience, Informa asked us to recruit a Health, Safety & Security Manager (Europe), who would also act as the Group's specialist adviser on travel risk and security. Responsibilities included:

• leading health, safety and security across the European events portfolio
• developing and implementing company-wide EHS policies and management systems
• advising the Group on travel health, safety and security
• compliance with local legislation and international best practice
• risk assessments and event-specific safety plans for exhibitions, conferences and live events
• internal audits and external regulatory inspections
• reporting to senior leadership and the Group Risk Committee
• training, incident investigation and continual improvement

Unlike a fixed estate, an events portfolio is rebuilt venue by venue under different legislation, so standards have to travel with the team. We worked with Informa's senior leadership, then ran a targeted executive search for professionals with European health and safety leadership, a NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent Level 6 qualification, IOSH Graduate Membership or higher, and experience in exhibitions, events, hospitality or complex operations, plus security and travel risk expertise. At this level the credentials are the entry ticket; what separates candidates is whether they have shaped safety behaviour in venues and teams they do not directly control. Every shortlisted candidate was assessed on technical competence, leadership and cultural alignment.

The appointee brought significant international health, safety and security experience and established themselves as a trusted adviser across the European business, giving Informa a dedicated lead for its European events portfolio during a period of continued international growth.

Why it worked

Both briefs were assessed as leadership roles with a technical foundation rather than technical roles with a team attached. For the London offices that meant testing how a candidate runs two buildings through coordinators and suppliers; for the European role it meant testing influence over people and venues outside direct control, not just qualifications.

If you are recruiting a Facilities Manager for multi-site corporate offices, or a senior health, safety or security leader for a multi-country or events-led organisation, get in touch with our team.